Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-17

waste and installing efficiency is fas
c1nating one. 1t possesses strong ele
ments of romance"
] Alice's eyes wore hynotic stare
"Your father. although an unbeliev
! er. recently became interested in it.
may now say that he is strong ad
vOcate His business has been com
pletely reformed"
WAS there anything the matter
with it?' demanded Billy.
Over two hundred thousand dollars
worth Of annual waste" said Mr.
Hedge promptly. I'VE do not know
unfortunately. the annual waste of his
household, for understand that no &C.
counting has been kept. However, that
will be remedied I should Judge. from
"a very casual inspection, that anyth.
ing up to a fifty-per-cent saving may
be achieved. In any event. the worl;
will be one Of great interest"
The son of the household had an
angry exclamation on his lips. but
Constance checked him with sign.
She was thinking rapidly. Instructive.
ly she felt that the time was one for
caution.
II there was to be battle it would
be necessary to make the CUSTOMARY
"Reminiscences. She had carried with
her the tiny bit Of pasteboard which
the visitor handed her in library; now
she picked it up from the table and
glanced at it idly. 1t was merely a
play for time but the successor of
John W. Brooke was prompt in turn
Ing the trifling incident to account.
1<o ', 4
will see that It is about one-half the
area Of the customary business card.
That saves paper. You will not that
there is no superfuous Mr. and that
the Christian name is represented by
an initial. That saves ink and type A
similar saving is represented by the
letters e. f. which adequately serves
to designate the nature of my business
The entire card is supplied at a forty
two-per-cent reduction over the cost of
the average business card. The matter
may seem triflng: in reality, it is i'm
portant. 1t is a primary step in scien-
tific management"
But what does E. E. mean" asked
Constance, still studying the penurious
scrap Of pasteboard
Efficiency Engineer"
1T would SEEM she observed cri.
tically, that your card requires
verbal explanation"
"Possibly-to the uniformed" re.
piled Mr.. Hedge. Even so. converse.
ton is cheaper than paper and ink.
You now understand what E. E.
means; it will never be necessary for
you to inquire again during the period
of your natural life. But In the same
period. If it were necessary to print
Ell cheney Engineer in full on all
similar cards, the expense in paper
and ink would doubtless run into
thousands of dollars. to say nothing of
the time and cost of composition. 1t
would be an economic fallacy."
There was an unmistakable note OF
enthusiasm in the voice of Mr.. Hedge
And the H instead Of your first
name-is that also an economy ask
ed Constance.
"Assuredly" ~
"But there must be other H
Hedges in the world. even in this city
1t would seem very easy to get you
mixed up"
Theoretically. yes. Practically. no.
Take your own case. Your name. be
lieve. is Constance 4. Brooke. care
not what the middle name may be:
1t Is superfuous and wasteful in any
event. We will throw out the IT. to be-
gin with. We will now assume that
your card is printed C. Brooke
Engraved" amended Constance.
Printed" said Mr.. Hedge. "Engrav-
ing costs from three to four times as
much. However, you are C. Brooke
Now. you suggest that that Is not SUI
fcient identification. insist that. for
your purposes, 1t is. In the first place.
nearly all persons to whom you dis
tribute this card, owing to silly
social custom. are quite aware of your
identity. In the second place, there is
no other C. Brooke residing at this
on Fifth Avenue. In the third
place. I venture to say that not in all
the circle OF your acquaintance ia
there another c. Brooke with whom
you could possibly be confused. There
may be other c. Brookes in the world.
Yet | should estimate. offhand, that
your chances Of being confused with
one are about one in three or four
million So you see that practise and
tiCOlN ale ilOt div dsS III dtCOIu. dhe
my advice and leave the e off the
Brooke. 1t is cumbersome, unneces
sary, and silent. If you use it 1t you
ought to pronounce It, Otherwise it Is
extravaganza"
Mr.. Hedge smiled gently and evil
IDENTIFY awaited a refutation Of his
statement. There was none from Con-
stance: she was annoyed and angry.
That being the case she said.
why not leave the final 'e' off
Hedge 80
The substitute father studied her
with quick interest
you are an apt pupil" he said
THE suggestion Is excellent. When it
Is necessary for me to obtain new
cards shall do SO. Thank you"
{ TO be continued. }