The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-12
STRAIN OF BUSINESS
BY EDNA KoPe

net over her perfectly coiffed golden
head. Il have some sympathy these
days for the poor. overworked bust
ness man! By observing things daily
In this ONCE and occasionally taking
side glances about through the build.
ing. it has been gradually borne In
upon me that something should be
done to relieve the frightful strain I'm.
der which the business man suffers.
In winter it isn't SO bad. All he
has to do then is to get down to his
desk at s O'Clock. dictate couple OF
hundred letters. close several deals
with wealthy old skinflints, who nail
down every dollar they own and dare
him to get it away from them. put Oh
six fierce men who want to collect
several thousand dollars worth OF
bills and generally wrestle with the
office force. But these warm days,
it is different. Honestly. sometimes
my heart aches for Mr.. Pye and Mr..
h.:sssins! Its a wonder to me that
their families are willing to 60 away
for weeks at a time and leave poor
father to slave alone in his misery.
Il know what the women do before
they 60 away" went on Miss Fatter'
shall. They have all the heavy fur.
niture put into rosebud cretonne slips
and the shades pulled down so the
rooms are always dim and cool. Mr..
Pye sleeps till o'clock or SO. because
the house is SO still. and then he
doesn't have to wait for any one to &c.
out of the bathroom. He splashes and
shaves at his leisure and makes all
the mess he chooses by throwing
clothes around, because the woman
who comes in daily to take care Of his
bedroom and bath doesn't dare scOld
him for it as Mrs. Pye would do. Then
he saunters out, looking like freshly
pressed millionaire. and has a poor
breakfast when he gets downtown at
some ho!el-One Of those melons on
ice. French omclct and Turkish cot.
fee breakfasts where you tip the wait.
er 81 for a $l.50 feed. Then gets to
the Office about II o'clock wearing
pale and troubled look.
Good morning. says Mr.. Pye gen.
orally. lie gazes at us gently, as II he
were due to die in five minutes or so
and wanted to leave a good impression.
Good morning! hope everybody IL
feeling well-l'm all in myself. This
having no home and trailing all over
town for breakfast takes it out OF a
man; takes it out! Yet | won't com.
plain. because don't want to deny
my family. What! The thermome-
Ter at &c? This heat is grilling!
Then he fades away into his pri.
va,e Office and sits down where two
electric fans beat upon his fevered
brow. Five minutes later. when tim
idly approach with three letters in my
hands, he removes his feet from the
desk, shakes his newspaper and
irowns. Miss Fattershall.' he says TO
NE in a languid voice, i suppose these
are absolutely necessary. SO that You
aren't disturbing me usel"ssly. On,
well, give them here!
"IIe looks them over and writes yes
or no on the backs and tells me TO
use my own Judgment and answer
them myself.
Then another OverwOrked man
calls him on the phone and wants him
to play golf tomorrow. Mr. Pye frowns
and says he is badly rushed with busi-
ness. but if it is a possible thing he'll
try and Join him. but it's always
business first, my boy' he reminds
his friend.
after that he drags himself over to
the club for lunch. This is another
t,ossy repast, all rufIlcd up with pars-
ley and everything iced and with fat
cigars after 1t. He beats It back to
the Office about two o'clock and tells
the head clerk not to bother him about
such tribe as a $4,000 order-what
on earth is he hired for but to attend
to such insignificant items!
AT this point another slave enters.
attired in a gray suit that is SO per-
feet you don't believe It Ia real and
wearing on his head panama hat
that set him back about $50. 'Pye, old
man., says he, what's the use OF work.
ing yourself to death in this sort OF
weather? You owe it to yourself to
get little rest and recreation. You II
be having heat prostration or some
thing like that II you don't take care
OF yourself. Come, let's go to the ball
camel
"Mr. Pye considers. I hate to 20
and leave a lot of work standing,
Jawn.' says he. Things stop on dead
center whenever I'm not here, you
know. Oh, well, hate to disappoint
you, since you've come way up here
for me- So he reluctantly grabs his
panama and they float out to take the
touring car.
Later on he has another meal at a
roof garden or q summer garden with
music, and the check for him and
Jawn is somewhere around $40. The
touring car drops him at his own door
in the moonlight and leaves him to un.
disturbed slumber that he may rest
up for another wearing day.
MOh - andnd Miss Eaffnrahall ~