Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-06-17
VICTIM HUMBER 745
By OSBORN JONES.


 : : : ::::::..Ss> NXXNX2X:NX:X;X:X2X:x:X REPRESENTATIVES. When William McCord, mayor of q l city of one hundred thousand, went to | spend week in the nearest city of one 1 million, one of the first places he vis- I ited was the College of Household | Economics, where had been taking { place a series of experiments in food costs. For William McCOrd was man 1 to whom all achievements of economy were vastly more interesting than those of great expenditure. Fortunately it was the day a new diet squad was chosen from the appli- cants for work at the municipal em- ployment bureau. At the desk sat Helen Crewe, just graduated from the college and now proudly holding the post of first assist ant to the one in charge of the whole 1 experiment. She was rosy-skinned, clear-eyed and spectacled. McCord 1 liked the picture all but the spectacles. The mayor turned from studying the girls face and wishing that he could remove the spectacles to studying the faces of the men. Their baths and slaves and clothes had worked won- dezs, He was wondering how much it had cost per man to clothe them. Then b. looked back at the girl in spec tacles whom he had determined to quiz about the plans for the experi- 7nent. He watched the eyes through the spectacles. He was wondering how old she was wien he heard her voice at his side demanding: "How old are you?"
 ''Born in 18S2," he answered obedi- ently. "That makes me about-thirty- five, doesn't it?" He moved away from the desk, but the second question fol- lowed. "Where were you born?" And before he had time to realize that the girl was entering his answers on a card before her he had told her that he was half Irish; that he had been edu- cated in the public schools; that he was unmarried, and that he was stay ing in New York, though he had no permanent address there. "Have you any trader" she asked, and the mayor frankly admitted that he had learned to be stonecutter in his youth.
 "What is your name and number?"
 'I'm Bill McCord but I've lost my number. I'll get it for you, though. They gave me the number before they gave me the suit and left it in my old clothes pocket
 He turned away with assumed diffl- denee and made way for the next man in the line that had formed behind him. Having made a quick study of the faces around him, he walked ambling- ly to the one most disgruntled.
 "Hello, boss," he addressed the stran- ger of the Gisgruntled, cadaverous countenance iu the easy undertone of ] camaraderie. "Pretty soft this eh?' "Soft, nuthin'," grumped the man. "Nobody said nuthin' about soddin' the park to me. If it weren't that sold my old suit I'd take this one back and quit"
 s.Have you got number?" asked the mayor, and then followed the negotia- ton whereby the man who didn't want to help sod the park found himself free from diet-squad duty, still possessor of the new suit and ten-dollar bill be- sides. The mayor returned to Helen's desk a little later. q found my num- Der. It's 745, and please put my name down as Bill Finley"
 As the days went on Victim 745 earned for himself, behind the scenes in the laboratory, as we'll as among the sodders at the park, great popularity And after dinner sometimes he would finger in the laboratory where Helen worked over the paper and accounts to ask particulars as to the working out of the scheme. q want to show the folks at home something about it, he said when she could no longer con ceal her surprise at his unusual inter est in the work.
 "But you are not married man. She apparently had the data from the cards by note. "Are you going to show your mother how it can be done?
 "Oh, yes-yes, indeed" he said.
 "You are always so good and you art VI so big that am sometimes tempted tt send you in bigger portion, but an afraid the other men might notice.' Helen was little tired and when Vic time 745 put out large blistered han( to her-for it was many years since h. had yielded the stonecutter's malle and the park squads spades wer rough of handle-she let hers inge and rest there a minute.
 J. TIL tho cnrO6 hroly up. The men were disbanding an' Helen was at her desk shaking hand with them and giving them pamphlet and suggestions for the mothers an wives at home. Then Bill stepped u to the desk with an Outstretched hand .Tm sorry" she said, "but ther has been some little hitch. Your rec ,ords from the doctor at the municipa bureau have shown an alarming dis