Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-01
Too Much Efficiency
by j. E. Rath.

But you're Lot poor now?"
"Not-exactly."
Il am" said Alice, plaintively.
H. Hedge made an exclamation witt
his eyes.
81 don't own a solitary buck" added
Alice. Neither does Billy. And Con
ME has only two-seventy-nine."
She paused impressively, then con
tinued: "But-this is pay day.
PAY day?' echoed H. Hedge wrink
ing his forehead. "Whose?"
"Why-ours!" Alice's gesture in
cluded the other Brookes.
! Constance was studiously observing
the fire. while Billy continued his
artistic ramble. The keen ears o!
neither, however, missed word.
Il didn't know you had pay day
remarked Hedge.
Yes, indeed! Once month, you
know
That's interesting, I'm sure. Who
pays you?"
Father. of course. Who else
would?"
What for?"
Alice stared at him uneasily, then
ventured a sidelong glance at Con.
stance That young lady's head was
turned away.
"Why-why, just for being his chill
dren. of counsel"
You mean that you get salaries for
being Mr. Brooke's chiidren?''
Allowance. l suppose you'd call it,"
answered Alice with hesitant smile.
oh" said the efficiency man, his
Ibewilderment vanishing. "You mean
that each Of you receive stated gra-
tuity from your father"
Billy glared blackly at Hedge, who
failed to perceive the expression. Con-
stance. her head still averted, was
frowning.
He never calls it that" faltered
Alice. angry, yet mindful of the end,
rather than the means "He-he just
pays it."
And what do you do in return for
it,"
eve? Why. we just love him."
Constance cleared her throat osten-
tatiously. 1t was a signal She did not
favor Alice's flank attack; she had
counseled frontal assault boldly and
swiftly executed. Besides. Alice seem
ed about to commit the family to an
impossible policy.
81 see" said the efficiency man
gravely. And how much does he pay
you?"
Billy and Connie. two hundred dol
lars a month Me, one hundred. I'm to
be raised at my next birthday"
H. Hedge began to write figures on
a pad.
"And this added Alice lis the day
that all the money is due
Hedge continued to figure for mo-
ment.
~ find from you statement" hessaid,
looking up. that your father distri-
butes to you three children gratuities
amounting in all to $4,000 annually"
Really, so much as that?" asked
Alice deprecatingly. But you see, it's
only little. at time. And father has
sure lot more
Billy, who had strolled close to Con-
stance, leaned over and said in a
growing whisper:
Coarse work She's fummuxed."
"Hush. Billy. Watt
Il suppose" the efficiency man OBJ
served. that this is a request for me
to continue a distribution of the gra-
tuities."
Alice stifled an angry exclamation,
flushed. and then nodded. She could
not stack her pride against hundred
dollars month particularly when she
was fiat" Hedge made some more
figures.
81 will continue the gratuities," he
said abruptly.
allowances, if you prefer it. One
worlds as short as the other. | SHALL
however reduce them"
Constance rose out Of her chair as IL
impelled by some unseen force. She
wheeled end glared across the room
Billy stopped in his tracks.
"All allowances will be reduced fifty
per cent" announced Hedge until
further investigation
There was mobilization of Brookes
on the opposite side of the table Alice
was thankful for the arrival Of her re-
serves.
You are to cut-our allowances-in
half" she asked slowly
"In half-payable daily" said the
efficiency man.
DAILY
Daily
Alice was frightened. She felt the
reassuring hand of Constance on her
shoulder and looked up at her appeal.
ingly.
You do the rest, Connie" she muir
INJURED.
81 find" said Hedge as he continued
to make rapid figures, that your
father has been paying two Of you at
the rate Of approximately se.66 a day.
including Sundays and holidays. and
the other at the rate of about $3.50 &
day. Out of this what do you spend ?"
"All." said Billy. What did you ex-
pect?"
What for?"
"Why, for anything we want, of
course,"
Clothing - shoes - light or heat?"
queried Hedge briskly.
Most certainly mott" exclaimed
Constance frigidly.
do you mean to tell me, Miss
Brooke. that you, for example, do not
at least purchase your clothing out Of
the sum of $1,000 a year?'
Constance laughed, but it was mirth-