The Washington herald., 1921-05-08

a trife formal. Miss Strong. who was
rarely formal, nodded absently. She was
just signing a letter with the firms
name and her own initials and she fin-
ished her task and added the letter to q
waiting pile at her right before she
spoke. Then she faced the newcomer
with smile.
Miss Strong" began Gage. I'm going
to ask you a question that's a little out
side the usual run OF business"
Yes" Miss Strong was not especially
interested.
IF you heard that a man was colorless
and without personality what impression
of him would that convey to your mind
if you knew it didn't apply to his
work." he added hastily.
The girl did not reply at once. The
question was unexpected and she gave
her mind to it. As she reflected she
looked at the quiet, well dressed,
steady eyed. smooth faced young man
before her. Under her gaze he flushed
very slightly. but she did not need that
signal of distress to read his secret She
knew exactly what man had been de-
scribed as "colorless and without per-
sonality." She decided to help G. Mont
gomery Gage II she could.
Why" she said at last. 81 think l
should get the impression that he was
just average man-that there was
nothing about him unusual or arresting
that he wasn't the kind to make me
notice him or think of him in one way
or another"
"O!" For a moment young Gage digest
ed this in silence.
rs that against fellow" he asked
at last TO give one that impression, 1
dnip iOh
up to the notch?"
why, no one wants to seem ordinary,
you know" Hope suggested. Il suppose
that's what it amounts to-that the man
without color personality seems an
ordinary. everyday. uninteresting, un
temperamental chap. or course. he may
not be-" she added. Nrather undermining
the words. He may just convey that
impression to certain minds. Underneath
he may be very unusual you see-very
clever and all that sort of thing; but
well, / suppose we can say he doesn't
carry his stock in his show windows"
Hope was afraid she was not helping
the young man much She was also sud
denly conscious of a surprising desire to
help him-a desire caused by look in
his steady eyes which she had never
seen there before Now these eyes bright
ened suddenly.
Then a man with personality is one
who does carry his stock in the show
window, isn't he?" he asked eagerly.
Hes the assertive, pushing, cocksure
type. isn't he? That's what I've always
thought"
mo, indeed: not necessarily that at
ALL" Hope was getting interested "A
man of that kind certainly has color
and personaIity-but it's the unpleasant
hllf
not admire it,"
Isn't it always unpleasant? Cages
mind was returning to Mr.. Webster.
Good gracious. no Why. man may
have a charming personality. He may
be Iike-like-weIl. like Bob Walton.
You know how altogether delightful Bob
was. He had a very strong personality
and everything about it was manly and
fine"
With this obvious illustration OF her
point in mind Hope began to see her way
clear And Gage, recalling Haskins'
words and WaIton's job, experienced an
illumination.
IF stranger came intothis office"
continued Hope, warming to her subject,
and met twenty men. including Bob
Walton, which man do you think he'd
like best and remember longest?"
Gage nodded.
walton, of course"
"of course And why? Bob wasn't as
clever as lots of men. He wasn't as
clever as you are" she added so simply
that the words seemed commonplace. "or
at least he wasn't as quick and efficient