The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-17
EVENING STORY
What Maidie Might Have Missed.

working in your uncle's office into
your head?" asked her mother.
"Oh, who knows but 1 might write
best seller some day with a working
girl for a heroine?" retorted Maidie
smilingly.
IF Judson has any jobs oper that
call for unskilled labor said her
father, run along; it will do you no
harm" Then. seeing his w:fes exas-
perated expression, he added: IF she
were boy we'd think the more of her
for having spunk enough to begin at
the bottom; why not let her have
fling at real work %
Uncle Jud's letter says that he's
game to give me a chance to make
good" said Maidie, rising from the
breakfast table and leaning both arms
on the back of her chair as If the bet
ter to convince her audience. He
says his filing department is managed
by woman who has three assistants
and that l may come and fill a va
cancy that will occur next week, and
he won't let on to a soul that I'm re-
lated to him. Won't it be fun? Ever
so much more interesting than after
noon teas and gossip fests!'
BE careful to behave so as not to
excite comment" warned her father,
''or you'll find that gossip thrives in a
business office as well as it does wher-
ever human beings congregate long
enough to become familiar with each
others peculiarities and shortcom-
ings."
When Maidie entered upon her Of
flee duties the next week she found
everything of interest, from register
ing the time of her daily arrival and
departure at the big time clock to
watching the skilled movements Of
the nimble-fingered typists and the
many shirt-sleeved clerks in the big
offices of her uncleS wholesale shoe
business
Miss Mason" said the head filing
clerk to Maidie toward the end of the
second week, "the advertising manager
| is going to send one of his assistants
over here to look through all orders
received from ten large accounts in
the middle west since his advertise
! ments came out in the farm papers,
and 1 wish you to help find the orders.
Here comes the young man now. Mr..
| Webster. Miss Mason will help you to
find the orders and to tabulate the
| information you want
| For an hour or more Maidie and the
| young man worked away without a
word except with reference to the
| dates of orders, and the number of
pairs of shoes listed in the different
| grades and prices.
What lot of people wear two-dol-
lar shoes" said Maidie, after a sly
peep at the modish shoes worn by her
| co-worker and satisfied glance at
|
And what a lot of money this firm
| spends advertising them," said young
| Webster. Five thousand dollars for
a farm paper campaign! At 25 cents
profit on one pair it would take four
| pairs to net 81 and 10000 pairs to net
$1,000
1T would have taken me hours to
get the answer" said Maidie, with a
| frank smile in her big brown ewes.
But think of those 10000 pairs of
shoes all exactly alike, and yet no two
of the 10000 people who wear them
will be alike"
That is worth thinking about, isn't
| it?" Perhaps that friendly glance
from Maidie had something to do with
making her remark seem so worthy
of consideration. And think what a
fellow could get besides two-dollar
SHOES with the $4,000 those 10000
PAIRS would cost
For instance?" Maidie's inquiry
was born of her interest to know what
such an alert young man would fancy.
oh, peach of a car and enough
to invest in the business here to hope
to draw more than fifteen per-"
Fifteen peril exclaimed Maidie.
why, I'm getting only ten a week.
May ask what you would do if
forty thousand fell into your lap?"
Buy a bungalow in the Adiron-
dacks or perhaps string of matched
pearls at Tiffanys,'' said Maidie.
promptly naming two things her in
dulgent father had refused her.
'Whee-ew!" This characterization
and half-whist1e from Webster beran
loudly as an expression of amazemert
at Maidie's extravagant tastes. but
ended as a subdued warning of the
approach of Judson Warren, president
of the firm.
Maidie blushed crimson as her uncle
began to question Webster about the
results of the farm-paper campaigo
Altho 1t was according to her agree
ment with him, she felt piqued that he
did not greet her cordially. She looked
down and rummaged thru the files
head file clerk swept up and asked Mr.
Warren whether he was unable to find
some information desired.
oh, no, everything is quite salts
factory, Miss Giles said Mr. Warren
and, with a quick side glance al
Maidie, he passed on to the samnIe
rooms beyond.
"A personal telegram for Won
Webster" called out a clerk pointine
him out to waiting messenger bow,
webster received the message. opened
and read it, and started to purse his
lips for another whistle, but refrained
Il believe you've been a mascot
Miss Mason; for this is royal good
news 1t begins to look as if nv shin
is coming in. Will YOU continue OF
mascot by wishing me we'll on a tour-
ney this kilograms asks me to make p,
Certainly, if you'll promise NOT n
! snub me next time We meet"
please don't take me for a cad. bu,
it may be many weeks before 1 re-
turn"
by that time 7 shall have lost my
!. job. for Miss Giles is glaring at me
/ this minute" Maidie looked IN with
a naive smile IF she turns me OFF
will you take me as deckhand when
your ship comes in ~
Agreed" said young Webster. ex.
tending his hand. Goodbye"
Maidie wondered vaguely if some
old aunt had died and left him few
: hundred dollars, but thought little
more of him as the week passed. She
fcas,rad