New Britain herald., 1926-01-27
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CHAPTER I

It was q gentle sort of cough, A quiet, almost orderly little cough, quite in keeping with Henry Rand and his immediate surroundings.
 At it's sound the stenog- i'apher halfway across the room halted in her typing and picked up her notebook, When ever Henry Rand coughed Miss Fry knew she was to take more dictation.
 Miss Fry, bring your pen cil, please"
 "Yes, Mir. Rand"
 Miss Fry seated beside him, Henry Rand leaned back in his swivel chair, took off his spec tacles and polished them care fully with his handkerchief. Then he as carefully replaced them, clasped his hands with the tips of his thumbs and forefingers together and re- tlectively studied the ceiling.
 "Take a letter, Miss Fray, to Mrs. Philip A. Ward-the address is on this report. Dear Madam"
 Henry Rand paused and cleared his throat. "Ahem.' Like the cough, it was deliv- cred quietly and without os- tentation. Miss Fry, recogniz- ing it as part of the ritual of dictation to which she was a party a dozen or more times a day, smothered q yawn and poised her pencil over her note book.
 Dear Madam; We are pleased to inform you that we are extending you the con- venience of a charge account"
 Form A." murmured Miss Fry, almost inaudibly.
 Did you say something, Miss Fry?"
 Miss Fry blushed. q was just repeating, Mr. Rand
 "Oh. All right. Ahem. Please be assured that Royal Brothers consider it a privilege to rc- ceivc the favor of your patron age. We hope you will find the occasion to make frequent use of your account"
 Henry Rand cleared his throat again. "Ahem. Let me see, Miss Fry. Read that last sentence again.
 Miss Fry, without glancing at her notes, smiliugly recited: I've hope you will find the oc- casion to make frequent use of your account"
 : That's s right, Miss Fry. Just close it respectfully yours. That's all! By the way, does something amuse you?"
 "Oh no, sir. l was just won- dering," she paused in the act of gathering up her notebook, q was just wondering whether do you mind if l make a sug- gestion?"
 Certainly not, Glad to have you. What is it?'
 Miss Fry's smile had vanish ed. She blused and studied the floor.
 Well, it's in regard to die tation. l believe there's a way for you to save a lot of your time-and mine, too"
 "Ah, indeed. And what is this plan?" Henry Rand smiled benignly on his stenographer and again clasped his hands with the thumb and foretingel tips together.
 Well, a good bit of your die tation could be done away with if you'd adopt form letters For instance, | regard the let ter you just dictated as Form A. You use Form A whenever you tell somebody their appli' eaton for credit has beer 0. k'd. When you turn then down. it's Form E. When some body is overdue you send then Form (, and so on.'
 "I sec" Henry Rand un. clasped his fingers and picked up a pencil with which he drummed on his chair arm And when Form C fails of re suits the follow-up letter is Form D. And when we notify them of OUT intention to tur the matter over to our attor ncys unless we receive payment within ten days-that, l take it, is Form F.. Is that right?'
 "Yes. sir
 "And you would have thes, form letters mimeographed with spaces left for names?"
 "Oh no, sir. l would typ, o,ol, ono l,r4 ipctpad pf diptot