The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-04-26

That girl, against whom his resent
ment had flared almost to the temper
AZURE of hatred, had been-well, esnot
his same Celia, bur. she had had his
Celia locked aup inside, her, waiting to
break out when the shock Of their dis
asfer should give her chance.
The pungent 9Odor Of the Bingham,
or whatever it was that sher big apron
was made of. gave him a thrill that
none of the perfumes of the old days
had been capable OF giving. and there
was soft contented warmth in her
voice. There clutched at his heart Il
passionate fear, and Il passionate re-
solve-the fear lest the new prosperity
which doomed ahead of him should
carry them back into that old artificial
life where they lived. not together. but
in two separate shells; the resolve that
at all costs, this thing should not be
allowed to happen.
He'd say nothing of the promotion
to Celia for-well, three or four days
or a week. The situation at the office
would probably have taken definite
shape by the end Of fortnight, any
way.
He went on to tell himself. virtuous-
~. how much kinder it was to Celia
not to tease her with the story of a
promotion which 50 easily might prove
illusory. Of course. if the thing work
ed out all right. or showed even an in
clination to do so. he'd tell her at once
He angrily cast off the insinuation
which sneaked into his mind from
somewhere that it might be a. good
thing to keep Celia seriously III the
dark for any length OF time as tpThis
improved fortunes. What was he max
Ing all the fuss about. anyhow? It
wasn't an important decision he'd just
taken. What did it matter whether he
told her tonight or three nights from
now? Perhaps he would tell her to-
night. after all. But he didn't.
For week the state of things in,
the drafting-room remained as chaotic
and hand-tO-mouth as it had looked
the first day. And then new factor
entered into the situatiOn-well. not
new. but one that Alfred hadn't count
ed On-pOlitics-a sharp bitter fight
between the administration CHATS the
mayor and his appointees, chief Of
police. corporation counsel. and so ON
and the board of aldermen.
The mayor of Chicago has a lot Of
power. and he, can exercise it. up to
certain point quite irresponsibly.
But il he is overtaken by illusions of
grandeur and neglects to cOnciliate at
least an effective minority of the al
dermanic body. that body Ican make
him wish he had never been born.
Well. this contract that Alfred was
= r ~
most attractive displays In the mayors
prediction show Window sentimen-
tai. half-practical. half-baked project
for a municipal market which should
loosen the rapacio,is clutch Of the COM
mission man upo1r the throat of the.
ultimate consumer And 1t is quite con
sistent with our American impotence
of thorough study and expert advice.
and our eagerness to do material things
to do something. it doesn't matter
much what-that this great project
should have boiled dewn. ALMOST Mt
once. to the letting Of contract for
the first unit Of vast acreage OF
buildings: in short, to a fat job for
some loyal liegeman OF the mayor
And You will see think. how natur-
ally 1t came about that when the desire
arose to ma Ike the mayor uncomfOrt-
able, this job should have been picked
out as the target 1t was so picked ont.
and . committee of perspicacious and
able-minded reformers I the use Of the
word reformer is not necessarily de-
rOgat0ry) was appointed to Investigate.
The mere announcement of the an
p0intment sof this committee before
1t fired shot. brought the contractor
down to his office In foaming rage.
The grating politician, in stories
and on the stage, II presented rs for
faeeles Wtelltl Sast unguesti0n
syowsfs; giving orders with ! cigar 10