Gilpin observer., 1909-10-28
1heCrackajack

the Senior Office Boy. who was
graduate of Harvard, the Chiefs 60
ing to get new stenographer."
This piece of news failed to inter-
est the Senior. who had watched with
Indifference the entrances and exits
Of be-pompadoured procession of
! damsels and had, without regret, seen
them go their ways after a brief trial
by the irascible Chief-not because
they were incompetent; quite the re-
verse; because they transcribed the
Chiefs words instead of his thoughts,
which were often quite at variance
with each other. The Chiefs ideas
were all right, but he could not ex-
press them. and he wanted a mind
reader-something which the steno-
graphic employment bureaus had
heretofore been unable to supply.
Another" The Harvard Graduate
raised his eyebrows.
Yes, but this ones a crackajack.
She's a peach. I tell you. She's your
sort, too; she says hawf' and
pawst.'"
The mention of this shibboleth of
the others class. the Junior thought,
could not fail to call forth his en-
thusiasm. But he was doomed to dis
! appointment. 1t was but a languid
interest that was aroused in the
Senior at most
But the next morning when the
Crackajack arrived the Junior had
the satisfaction of seeing the Seniors
eyes widen with admiration and sur
prise.
Didn't tell you?" he telegraphed
across the mailing desk triumphantly.
"Tell-why. any one with half an
eye could see. She walks goa-
dess.'" The Harvard Graduate felt
that even Virgil was scarce adequate
to the occasion as he followed with
languishing glances the figure that
was just disappearing behind the
ground glass door of the Chiefs room.
Every ear was strained to catch
the conversation that followed be-
hind the partition-if the Chief were
displeased his displeasure would be
quite audible-but oh. how deyoutly
every man in that Office hoped that
he might not be!
The Chief was not displeased. On
shC NchlA al hc oCca12Cu QuilC Soo-
dued-even conciliatory.
THE Old Mans met his match this
time" whispered the Junior Office
Boy with a wink.
With the advent OF the Crackajack
came revolution in office etiquette.
Shirtsleeved deshabille fell into dis
favor; cigarettes were tabooed and
strong language was absolutely for
| bidden-and that by the Chief him
self. who, while his conventional
vocabulary was limited. was as varied
and forceful as Job himself in invec-
tive. He soon found 1t necessary to
install telephone booth to which he
might retire when his feelings be-
the desk phone.
Nor was the revolution confined to
office etiquette only. The Chiefs let
ters had become. under the magic
touch of the Crackajack, models of
English.
LAS you have explained the matter
to our satisfaction, we will disgorge
one-hals the amount charged" he
had dictated the first day.
"Refund?' suggested the young
lady quietly. The Chief frowned
slightly and proceeded. IF you will
peruse the foregoing vebiage-"
"Remarks?" Again the pencil was
poised questioningly.
The Chief fidgeted for a moment
then he said somewhat feebly:
What's the matter with those other
words? They sound good enough to
me-"
Silently his stenographer opened
the dictionary and laid it before him.
'Hum-'Disgorge. to give up un-
willingly ill-gotten gains 'verbiage.
sense" he read. and after that he
allowed himself to be shorn OF the
high-sounding expressions he had
been so fond Of using (but which yet
did not seem to express what he
meant in spite Of their imposing ap-
pearance) without protest
BY the end Of the first week every
man In the ONCE was ready to lay his
heart at the feet Of the Crackajack.
The bookkeeper made pencil notation
on all his margins In an effort to
figure out how two could live on 800
month. and the Harvard Graduate
was framing his proposal In blank
verse. for he knew that he had met
his ideal. He was still young
enough to have ideals.
But there came q day at last when
the Harvard Graduates dream was
shattered-a day. however. when in
the Chiefs eyes his new stenographer
acquired the nnal touch Of perfection
He became restive under this sup
preston and one day. in working on
some OF his irritation, a big. big D.
exploded into the telephone not II
inches from the delicate little ear