The Pageland journal. [volume] (Pageland, S.C.) 1911-1978, 1918-02-06
The Efficiency
Girl
q le27. by McClurs Newspaper Syndicate.


were agog with excitement and buSS-
ing. Dust cloths unused for weeks .
were being hicked across the highly |
polished desks, weff-sharpenea Rsncils |
were being passed along the counters ;
where the ad takers stood all day i,
checking up the number Of spaces. the
number Of words and costs OF inser-
IONS In the classified advertisingi |
pages Of the Chicago Mirror. : Mary I,
Connolly alone was unimpressed ~ !!
the news OF the efficiency expert whos
from the astounding rumors floating.
about, was evidently to come into the
classified advertising onnces, look !
about with the sharp eye Of keen De-
tective, suggest very radical changes ,
here and there as to lighting, position !,
Of desks and the cashiers cage and;
worst Of all-ire instantly those clerks !
who were in any way inefflcient.
''The top Of the mornin' to you. Su.i
sie McGinnis." she said gayly. taking
out her fountain pen. "And why all
Of this merry cleaning and rushing
about3 The efficiency man-if he's
any efficiency man at all-wM see
through your little foibles."
II wish you'd call me Suzanne" pet
tishly exclaimed Susie McGinnis. And
think you don't realize the impor-
tance Of this man. The boss upstairs
has seen him work before and he's told
him that he can have any one In the
whole place he wants to assist him.
Wouldn't that beat the cats pajamasf
The efficiency girl! +"
A shabbiIy gowned old lady had
come up to the desk ana was waiting,
In front Of Mary Connolly. did youi
have an advertisement to placer;
asked Mary pleasantly.
tartly. "You DIDN'T think was stand
Ing here merely to hear that bobbed-
headed young miss there use new.
slang. did your Her black eyes
snapped anerily.
II beg your pardon" murmured
Mary, perhaps can write your ad-
vertisement for your She was look
ing at the empty hands OF the adver-
tiser.
''It's. not much to write. Just say:
Wanted: q room.'"
Vuuly Ekd1C Cu oI ACI. oOuN W6f0
many Of the advertisements placed
with her each day. Brief were some
OF them. But this onel No one would
know from the advertisement In what
part Of the city II was. desired, whok,
type OF room-good accommodates
With their commensurate cost or
<cnaeHieHt mes that would be rexii
ABLE hundred ideas laakSd fhf6j
Mary Oonnoliy's mind. She hersd
seeing the little old lady with her
shabby black OUTFIT. guessed that an
Inexpensive room was desired. Yet
she could not be sure. ~
Suppose we put In Just little
more" she ventured gently. "You see
1t doesn't tell much-just wanted: q
roomv" H.-~''
Doesn't tell muchi Doesn't tell
much" snapped the old lady. .Tefl
me right to my face I'm an idiot, will
you? I'll have my son come down
here at once-rll tell him the whole
thing. that 4 Will Ian idiot, In.
deed" Angrily she shook her head ut
the bewildered Mary. whose face was
red and white by turns. - e
"But-I-" gasped Mary, wondering
how affairs could have taken such
turn that she should be accused Of
calling gentle-looking old lady In
rusty black7an idiot.
A man standing near came forward
and Mary was not surprised at all, so
excited was she, to hear the old lady
call him John and tell him that the
young lady had called her q fool.
q" again gasped Mary. "we have
orders, to assist In the advertisements
whenever 1t Is possible. You see," she
explained earnestly. I'VE don't accept
less than two lines, and 80 I wasn't
trying to get her to pay any more
money out. 1t was just that II she
= said where she wanted the room and
what price she wanted to pay or what
kind OF room she wanted, whether for
;rooming. boarding or light housekeep-
ing, why, you see. she would. have
more replies. was thinking Of the
answers she would have-I-I-" Mary
Connolly's blue eyes filled. Noise OF
any sort was undesirable In the class,.
fled, advertising Offices and there was
no doubt that dismissal would follow
such scene as this. Above that, how
ever. was the idea that she had wound
cd the gentle little old lady in her
faded suit.
She heard across the polianed coun.
ter the tall man called John explain,
Ing the whole thing in low tones. Sew.
eral tears rolled down Mary's cheeks
and she was aware Of the interested
eyes OF the other ad-takers. In few
minutes the little black bonnet Of the
old lady began to nod