Show R waw ALONG LIFES LIFE'S TRAIL TRAlL By THOMAS A. A CLARK Dean Dran n ui of Men University of Illinois g I D 1824 1924 Western Newspaper Union EXCUSES O V UR un hired man had a number q distinctive characteristics ho was a real beau when he was dressed up lie he had read more sensational stories than any other ten people I had bad ever met he retailed enough baseless gossip to have entitled him to honorary honorary honorary honor honor- ary membership In a n women's duplicate duplicate cate whist whilst club and he had a faculty for offering excuses and alibis In case he was detected In error or neglect that was little short of genius If the bars were down and the cattle got Into the corn I If he left the mules untied and they ran rail away and smashed things If he forgot to water the garden gar gar- den In the well known words of Mr Post there was a reason In fact there were a dozen If ne need d he be all good and sufficient and no duplicates In 1 the tha lot This peculiar pecullar talent of his for explanation ex ex- explanation however father thought would be of more value In the diplo diplo- matic service Ice than on the farm so he ha halet let him go The person with an excuse usually feels himself safely armed armel against any contingency If he should reach the tha railroad station late but with a badly badly- working alarm clock to lay ay the blame on he would feel Injured if It the train tr ln was not held for himI himI himI him I meant to get there Rudolph said to me confidentially I sat up late somebody had stolen my alarm clock but I asked the maid to wake me an anthen and then she forgot It Ills His excuse was a good one ha ho thought and should have saved him from any ally unpleasant consequences but the Ule fact remained hat t-hat he didn't keep his appointment It was his last chance he he lost the sale Men want efficiency in those with whom they do business not the ability to explain why one has been Inefficient Nobody cares for excuses excepting that they show sho a desire on the part of ot ofa ofa a derelict to be polite What Is needed needed need need- ed Is to have things right the first time they are done to have people on time to have work accomplished within the limits set and to be sure the message Is carried to Garcia We Ye Judge men by what the they accomplish rather thai tha-n by the skill they display In explaining why they have failed I tried to do the work the employee employee em I said who was asking credit foo fo I something he had attempted but In I which he had failed But that Is not the way wa business is done In tn this world |