Evening star., 1909-01-24


K and l both got wise to ourselves and closed up
like clans.
O'Brien tossed her head in high n mighty way
and made of those New England spinster
faces that Emma Janver has got all the amateurs
doing Then she shifted, Let her! They haven't
got nothn on me in this job and you know that
yourself. / never did haf to work, and don't now.
Heavings! l should say not!'
K Madden transfixed her with glance. "Oh,
don't YOU"
"Should say not!"
K. Madden sighed sarcasticaly Il do
Yes, n you always Will
K laughed Oh Camille don't you think we re
onto your"
Just then the supervisor jumped up from behind
and nabbed the bunch of us.
IT wasn't but minute or SO after this that the big
= trouble began In the first place. o. BrenS board
began to get away with her. She got to talking
snappish1y, which just about doubles the work,
and was scolding the operators the circuits.
She had her number taken twice at Central and
once at Oakland
K. Madden, in contrast, was just waltzing away
with her connections and was working rings around
all of No wonder the testers were never able to
catch her
About this time l noticed that O'Brien was up
in the air: four flashes all at once, and two calls
for Manager personally" Suddenly she gave a
sharp little start. I saw it myself; but thought
it was just slight shock from damp hands on the
ringing generator, something like that. But just
then l her sneak her hand over toward K.
Madden's cords while K. leaning to the
next position helping Obermueler get down some
of her disconnects. Swiftly O'Bren snatched up
the answering cord of the first pair KS board
and slipped it noiselessly into answering jack
out of which she pulled her own plug. In this way
the call, whatever it was, fell Ks board and was
up to her.
O'Brien looked around gultily She saw me star
ing at her. She turned red beet, and hurriedly
looked away.
By this time K Madden had discovered the con-
nection. Curiously she eyed it. 1t was half-con-
nection, and she never let of those go. Then
the inside lamp of the cord began to flash violently
She opened her listening key Then / her grow
pale as ghost. l thought she would faint But
she set her teeth Her eyes became cold and hard
She raped the supervisors call button sharply with
her fist Then knew. A tester! K. Madden had
been caught
Sure enough, in five minutes Miss Farrell took her
away from the board and sent her speeding to the
division manager. 1t had been a slow, slow flash.
and half-connection, about twelve points in all.
1t killed the chance Of the Office. Edgewater was
of first again.
OUR division manager is young man; but he
~ is on the job. The cut of his clothes is every
little bit punctual and he certainly has way with
him. If there's anything he likes, it's snappy
member like himself, and that's why he likes K.
Madden. She has class So when he saw her come
walking into his office he got mad clear through;
mad, you know, at K. because she had to be sent
to him. He loaded both barrels, for fear his foot
would slip.
(The Office kid told me afterward all about what
had happened while eleven-thirtie We're on re-
lief)
First, it seems, he said he was very much sur
prsed that it K. who did it, instead of some
else. (Bet he limiting at O'Bren or me)
All the time she just stood there taking it and twist
ing the green cord on her into kinks and knots
while she might just as well as not-as told her
later myself-have come right out with it and told
who was to blame. No, she would never do that.
That's K Madden
The office kid said it was great: Mr. Henlv getting