The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-12-31
Tom the
Talker
o0
BY JANE OSBORN

l3 BY JANE OSBORN s
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright. 1913. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)
Associates who underestimated the
actual ability of Tom Brattle said that
the only reason why he had forged
ahead from the post of least of all Of
flee boys in the sales department Of
the Universal Chopping Bowl company
to the post of head of that department
was no. because of any superior knowl-
edge OF the psychology of people who
wanted to buy chopping bowls whole
sale or because of any. personal mag
netism, but because his tongue wagged
like woman's. Tom Brattle had the
knack of talking fast and furious, but
then Tom was one son among five
daughters in family that consisted of
i've or six maiden aunts and a grand
mother and great-aunt and-well, Tom
had learned that If he wanted to make
himself heard to the end the only
thing was to talk fast and leave no
chinks in the conversational structure.
II he did some one else would get a
wedge in. And Tom had also noticed
In those days when he filled the ink
wells and bought sandwiches from the
ldelicatessen for the 'boss," Mr.. Daw-
son, on busy days, that the statesmen
who got the largest orders for chop
ping bowls from customers who came
into the office were those who kept the
possible buyer from raising any objec-
ton to the brand of chopping bowls
that the Universal put out.
The Universal sales department, like
every other department in every other
concern, felt the effect of the increased
demand for women to take the place
Of enlisted men, and the only solution
seemed to be. when matters were at
their worst, to enlist recruits from the
number of wives and sisters and rela-
hves Of the well-to-do members of the
concern who could not normally be
gainfully employed. Toms sisters
were employed and so were his aunts,
but when he wanted to get new girl
for the switchboard in the sales de-
partment he made his wants known to
the heads Of the concern, and the very
recently acquired wife of one of the
sons of the president of the concern
was suggested as a candidate. She
had caught the fever of general USE
fulness, and having no business asset
but a pleasing voice, had been prom
lsed the first vacancy as telephone op-
erator-which happened to be in Toms
department.
And this suited Tom immensely. Be
cause Tom had theory that a tele-
phone operator was one of the most
Important personalities about any Of
ace, especially sales office. She did
more talking than any of the other
girls employed, and talking In Toms
estimation, was an important thing.
And the girls In his Office had rather
looked down upon the post of tele-
phone operating. When the regular
girl for that Job was on vacations or
off at lunch they handled the wires
condescendingly. To them 1t was a
when the daughter-in-law of the presi-
dent Of the concern was coming to
manage the switchboard, Tom felt
that this would put new light on the
Job Of switchboard operating 1t would
lend it tone and show the girls Just
how important 1t was.
Then the morning that the young
Mrs. Dawson was coming, Mr.. Dawson
phoned In to say that Mrs. Dawson
had backed out. She had found that
1t would Interfere with her "at
homes" She hadn't realized that she
would have to be there every day, and
10
Then Tom began to talk, and he
talked fast and furiously, even though
he was talking to the son of the presi-
dent, and having hung up the receiver
he sent to an agency for telephone
operator of the best type. He offered
to pay her more than even he felt tel
ephone operators were worth, because
he felt now that having assured the
stenographers and other girls in the
office that so important a parsonage
as Mrs. Dawson was going to take the |
Job, he could not retreat so far as |
to get the usual run of half-hearted, |
hstless girl for the work
Tom seldom countenanced deception, |
but this time it was necessary; so |
when he found a nice-looking young |
woman in businesslike apparel wait |
ing to see him in the outer office, and |
she began by saying that she be- |
lieved they wanted telephone opera |
tor, Tom let her get no further, but |
told her on the spot, in an undertone, |
that she looked as If she-would do. but |
that she would have to bluff 1t out as
the daughter of the president and con-
sent to be called Miss Dawson, and |
conduct herself as nearly as it was
possible for her to do as the daugh- !
ter Of the president of chopping |
bowl concern would conduct herself. |
But you see" began the applI- |
cant.
THAT is quite all right" Tom rat |
tied on. you're an intelligent young |
woman, and you can manage, and none |
Of these girls know anything about |
the family of Mr.. Dawson. SO it is set
tied. and If you'll please take off your
hat and coat at once, I'll have your
name put on the payroll Immediately"
"But l was going to say"
''If you don't understand this board |
one of the girls will show you" Tom |
anticipated. ut isn't that they don't |
know how" he explained, "it's that |
they don't think it's worth while
That's why l wanted them to think |
that we had one Of the Dawsons on |
the job. Tell them, if they ask, that |
Mrs. Dawson decided not to come. bur |
$1,000
that you came instead" And Tom hur
ried back to his office. bent on TALKING |