The Efficiency Expert

Table of

he shopping district, where they strolled through a coup

left without making a purchase. His back was toward his counter when his attention was attracted by a feminine voice asking if he was busy. As he turned about he recognized her insta

and finally when she had concluded her purchases he was disappointed that she paid for them in cash. He had rather hoped that she would have them charged and sent, that he might learn her nam

-looking girls I have seen in this town, notwithstanding the fact that whether one likes Chicago or

ate to have any one recognize me here, or hereafter, as that young man at the stocking counter. Gad! but it's beastly

sidered his degrading and effeminating surroundings. One must bear with Jimmy and judge him leniently, for after all, notwithstanding his college diploma and physique, he was still but a boy and so while it is

the decorous monotone of the great store by slamming his sales book viciously upon the counter, and

asked that gentleman,

to quit," an

s wrong? Isn't everything perfectly satis

going to quit. I am not satisfied. I am

"Ah!" he said. "With-" and he

"I am going to get

ll you that I would take care of you beginning next week. I thought of making it fifteen dollars," and

n't sell another sock if you paid me ten

edly, "but if you leave me this way you

in that section another minute, and so he got his pay and le

h Compton, as she sank back

at?" aske

e plac

ho

person who waited on us

nk he felt out of place. Did you notice how he flushed when he asked you what size?" and the gir

dster several weeks ago one evening after I had taken Harold down to the club. And he was very n

was shabby, but his linen was c

h. "He must have made an

often you see such a nice-look

obably if he were as nice as

e realized more and more what an ass he had made of himself, and why, he had occasion to think about her a great deal, although never in any sense reproaching her

nue rooming-house, where he knew the landlady would be eagerly awaiting him, for he was a wee

he landlady had told him, "and I shall have to b

said he could get twenty for it, and twenty would give me another two weeks." And so his watch went, and two weeks lat

rther days of fruitless searching for work the proceeds from the articles he had pawned were exhausted

on his return to his room that night he went to the tiny closet to make a bundle of the things which he would dispose of on the

t utterly discouraged Jimmy who crawled into his bed to spend a sleepless night of worry and vain regret, the principal object of his regret bein

on that for any practical purpose in life a higher educatio

raduated at the head of my class, I