The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 29 December 1910, Page 2173

The Family Circle

PA WAS TOUCHED Pa was tickled when I went Once and whispered in his ear That I wouldn’t spend a cent. Buyin’ him a gift this year. I would build a fine surprise All myself, and ’conomize. . So I went and bought a saw — Not a toy, but good and strong And the hammer with a claw For the nails I hammer wrong. I am sure he’ll like this more Than a present from a store. Then Pa bought some fancy wood When I asked him, though I’m sure If he’s ’quisitive he could Guess ,I’m makin’ furniture. If he does I needn’t care, For he’ll never guess a chair! And I went and bought a bitt — Makes holes and size I choose; Lots of fixin’s come with it That I’m learin’ how to use. P’raps for Christmas time next year, * I could make a chiffonier. ’Twon’t be long before it’s done, Now I’ve boughten tools enough; Buyin’ cushions will be fun, And some paint and varnish stuff. Pa’ll be deeply touched, I know, At my ’conomizin’ so. BUSINESS VALUE OF POLITENESS In her book, The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living, Mrs. Anna Steele Richardson says of politeness in business: ‘ Politeness is a business asset at the command of every girl who must earn her own living. She may not be as expert with the typewriter, the sewing-machine, or the drafting tools as her fellow-worker, but she can always hold her own when it comes, to courtesy. She may not be able to wear as smart tailored suits and blouses as the girl at the next desk, but she can be just as polite or more so. She may lack the strong personality which is such a factor in scoring business success, but if she will cultivate politeness, the much coveted personality will develop.’ The author tells the following story; Two young men, who had formed a partnership which did not turn out just as well as they had hoped, decided that they must dispense with the services of their stenographer and typewriter. The girl had given entire satisfaction, times were dull all over town, and they knew that she had considerable responsibility to meet. The junior partner knew personally a young woman who managed a public typewriting office. He asked her to give the girl the first opening. She happened to be near the man’s office one morning and dropped in with deliberate intention of looking over the young girl recommended for her staff. Things had gone just a little wrong that morning at the office, and then the girl, though she knew nothing of her impending dismissal, felt at odds with the whole world. The appearance of a caller to interrupt the writing of a letter impressed her as added cause of irritation. She glanced up from her typewriter, a frown on her face, interrogation in her position. But she said neither ‘ Good morning ’ nor ‘What can Ido for you?’. She simply stared at the caller, who finally inquired: ' Is Mr. Blank in ?’ ‘No,’ was the unnecessarily concise reply of the stenographer. ‘ What time do you expect him back ‘ He didn’t say,’ replied the stenographer, deliberately returning to the contemplation of her notes. For a few seconds the caller hesitated. The girl never raised her glance from her note-book. Then the head of fthe public typewriting office went out. With her went every chance of that girl’s securing the opening which she , would need in two brief weeks. ‘ She did not ask me to sit down,’ was the caller’s comment when she again met the junior partner. ‘ She did not ask whether she could take any message for you, whether she could do anything for me in your stead. Doubtlessly she was feeling unusually irritable about something. Probably she can be quite pleasant when she is so inclined. But how do I know the mood in which she will receive my customers in my absence? If she was as rude to your customers as she was to me, she was one , factor in your business failure, I can’t afford to have a rude girl in my office,’