Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-12-22
A NEW YEAR GIFT.
BY BEVERLY woRrHlNoroN.

C1ANionsI
"MR. Bickford." said the president.
you are aware. suppose, that this
business IL solely for making money.
What pays goes; what doesn't pay
does not 60. Besides. my stockholders
keep me up TO making dividends. II l
don't pay dividends my head goes Oh.
We can get your work done for half
Of the salary we pay you. We shall
not need your services after the LIST Of
January"
"But, Mr.. Tinkham, I've been with
you sixteen years. I'm now thirty-six.
Places are being Oiled by younger
men. / fear l may not get another"
THAT Ia your misfortune"
II don't know what shalr-
II have no time TO listen TO what
your future may be. l have other mat
tiers to attend To-"
Bickford fretted over his discharge
till II made him III. One day q chum
said to him:
''Bickford. tell you what you do.
You've got 81 900. ! know. Spend half
OF IL having a good time. Resign your
position and go OF where you'll ind
something 10 distract your attention
from this bugbear. When you feel
strong come back and 90 to work at
anything you can get TO do. II you
stay here youth go under"
BickfOrd took the advice. He went
to Florida, putting up az a hotel where
he paid s. q day for his board. and
stayed there a month. Instead Of get.
ting matters into q better he got them
into a worse On. He fell desperately In
love
The object OF Bickford's affection
was Miss MAZDA Tibbetts. young girl
who was staying at one OF the less pre-
tentious hotels. IL was more quiet and
comfortable than the caravansary
where Bickford was staying. and
Miss Tibbetts' mother. an invalid. was
with her. and the house was better
lifted for such q person. Nevertheless
from appearances there was no money
In the Tibbetts family. Bickford felt
that he was playing 4 contemplate
part IN making It appear BY the
amount that he daily expended for
board that be was opulent when in
reality he was without any income
whatever. But In his affair with Miss
Tibbetts he found at least = temporary
mental relief from his troubles and
had no heart to break with her TIL he
was Obliged to. When his $500 was
spent. except enough for his railway
ticket home. be found himself In q 20
sition to make an explanation. He
told the girl the facts.
Probably she would have blamed
him for what he had done had Il not
been for her repugnance TO the treat
ueDt he had received.
These modern ways Of doing bual
ness" she said, ''are execrabie. As
soon as q mean man has established
successful business he capitalizes It.
This gives him q board Of directors. to
whom he pretends to be responsible
This In turn gives him an Ostenslble
excuse to run the business without a
soul Then he gifts rid OF those who
have helped him build II up and re.
places them BY cheaper men. mere
eogwhoals In the great machine he has
been constructing"
The question between Blekford and
Mas Tibbetts was what should they
do. They loved. and Bickford could
not support q wife. Miss Tibbetts
was an ardent believer Ia love as
basis OF matrimouy. With or without
money She said that when she got
back to the north she thought she
could nnd something among her relA
lives for BlekfQrd 10 do, He had $500
In bank at home. which. with some
funds OF heFs. would last them for sew
eral months. Bickford saw that ahe
favored the plan Of being married
then and there. and. with many mis-
givings. he consented. lie had come
away without any income with which
10 support even himself. HS went
back with a wife reQulFing-so he con.
adhered lt-a far greater income than
for one.
Mrs. BlckfOrd after the marriage In.
sisted on remaining = month longer In
Florida. Her mother needed to stay
there and would stand the additional
expense. The young wife did great
deal Of writing aud received a number
Of letters. with the contents Of which
her husband was not made acquainted.
When the extra mouth had passed
they all packed their trunks aud went
bAck north.
They arrived In the city In the morn.
Ing Of Jan. I. Miss Bickforl sent her
mother home ID Z carriage. while she
and her husband remained In the busl.
ness district where they breakfasted.
After breakfast the young wife told
Der husband that she had a position
for him and would make the Hnal ar.
rangements before going home. She
led the way and stopped at the build.
tng where be had been employed
"what does this meanf' asked Biek.
ford.
Take me TO the prealdent'a once"
But this IL New Years morning
he viii not b here"
Il think be will"
Bickford led her TO Mr.. Tinkham's
nrtVate ofAcR True anOnRh thu nreai.