The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-07
(Copyright.)

(C0pyrignt.)
 H FADING was the fad of the Johnsburg schools. It was taught 4 A by specialists who went from building to building, examining, exhort- ing, setting a bewldering example, while the teachers were but sorry echoes of their pienteous inspiration. And the mead of all the readers was Mrs. Bicks.
 It was over Mrs. Bicks that Tom Bige- low stumbled against his first failure. He had succeeded in college. He had suc- ceeded for two years selling pens and blotters for B. Niles, books and station cry. in Oakville Center. For the eight months that brought him up to the pres ent he had succeeded as text book agent. He was employed by the Universal Publishing association, familiarly known as the U. P. A. The U. P. A. wanted Mrs Bicks' indorsement for it's supple mentary specials. This series of reading books was exactly suited, the general Nagent said, for the consumption of Johns- burg. They contained more master pieces, by which school man means fragments of '"The Vicar of Wakefield" and The Rape of the Lock" than had ever before been united within the chaste confines of 7-cent cover.
 When Bigelow got the telegram he was "up-state'' persuading the schoo1 com mttee of Davis Corners that they wanted the Ridgely arithmetics in the district schools. The telegram said: Be at of fee 10 tomorrow, Thursday and was signed L. "L." was Levin, the general agent at Lake City. By waiting for the midnight train Bigelow could first dispose of Davis Corners and still be in time TOT the appointment
 When he left the U. P. A. office the next day he was full of a large and cheer ful confidence. A youthful ignorance of the devious methods of the U. P. A. made him attribute his promotion to the honest merits of his up-country lapors. On the train he wrote a letter and ad- dressed 1t to Mrs. Thomas Bigelow, Oak vile Center.
 "Dear Tony" he begun. I've got Dag gett's territory. Isn't that gay, and won't we have melons for breakfast! He's been transferred. Also, I'm on my way to Johnsburg to charm and capture a beau teous widow, foxy politician lady, wnicn her name is Bicks. She seems to be the whole thing in Johnsburg. Great friend of the board and head of the reading department in the public schools. Ha! 'Twill be a famous victory!
 "Now Wise One-and here's the point don't you think you ought to visit your cousin Grace? Her flat isn't mile from my hote1-to-be, and shant have to spend every minute with the important Bicks. I wish Mrs. Bgelow, that we met oftener.' How does it strike you? I'm going to put my money order in this to cover the fare. s* Wire me at the Continental. Do come. Tony You know this Is my first good-sized city assignment. Your always to-be-revered HUSBAND.
 Tom mailed his letter in Johnsburg, ate his luncheon unobserved of It's in gredients, and still arranging his order of attack sought Mrs. Bicks in her office on the second floor of the Lea avenue school. Mrs. Bicks was not within, while he wait ed he could hear issuing from open doors the murmur and movements of the hived classes. Now and then child passing in the corridor turned interested eyes upon the visitor.
 Bigelow sat alertly possessing his soul and studied the adornments of the place. Upon the desk twelve by fourteen pho- tograph stood conspicuously displayed, as if inviting inquiry. It was the picture of a former trapeze "Artist'' now metamor- phosed into the star of the vaudeville hour A spreading signature with a fat tail curled exurberantly beneath dedicated this art gem from Montaubyn St. Clair to my friend Mrs. Bcks.''
 The owner of the photograph delayed her coming. Bigelow evoked an image of her from information garnered at the hotel. She was daughter of Silas Bor- cher, of Lake City, s"Pole-cat Borcher' his enemies had called her papa If there was anything in heredity, politics would kA both work and pastime to Mrs. Bicks