Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-09
TOO MUCH
EFFICIENCY
A CLEVER SERIAL STORY.
BY e. J. RATH.
Author Of When the Devil Was
Sick" One Cylinder SAM" etc.

IN EMOSTHENES, who had been
~ eying the efficiency man with OBJ
vious disquiet at this instant voiced
small growl.
And, by the way. Miss Brooke,
have observed a large aquarium in the
conservatory, in which are number
of goldfish. While these fish are also
non producers and are Of quite uss-
less type, not being edible, what !
chiefly criticise is the fact that there
is q steady flow of water through this
tank night and day.
AT an estimate Of half a 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 a meter The 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 II you attempt to
get rid of it,"
Hedge shook his head indifferently.
He will probably kill you," said
Constance calmly. Those are his
goldfish. They are his hobby. He
breeds them; he has developed sever
al new types. Why, he has been Of
fered as high as hundred dollars for a
single specimen"
He took 1t, of course"
Most certainly not. But he has
presented several specimens to the
public aquarium and to scientific So
cieties."
Il am glad you mentioned the mat
ter" said Hedge, making a memoran-
dunn. II shall at least feel justified
in disposing Of sufficient quantity
to defray the cost of water and food"
you try it," said Constance signif-
icantly as she turned her back upon
him and walked away with Demosthe-
mes.
Fifteen minutes later behind the
locked door Of her den, Constance ana
Demosthenes were engaged in a most
curious rehearsal. At given signal
Demosthenes. with ever increasing
readiness, would how plaintively, lie
on his side. roll over on his back, in
dulge in brief stimulation Of agony,
terfeiting dead dog. This signal was
tho NoIu HlSSeO
Yet Constance realized that the res
cue of Demosthenes and the gallant
stand in behalf Of her fathers gold
fish were but a poor offset to the as
saults of II. Hedge against household
happiness. She unburdened her soul
to Matilda.
1.-THE wretch" she cried. HE says
Demosthenes is not efficient. All
he talks is efficiency-or what he
says is efficiency! Think Of It, Ma
tilda! He says he eliminated twenty
six lost motions in laying brick pave
ment."
It's improper" said Matilda
And he says he showed depart
ment store how to save eighteen min
utes in delivering each parcel"
"The-the rascal"
And he showed them how to serve
coffee and cakes in some restaurant SO
that they saved nearly a cent a cup"
It's SINFUL"
And something about carpet-tacks
oh, dear. / forgot exactly what.
Something about saving thirty-five
and a fifth seconds in making each
tack
Matilda stiffened and became rigid.
IT'S immoral" she affirmed earnest
~.
And"
Constance paused for breath.
And he says we do not CO. operate!"
God forbid" said Matilda.
He Oh. oh! | can't bear it,-
What has he done, deary?"
He has stopped our charge ac-
ounts!"
Matilda gasped. She did not fully
realize the enormity Of the offense.
but it was something abhorrent 10
her mistress, and that was enough
I'VE can't change anything any
more" walled Constance, unless we
go to him first and tell him what we
want, and have him make out a requi-
sition. And II 1t costs very much we
can't have 1t at ALL"
I'VE shall perish" said Matilda
gloomily.
He has Seen telephoning to all the
stores. telling them they won't be paid
unless we nn out regular forms. He
calls 1t Standardization"
Matilda WINGED and flushed. 1t
shocked her to hear such horrid
word in the mouth Of her mistress,
even though 1t was but a quotation.
Standardization" repeated Con-
stance
That's more efficiency. The beast"
Down In the library, however, Hedge
was perfectly oblivious to the commo-
ton in Constance's boudoir. He was
studying a photograph. He had found
the picture In q drawer of thu hig ma