Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-04

animal, | shall ask you to MAINTAIN II
out of your allowance. | am not 5usti'
fed in permitting it to draw supplies
romthe general account
Demosthenes, who had been cycling
the efficiency man with obvious dis
quiet, at this instant voiced a small
growl.
And, by the way, Miss Brooke. I
have observed large aquarium in the
conservatory. in which are number
of goldfish While these fish are also
non-producers and are of quite use
less type, not being edible, what l
chiefly criticise is the fact that there is
a steady flow of water through this
tank night and day.
"At an estimate Of half gallon per
minute, this tank is consuming seven
hundred and twenty gallons Of water
per day. Do you know that this house
pays for water according to the meas
urement of meter? That tank alone is
consuming over two hundred and six
ty thousand gallons Of water per year!
1t cannot be permitted"
Indeed? And do you know what my
father will do If you attempt to get
rid of it,"
Hedge shook his head indifferently.
"He will probably kill you" said
Constance calmly Those are his gold
fish. They are his hobby. He breeds
them; he has developed several new
types. Why, he has been offered as
high as hundred dollars for a single
specimen
"He took it, Of course
Most certainly not But he has pre-
scented several specimens to the public
aquarium and to scientific societies
81 am glad you mentioned the mat
ter" said Hedge, making memoran-
dunn. 81 shall at least feel justified in
of sufficient quantity to de-
fray the cost of water and food"
You try it," said Constance signifi-
cantly as she turned here back upon
him and walked away with Demos
themes.
Fifteen minutes later behind the
locked door of her den, Constance and
were engaged in most
curious rehearsal At given signal
readiness, would howl plaintively. lie
on his side. roll over on his back, in
dulge in brief stimulation Of agony,
and then become perfectly still, coun-
terfeiting a dead dog The signal was
the word Hedge" Kissed sibilantly.
Yet Constance realized that the res
cue of Demosthenes and the gallant
stand in behalf OF her fathers goldfish
were but a poor offset to the assaults
of II. Hedge against household happi-
ness. She unburdened her soul to
Matilda.
"The wretch" she cried Gle says
is not efficient. All he
talks is efficiency-or what he says is
Think OF it, Matilda! He
says he eliminated twentysix lost mo-
tions in LAYING brick pavement"
Its improper" said Matilda.
And he says he showed depart.
mentstore how to save eighteen mill
utes in delivering each parcel"
1.-The the rascal"
"And he showed them how to serve
coffee and cakes in some restaurant So
that they saved nearly a cent cup"
Its sinful!'
And something about capet-tacks-,
oh. dear l forget exactly what. Some
thing about saving thirty-five and a
fifth seconds in making each tack"
Matilda stiffened and became rigid.
It's immoral" she affirmed earnest
ly
And"
Constance paused for breath.
"And he says we do not cooperate!'
God forbid" said Matilda.
He Oh, oh, can't bear it,"
What has he done. deary?"
HE has stopped our charge &C
Matilda gasped. She did not fully
realize the enormity of the offense, but
it was something abhorrent to her mis-
tress, and that was enough.
I'VE can't charge anything any
more" walled Constance, unless We
go to him first and tell him what we
want, and have him make out requisi.
ton. And if it costs very much we can't
have it at all"
1--WE shall perish" said Matilda
gloomily
''TIe has been telephoning to all the
stores, telling them they won't be paid
unless we fill out regular forms. He
calls it standardization"
Matilda WINGED and flushed. 1t shock
ed her to hear such horrid word In
the mouth of her mistress, even
though it was but quotation.
Standardization" repeated Con-
stance. That's more efficiency. The
beast"
Down in the library however, Hedge
was peacefully oblivious TO the comma
ton in Constance's boudoir He was
photograph. He had found
the picture in a drawer of the big ma
hogany desk. The serene. gray eyes OF
Constance looked out from 1t. Under 1t
was written:
Ny little girl
The efficiency man recognized the
bold hand writing of John w. Brooke.
He studied the photograph for some
minutes and finally slipped 1t into his
pocket
"A rather good sentiment, succinctly