“I should think the proper thing would be to hustle out and put in your valuable time getting more orders—not waste it worrying over the high wages one clever girl has managed to make by applying herself to her job.” “Don’t give me any lip, young man! I know how much business I want to do. And you’ve built an organization to do too much! Another phase of your youthful indiscretion, the same that made you write that obscene poem about slaves before you knew your own mind and I stopped it. If I gave you a free rein here, you’d wreck the place!” “If you gave me a free rein here I’d build a sales force that would find firms who would consume our boxes,” the lad answered grimly. “And where would the money come from to swing all that business?” “I’d go to the bank and borrow it!” “Huh! I suppose you think banks are just lying awake nights hoping I’ll come and ask to relieve them of their surplus? Maybe you’d enjoy knowing that I’ve been to the banks here twice. Each time I’ve been refused, but you’d still keep paying eighteen dollars to eight-dollar girls.” Nathan felt that he knew why Judge Farmer, president of the People’s Bank, might have refused Johnathan money. But he said nothing. “Well,” snapped Johnathan. “Answer me!” “If the bank wouldn’t loan me money, then I’d get out and incorporate this business and put out some seven per cent stock. I’ve got twenty-five girls and four men upstairs. A certain percentage of work must be turned out to carry this overhead,—rent, taxes, depreciation, insurance. It isn’t how little we can do or how much we can do. It’s how much we’re obliged to do, to operate at a profit. And I’ve found that figure exactly. Not a man or girl can be turned off without crippling our output and losing us money by running up our overhead per unit of production. What’s more, if you cut the piece rate, the girls are going to get discouraged and quit, or if they don’t quit, do just enough to hold their jobs. What’s the answer? It’s somebody’s business around here to find orders and I’d say it was up to you. I’ve done my part. Now you do yours.” Johnathan arose, his face pale. “We’ll go into that some other time, you saucy young pup,” he snapped. “Just now I’ve got to get to the bank. But I’m marking down the Richards girl to ten dollars. That’s all I’ll give her. Not a cent more. Not a cent less! Ten dollars!” “But, Pa!” cried the son aghast. “You’re not going to cut her this week—on the work she’s done already?” “Four times I’ve told you I’ll pay no female eighteen dollars a week. I could get a man—a man as old as me—to work for eighteen dollars!” “What’s the use of a man—what ice would a man cut anyhow—if a girl can do the work as well and quicker?” “Don’t sass me and don’t argue! This is my business and you’re my son! I propose to run both in any way I please.” And Johnathan slammed out the door, fully persuaded that no man’s earthly trial is greater than headstrong offspring.