The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1927-11-03
How the Guests Were
Identified
By AID SCHUSTER

others. One was his son, rising
lawyer. and the other the Palm
Trees perfect system of Identified
ton. The son, except for the fact
he had never taken 10 himself 9
wife and was inclined to look In
tolerantly upon womankind. was
worthy of the pride. The system
was indeed wonderful
The visitor TO the Palm Tree.
after inscribing his name in the
register, was treated to series
of surprises. The elevator boy, hall
man, bellboy. telephone girl, waiter,
head waiter, everyone in the place.
became acquainted as if by magic
with the name and residence of
each guest.
"Yes, Mr.. JONES'" they would
say, "and when do you expect to
return to Minden?" A man might
enter the Palm Tree feeling unim-
portant and alone. Before half
hour passed, with men and women
calling him by name and in defer
entail manner, he became person
of consequence. If he were curl
Gus soul and acquainted with the
difficulties. he wondered how the
signature, in SO short time, could
have been snatched from the regis
ter and sent to the far places in
the big hotel. And all the time the
key to the mystery, the originator
and operator, Agnes Ladd, sat be-
hind the patition in her little office
beside the telephone booth.
1t was Agnes Laid who printed
each guests name on a pad and
turned the switch of the electrical
mechanism which caused it to be
printed again at various posts in
the hotel. 1t was she who invented
the Identification system which may
be suggested by the following typi-
cal notation:
Jasper J. Higgins, Parlowville,
tall, square watch charm, red nose,
gold tooth at left"
She took the idea from the banks
where signatures are sent from tell
ers to bookkeepers with the mere
writing on pad and she made of
1t one of the greatest advertising
assets and, in fact, great part Of
the Palm Tree.
Latham Little at first gave the
girl full credit. When he boosted
of her to his son with a result that
the son became interested in the
girl and took to calling at her
Office, the father thought he had
Overdone the praise. Within
month he was claiming the idea as
his own, and before two months
had passed, he believed it.
Look here, Mason" he called
the son to task, "you have con-
sistently refused to pay any atten-
ton to the young woman who, well,
Of whom your mother and I ap-
prove. Now don't come in here
bothering Miss Ladd."
Mason grinned, for he under
stood. 1t was the fathers dream
that Mason would marry into that
society which, somehow, had never
opened its doors or hearts to the
elder Littles. Agnes Laid was
brilliant girl. He would continue
to be her friend.
In time Latham became alarmed.
He would have to warn the girl;
tell her that her place was in dam
ger. 1t wasn't right that she would
be smiling at the son of the pro-
prietor. Who, asked Latham, did
she think she was?
"And If that's the case" Agnes
answered in temper, eff you think
/ am harming your precious son by
being decent to him, / can quit" !.
and If you did," the proprietor
was heavily superior, sit is likely
the hotel would continue to oper-
ate"
After that, there was nothing to
do but quit. Agnes spent the after
noon cleaning up her work, paus-
ing to dab her eyes with hand
kerchief and tell, TO tile furniture
and walls, her opinion of the fat
and satisfied Latham Little. Also,
she did some queer things to the
precious system.
Next day the Palm Tree shook in
wind of anger and disgust. .'And
why?" asked the imperious Mrs.
Lancey Verillo, do all the funk
eys in your hotel address me as
Mrs. Spiffkins? You will make out
my bill at once; l am ging to
leave"
Latham apologized but was inter
rupted.
ut is bad enough" a red-faced-
man roared at him, "to have
name like Beake, but when whole
hotel starts calling me Nosey, it's
an insult" Another customer
checked out.
The desk was bureau of COM
plants; the proprietor was be-
sieged on all sides. His system,
the perfect system which had made
name for the Palm Tree, had
broken down with the first day of
Miss Ladd's absence. Latham had
apologized so many times one more
didn't hurt. He telephoned the girl.
Sim wrong. You get all the credit
for the system and the hotel can't
run without you. Come back or all
the guests win quit
A thin voice, ringing with tri-
umph, was the answer. "rm sorry
but can't come back. I'm going to
be married tonight. Do the best
that you can until Mason and I re-
turn from our honeymoon trip.
Then, II you speak to me very
nirQly p;,,hx ...... a. y