Evening star., 1928-06-09
Briggs Weekend Party.

~ RIGGS excelled as a publicity
l. agent--for himself His par
ticular section of the world was
H. never kept long In ignorance Of
his wonderful achievements.
Briggs was the Junior member of the
Chicago law firm of Adair. Townsend
& Briggs, but after listening for five
consecutive minutes to Briggs you Won
dered of what possible use the other
two members were. since. according to
Briggs himself-surely the best au-
thority-he conducted virtually all the
business and won practically all the
suits handled by the firm.
But Briggs was still young, ana IN
some particulars not half bad, so his
senior partners tolerated his inordinate
self-conceit and hoped he would out
grow 1t.
THE office force was so charitable,
dead in love with himself and hasn't
any rivals" was the picturesque way
they were wont TO describe Briggs. And
after a little while it penetrated even
Briggs rather rhinocerine epidermis
that he wasn't rated above par by the
pretty stenographer. that the switch
board operator never took the trouble
to give him the prompt service she
gave his associates, and that even the
Office boy showed little alacrity in an
swering his calls Now men like Briggs
can no more live without admiration
than a fish can live out of water. He
began 10 wonder how he could purchase
A substantial chunk OF popularity from
his Office force, SO that they would re-
gard him with the respect and reyer-
ence they accorded the other members
of the firm.
ttyNNn f1Nnct nnnCrttI1nlU
1t seemed. a spinster aunt of Briggs
died and left him well-stocked fruit
farm over In Michigan. 1t was the
season when fruit was superabundant,
and one couldn't sell or even give away
the abundant supply produced. Briggs
reasoned that there was rather cheap
way to win the hearts or at least the
gratitude Of his Office force, and
straightway he electrified them by in
viting them one and all to a week-e
party at his farm for the next Saturday
and Sunday, the boat to leave the dock
Saturday afternoon at o'clock. The
reaction from the Office boy to chief
clerk was immediate. The pretty stenog-
rapher bestowed on Briggs her sun
niest smiles, the switchboard operator
gave his calls precedence over every
body else, and the Office boy looked at
1aAAit Will u fCAS BOOA AhiihutiOiA va AN"
spect Briggs reveled In his newly ac-
quired popularity as a butterfly basks
in the August sunshine.
How he gloated over his partners
from that time until Saturday Co
ing to get the Office family together
in weekend party; that's the way
to promote esprit de corps; that's the
stunt to increase efficiency. Queer you
fellows haven't thought of it before.
Just wait and see the results.
The trip across Lake Michigan was
a pronounced success. The eight
young folks who made the wheels go
round" at the office of Adair, Townsend
& Briggs, properly chaperoned by Mrs.
Robins, the senior members private
secretary, reached the other side in
high spirits A short bus ride brought
them TO Briggs farm, and that gen.
tleman. beaming like mammoth sun
flower, met them and played the host
in most approved fashion. If there was
anything lacking the menu, nobody
felt inclined to criticize, for with q
sweep OF his arms Briggs called attention
to the heavily laden apple, peach, plum
and pear trees The fare / offer you
at the table may be simple, but take
your dessert right from the trees, eat
all you can, and carry the rest home :"
Literally they prepared to obey his
word. All day Sunday when they
weren't sleeping they were eating. They
would tackle the luscious peaches on