The Lamar register., 1923-03-14
JIM'S INSPIRATION
BY CORONA REMINGTON

He was facing u terrible situation ;
for the first time In his life that very
evening he had made the discovery
that he was in love.
He had thought Vera Goodwin was
just like other girls until this evening.
when the sight of her seemed TO in
toxicate him. Old Mother Nature
kept singing to him: shes the girl
for you. She's your mate. how can
you ignore II? Take her. tell her you
love her. Marry and be happy" But
another voice inside spoke more I'm
periously still: BE careful, old man.
If you want to get to the top you
have neither time nor money for a
wife and children"
But although nature spoke more
quietly and less dictatorially she had
a stronger influence and for one blind
moment Bill Davidson had held Vera
to him tight and had told her half
frantically that he loved her. Then
without word of apology or expla-
nation and without having proposed,
he had fled out of the house and back
TO his apartment and here he was
NAAAAis III lht Win Ms htub "a
his hands trying to face the situa-
tion.
Certainly he should not marry for
ten years yet. lie would be only forty
then and by that time he ought to be
well along toward that office next
door to the president, II not actually
sitting In II. But there was Vera and
he loved her more than he had ever
dreamed any man could love and she
would never walt ten years and some
other man would get her. Madly he
clenched his fists ana struggled to
work II out
Along toward morning he came to
the conclusion that II he were strong
enough he could resist his longing for
Nern and forge ahead toward his
goal
Tie next morning big Jim Williams,
the much envied and adored presl-
dent. came through Bnrs department
and stopped at his desk.
How about having lunch with me
today. DavidsonY" he said genlally.
You know my hobby for keeping
personally In touch with my men,
and lunch times about my only
chance
Thank you so much. Mr.. Williams
I'd be glad 10 come, FOR We all enjoy
talking to President lin"
Thanks, appreciate that" He
slhpped the younger man on the back.
Come TO my office at one and we1l
=" 10 quiet little place where we
can talk"
As II happened. theE quiet little
place was pretty well crowded and
only table in the window was left.
Williams. always keenly interested In
everything, gave the order. then
watched the passersby on the street
with an the eagerness OF chi'd.
'Sny. Davidson :" he exclaimed sud
denly Look at that shabby little
couple tnking in the pastry. Newly
weds. I'll bet. and from the country,
too. How she clings to himi I'd give
anything / had to be in their shoes.
They've got the light of heaven on
their faces"
why do you envy them p Davidson
asked.
Good Lord don't your He's got
some one TO work for aud some one
TO tell his troubles to and some one
to worship him. all in one Watch
how she looks at him. II you were to
go out there this minute and ofrer
yourself as swap-and mind you,
you're handsome as Il picture and bet
ter dressed than she ever saw any one
IA her whole llfe-why, she wouldn't
exchange her red-faced raw-boned
farmer boy for dozen of you, No.
sir, she wouldn't. That girls happy,
and he Is. too. only he's kind OF sheep
ish about It,"
well. II you think all that. why
didn't you" Bill broke on embar-
rassed."
why didn't marry. sonT' the
president went on evenly. 81 did, but
| lost my little wife when our boy
came, and somehow never could
think of taking another. And, after
all, you don't really lose anything
you've loved. l struggled harder than
ever to be a success after she went
away because l knew she'd like 1t.
She was always so Interested In the
business And I've tried to be the
sort of man she'd have me be, too
I've been lonely. Internally lonely al
times, but I'd rather have married her
and lost her than to have any other
woman I've ever seen and have her
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