New Britain herald., 1925-10-27

'hore' "dileu constance, unless
we go to him first and tell him
what we want and have him make
out a requisition. And II It costs
very much we can't have II at all :"
Eve shall perish" said Matilda
gloomily.
He has been telephonIng TO all
the stores, telling them they won't
be paid unless We HI out regular
forms. He calls 1t standardization"
Down in the library. however.
Hedge was peacefully obllvious to
the commotion in Constancc's bou-
doir. He was studying a photo.
graph. He had found the picture In
drawer OF the big mahogany
desk. The serene. gray eyes OF Con-
stance looked out from it. Under
1t was written:
My little girl.
The efficiency man recognized
the bold handwriting OF John w.
Brooke. He studied the photo
graph for some minutes. and final
ly slipped It into his pocket.
"A rather good sentiment. sue
entity expressed" he observed.
But there are sentiments 49, and
sentiments.
H. Hedge came upon another
one. In moment OF inspiration
that morning. under the burden Of
thought that the Brooke children
failed to cooperate in the scien-
tific management of their domi-
Gle. he wrote on q sheet OF paper:
A house divided against it.
self shall surely fall.
He had pinned the sheet of pa
per against the wall. being emf
nently pleased with the quotation.
When he next looked at 1t an
other line had been added. in a
hand that was unfamiliar to him,
yet distinctly masculine. The line
read:
A house subtracted from its
bank roll has already fallen.
He folded the sheet OF paper and
placed it in his pocket, next to the
photograph.
bill is trying to Slip me gar
castle remark" he unused. But
like the old mans stuff better"
1t was early morning In the liv-
ing room allotted to the servants
of the Brooke household. But the
efficiency man was there, He was
always carly. He was viewing with
all the fervor Of a crusader
strange engine that had been az
fixed to the wall.
AS he stood worshiping 1t Mary,
the cook. and Elvira, her assistant,
entered, on their way to the
kitchen. OF Mary 1t is useful to
know that she had been employed
in the Brooke family for eighteen
years. She was a short, sturdy
spinster of middle life. loyal, opin-
donated. bellicose on occasion. FL
vira, being youthful, was less COL
orful.
"Ah," said II. Hedge. y was
waiting for YOU. Observe this.
Each morning you will insert a
key In this clock so. 1t registers
the time at which you assume your
duties. Each evening. when you
have ceased work, you will dupli-
cate the operation"
Fur the love av--"
sNap l,torrnntoJ IfoIoo ufan
the purpose Of recording the exact
number OF hours and minutes you
have worked during the day. In
this way, after possibly a week.
shall be able 10 determine ac-
curately just how many hours are
necessary in the performance of
your duties. ! shall then Ak a |
stated schedule Of hours, TO which
you will closely adhere"
Mary studied the clock with |
close attention, and then made an |
equally careful scrutiny Of the ef-
flciency man.
"I'll punch no clock" she said.
But l think you will"
I'm thinkln' yere wrong, young
man. she answered dispassionate- |
ly. Eighteen years I've wurrked |
for Misther Brooke, and for the |
missus before she died, God rest |
her. ] punched no clock for the |
missus and I'll punch none for yez.
I've no time for foolishness or
palaverin'. Why should ] be stand
in here livery marnin', wastin' me |
time on a crazy clock, when
there's wurrk waitin' me in the |
ktchen?"
1T may very easily result in re-
ducing your hours OF work." OBJ
served Hedge.
Gam complainin' about me
hours? Whose business are ME
hours, EXCEPT me own? Is anybody
kept waitin' for breakfast"
That's not the point? What
am trying to get at"
Don't thry," interrupted Mary. |
TITS useless. I'm a settled woman.
respectable an sober. Are ye takin' |
me fur wan OF thin foolish facthry
gurrls, with livery spare penny go
in on their backs. that I'd be
punchin' a clock marrnin', noon an
night? An you. Elrira-" Mary |
turned upon her assistant with a
baleful look. '1'll have none az
this nonsince from We. ayther.
Therein be no clock punchln' for
you nor me-"
Elvira was silent, but apprehen-
sive.
There are the keys" said the
efficiency man. LAYING them on Inc |