Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-01-03
Efficiency and
the Girl
By I. WRIGHT


,5f4e 4 (Copyrighb
THE classified advertising offices
were agog with excitement and
buzzlng. Dust cloths unused for weeks
were being ficked across the highly
polished desks, well-sharpened PEN
ellis were being passed along the coun-
tiers where the ad takers stood all
day checking up the number of
spaces, the number of words and
costs of insertions in the classified
advertising pages of the daily Mir
r0r. 0.
Mary Connolly alone was unim-
pressed by the news Of the efficiency
expert who, from the astounding ru-
mors floating about, was evidently to
come Into the classified advertising
offices, look about with sharp eye,
suggest very radical changes here and
there as to lighting, position of desks
and the cashiers cage and-worst of
all-fire instantly those clerks who
were In any way inefficient.
1.-THE top Of the mornin' to you,
Susie McGinnls," she said gayly, TAX
Ing out her fountain pen. "AHd why
all of this merry cleaning and rushing
about? The efficiency man-if he's
any efficiency man at all-wlll see
through your little foibles."
81 wish you'd call me Susanne,"
pettlshly exclaimed Susie McGinnis.
"And think you don't realize the i'm
portance Of this man. The boss up
stairs has seen him work before and
he'd told him that he can have any
one In the whole place he wants to
y assist him. Wouldn't that be the cats
pajamas? The efficiency girl T."
A shabbily gowned old lady had come
up to the desk and was waiting in
front of Mary Connolly. did you
have an advertisement to placer
asked Mary pleasantly.
ayes, l did," answered the old lady
tartly. you didn't think was stand
ing here merely to hear that bobbed-
headed young miss there use new
slang, did your" Her black eyes
snapped angrlly.
IT beg your pardon" murmured
Mary, perhaps can write your ad-
vertisement for you"
cts not much to write. Just say:
Wanted: A room.'"
Mary stared at her. Odd were
many Of the advertisements placed
with her each day. Brief were some
Of them. But this one No, ona
would ls..sw. tl0in ,ae advertisement
in what part of the city It was desired,
what type Of room--good accommo-
datlons with their commensurate cost
or less convenient ones that would be
reasonable-a hundred Ideas flashed
through Mary Connolly's mind.
Suppose we put in just a little
MORE" she ventured gently. "You see
II doesn't tell much"
doesn't tell muchi Doesn't tell
much !" snapped the old lady. "Tell
me right to my face I'm an idiot, will
you? I'll have my son come down
here at once-Ill tell him the whole
thing, that / will Ian idiot, in
deedP Angrlly she shook her head
at the bewildered Mary.
"But +" gasped Mary.
man standing near came for
ward and Mary was not surprised at
all, so excited was she, to hear the
old lady call him John and tell him
thar lie young lady had called her
fool.
z" again gasped Mary. ave
have orders to assist in the ADVERTISE
ments whenever It is possible. You
see," she explained earnestly, 1--WE
don't accept less than two lines, and
SO l wasn't trying to get her to pay
any more money out. II was just that
II she said where she wanted the
room and what price she wanted to
pay or what kind of room she wanted,
whether for rooming, boarding or light
housekeeping, why, you see, she would
have more replies. I was thinking Of
the answers she would have-I-P
Mary Connolly's blue eyes filed.
She heard across the polished coun-
ter the tall man called John explain
ing the whole thing in low tones. In
a few minutes the little black bonnet
Of the old lady began to nod.
II had bad night In that hotel
didn't sleep n wink" the old lady told
her. "You write II up. Make II as
long as you want, and make II right,
guess" the old eyes twinkled, well
let John pay for II, anyhow" She
was smiling at Mary now, happy as
a child, the recent wound forgotten.
"Very good" said the man, chang
ing his manner I'm the new efIicien-
cy man. The boss upstairs told me
could have anyone wanted to help
me. think I'll have to take you for
my efficiency girl"
The surprised ad-takers saw their
Mary Connolly, now the efficiency
girl, pass out the little swlng-gate and
go for her coat and hat. Barton, the
boss, was surprised, too, when he
passed along that way to be button
holed by the new efficiency man, who
said seriously: Say, Barton, old man,
/ want to tell you that you'd better
look about for new ad-taker. I've
always said I'd never care for a girl
mother didn't like and sa.a-ay--the
way she took TO the little Mary Con-
nolly--well, II took my breath didn't
know what she thought Of me, but
what's the use Of being an efficiency
man II can't have the girl ] chooser
..rHs. --------------------