The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-12


closing time rather than with the men
in the office departments.
No one was more puzzled than Nor
gen himself a. his rapid rise. If he
was at all pleased he did not show it,
And this was disappointing, if not to
Mr.. Kingdom, who had taken a fancy
to the young man, then at least to the
daughter, on whose persistent advice
Norgen had received his repeated pro-
motions. Already in his logged, al
most suriy way, he had relieved King
don of a great deal of worry. In
spite of himself he was proving the
rightness of the advice of the eff
cheney adviser.
One day Norgen came abruptly to
Mr.. Kingdom with his question: who
is responsible for my promotion" he
demanded. IF there is something be-
hind this, I ought to know" You
might have supposed that he was
complaining about a plot to keep him
forever working as fireman rather
than because of repeated promotions.
I've heard you employ an efficiency
what the expert bases his conclu-
sions." He spoke slowly and at times
with broken English, tho it would
have been hard to determine the ma
you don't want to tell me, at least
you ought to let me see this expert
myself 1t is very important.
You have seen the expert" Mr..
Kingdom said slowly and almost SOL
emily .'You see the expert every day
-four times a day and if 1 am not
much mistaken you usually stop and
chat with the expert for 4 few min
utes when you come in at noon. In
fact" Mr. Kingdom was looking
straight into the young mans face,
81 have reason to believe that the ex-
pert occasionally meets you after
hours and allows you to escort her
part way home"
Norgen's face showed first annoy
ance and then something akin to
amusement. "a curious choice for an
efficiency adviser-what does she
know of mems abilities?" he asked.
'She picked you out from the rest"
was Mr.. Kingdoms answer, and you
have made good. l should never have
noticed you even in a dozen years.
She seems to know her men and she Is
learning more every day. She is be-
coming invaluable. It's a rare gift-a
sort of second sight
''She might have found out" the
young man who went by the name of
Norgen said and then he made clean
breast of the situation. AS a son of a
large factory owner and sure some
time to derive large income thru
the operation of his own inherited
plants, he had started out intent on
learning at first hand the point of
view of the men whose labor made
possible the running of such fac
tories. The theory that he especially
waited to prove to himself was that
the men who worked for his fathers
plant had no show and were ground
down as mere machines. He even en-
tertained some high flown idea of re-
nouncinS all claim to the inheritance
If he could justify himself in the be-
lief that such was the case. He had
yryIc nod
don factory. He took grim pleasure
in the grimness of it. And then in
spite of himself, and in spite of his
pretense of illiteracy mis- promotions
had begun. Instead of being able to
go pack to his father with an account
OF the oppression of labor he would
show him the rare proof of his abiIi-
ties For he was now holding down a
very important position for Mr.. King
don and had thoroly mastered some
OF the most important phases of the
large plant.
I'm a little inclined to be angry
with you," he told the girl who had
been responsible for his promotions.
Still perhaps you have done me more
good than harm You have shown me
that nave, in spite of myself, a great
taste for the management of this sort
or plant. 1t has become absorbingly
interesting. I couldn't give up the
idea now of taking over my fathers
plant some day-and I had thought of
giving 1t all up. I have learned to
look at things quite differently now
than would have been possible IL had
remained in the boiler room as
fireman"
During the weeks that had passed
when Hester had supposed him to be
only one of the 1aborers in her fathers
plant she had permitted a friendship
to rise between them that seldom con-
sisted of more than a stroll home
ward together at night. They never
went more than five blocks together,
as neither wanted the other to know
where home really was. "And now that
you know who 1 am he said, you
aren't going to despise me? We are
none the less dear to each other, are
we? I had always dream Of mar
rying girl like yourself girl who
knows hard work. girl of the people
whose world is not bounded by the
narrow conventions of Ieisured So
ciety."
I'm Hester Kingdom she said
What a dreadful disappointment.
Still. we might have met at any one
Of a doze.. house parties and never
should have cared straw for each
other. If I can forgive you for not
being a brawny. unschooled stoker
you'll have to forgive me for not being
nice little working girl
And of course he did.
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