Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-11-30
STRAIN OF BUSINESS
BY EDNA KoPR


net over her perfectly coiffed golden
head, y have some sympathy these
days for the poor, overworked busl-
ness man! By observing things daily
in this Office and occasionally taking
side glances about through the build
ing, it has been gradually borne in
upon ne that something should be
done to relieve the frightfa!l strain uR'
der which the business man suffers.
I'm 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 OIL
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 js different Honestly, sometimes
my heart aches for Mr. Pye and Mr..
Diggins! It's a wonder to me that
their families are willing 70 go away
for weeks at time and leave poor
father to slave alone in his misery.
II know what the women do before
they go away went on Miss Fatter-
shall. They have all the heavy fur
uiture put into rosebud cretonne slips
and the shades pulled down SO the
rooms are always dim and cool. Fir.
Pye sleeps till o'clock or SO, because
the house Is so still, and then lie
doesn't have to wait for any one to get
out of the bathroom. He splashes and
shaves al 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 sco(d
him for it as Mrs. Pye would Go. Then
lie saunters out, looking like freshly
pressed millionaire, and has poor
breakfast when he gets downtown at
some hotel-one OF those melons on
ice, French omelet and Turkish cof-
fee breakfasts where you tip the wait
err 81 for a $3.50 feed. Then gets to
the Office about II o'clock wearing a
pale and troubled look.
Good morning. says Mr.. Pye gen.
orally He ga2es at us gently, as If ne
vera dua 10 die in FIVE minutes or so
ard Ta.ted 70 leave 4 good impression.
Coed morning. | hope everybody is
feeling w&i.--!'m all in myself. This
having no ho,nc and trailing all over
town f.: breakfast takes it cut Of Q
MIN: takes it out. Yet wont corr.
plain, because I don't want 20 deny
my family. What! The thcrmone-
ter at &c? This heat is grilling!'
"Then he fades away into mis- pri-
vate Office and sits down where t%o
electric fans beat upon his feveT2G
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
frowns. Miss Fattershall,' he says 20
me in langIid voice, ! suppose these
are absolutely necessary, so that you
aren't disturbing me uselcssly. On,
well. give them here!'
"He looks them over and writes yes
or no on the backs and tells NE to
use my own judgment and answer
them myself.
Then another overworked nan
calls him on the phone and wants him
10 play golf tomorrow. Mr.. Pye frowns
and says he is badly rushed with bust
ness, but if it is a possible thing he'll
try and join him. But it's always
business first, my hoy! he reminds
his friend.
After that he drags himself over to
the club for lunch. This is another
fossy repast, all RULED up with pars-
ley and everything iced and with fat
cigars after it. He beats it back 10
the Office about two o'clock and tells
the head clerk not to bother him about
such a tribe as Il $4,000 order-what
on earth is he hired fer but TO attend
10 such insignificant items?
cat this point another slave enters,
attired in a gray suit that is so pnr-
feet you don't believe it is real and
wearing on his head a panama hat
that set him back about $50. 'Pye, OH
man. says he, what's the use of wor:.
ing yourself &c death in this sort Of
weather? You owe it to yourself 10
get little rest and recreation. Yoa1i
be having heat prostration or some
thing like that if you don't take care
of yourself. Come, let's go to the bail
camel
"NIr. Pye considers. 4 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, we'll, hate to disappoint
you, since you've come way UP hcca
for me- So he reluctantly grabs lis
panama and they feat out TO take the
touring car.
Later on he has another meal al a
roof garden Or a summer garden with
music, and the check for him a2G
Jawn is somewhere around $40. The
touring car drops him at his own door
in the moonlight and leaves him to un-