Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-01-24
STRAIN OF BUSINESS
BY EDNA kOPP.


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 un-
der which the business man suffers.
In winter it isn't so bad. All he
has 70 do then is to get down to his
desk at o'clock, dictate a couple of
hundred letters, close several deals
with wealthy old skinfints, who nail
down every dollar they own and dare
him to get 1t away from them, put off
six fierce men who want TO collect
several thousand dollars worth of
bills and generally wrestle with the
office force. But these warm days,
1t Is different. Honestly, sometimes
my heart aches for Mr.. Pye and Mr.
! Digginsl It's a wonder to me that
their families are willing to go away
! for weeks at a time and leave poor
father to slave alone In his misery.
Il know what the women do before
they go 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 walt for any one to get
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 1t as Mrs. Pye would do Then
he 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 cot
fee breakfasts where you tip the wait
er 81 for $3.50 feed. Then gets to
the office about l. o'clock wearing q
pale and troubled look.
Good morningi' says Mr.. Pye gen
orally He gazes at US gently, as if he
were due to die in five minutes or so
and wanted to leave good impression.
Good morningl / hope everybody is
feeling well-rm all in myself This
having no home and trailing all over
town for breakfast takes it out OF a
man; takes II out! Yet | won't COM
plain, because | don't want to deny
my family What The thermome-
ter at rs? This heat is grilling!'
Then he fades away into his pri-
vate 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
frowns Miss Fattershaii ne says to
me In a languid voice. I suppose these
are absolutely necessary, so that you
aren't disturbing me uselessly Oh, |
well, give them herel'
He 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 bust
ness, but II II Is possible thing he'll
try and Join him. But It's always
buoAhooo MOI, my IVY uS iSmiuu5
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 1t back to
the Office about two O'Clock and tells
the head clerk not to bother him about
such a trlhe 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 gray suit that is so per
feet you don't believe it is real and
wearing on his head a 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 1t to yourself to
get little rest and recreation. You'll
De having heat prostration or some
hing like that il you don't take care
II yourself Come, let's go to the ball
camel
Mr.. Pye considers. L hate to 20
md leave lot OF work standing,
lawn says he. Things stop on a dead
,enter whenever I'm not here, you
NOV. oh, well. hate to disappoint
'ou. since you've come way up here
or me- So he reluctantly grabs his
,anama and they float out to take the
curing car.
Later on he has another meal at
oos garden or a summer garden with
music, and the check for him and
avn is somewhere around $40. The
curing oar drops him at his own door
q the moonlight and leaves him to un-
disturbed slumber that he may rest
- for another wearing day.
Oh" ended Miss Fattershall, Il
ould just cry over the way that poor
nan 10 driven with work. ! oouldi'.--
'hicaRo Daily News.