The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-10-08
No Age Limit
in This Concern
BY JOHN PALMER

and the appellation fitted him tOl.
erably we'll Johnson was seventy.
and had been As years with Mace
& Co. ~. ~.
Changes take place inevitably in
every organization Mace & Go.
We're being reconstructed. Brown.
the energetic new president, called
Harry Thompson into, his Office.
Thompson was sixty, and :, had
worked up from Office boy to gen.
eral manager. who's that old
fellow at the bookkeeping end?" he
asked.
That's old Johnson"
"Efiicient?"
ooh, fairly so for an old
timer. Rather got into q rut with
the years."
! Fire him!" snapped Brown.
I'VE want new blood In this organ.
ization.'
Thompson called the old man up
to his desk. "Well, Johnson" he
said. II suppose you've managed
to put by little money in all these
years?"
Old Johnson turned white as a
ghost. He had always dreaded
what he knew was coming. "N-nO,
SIR" he stammered. "There was q
time when l had a little savings,
but the cost Of living"
Eyes, yes, of course" interrupted
Thompson brusquely. Its unfor-
tunate, Johnson, but I'm under or
ders to discharge you. We've got
to have new blood in this firm. You
ought to have managed to put some
thing by. I'm sorry, but"
my God, Thompson. what will
my wife dO?"
81 don't know, Johnson. 1 don't
want to know, either. That's up
to YOU"
He watched the broken old man
withdraw, shaking his head and
launching his shoulders. "Poor
devil" he muttered. We've got
to have new blood, though"
Old Johnson disappeared from
the Office. Other changes occurred.
About month later Harry Brown
sent for Thompson.
"Mr Thompson" he began
suavely. II suppose you've managed
to lay by comfortable sum these
years you've been here?"
"Why-a little, not much" an.
swered Thompson. He was inter-
ested in the question. Probably
Harry Brown was going to invite
him to invest in the company.
"I'm glad to hear that, because
we'll, Mr. Thompson, we're getting
new blood into the firm, you know.
and-how old are you, Thompson"
Thompson was struck cold. "You
mean yOu-you won't need my serv'
ices?" he stammered. "Why-
why-I've been here since l was q
boy! My wife will 60 .crazy!"
II hope not, Thompson: But
that's up to your wife and you. !
must ask for your resignation In q
months time. Or. In consideration
OF your valuable services to the
firm over so many years, q months
salary will be at your disposition"
Thompson withdrew, shaking his
head. He was absolutely knocked
out.G He had a little money-if he
hadabeen a younger man he would
have got some Of the old hands to-
gether and started q manufacturing
business Of his own. But at his
age-he couldn't take the risk. 1t
was the most cold-blooded thing he
had ever heard Of.
He put on his hat and left the
office. He felt that he could never
60 back. Forty years service and
summarily turned down like this I!
He collided with an elderly man
who was walking abstractedly In
the opposite direction. He straight
ened himself with q frown. Old
johnson!
ooh, I beg your pardon. Mr..
Thompson" whined the old fellow.
II was coming down to see you, to
ask IL you couldn't consider giving
me something-any sort Of a posi-
tion, sir. I'm at the end of my re-
sources, and my wlfe's nearly out
Of her mind, and T." i.
Thompson clapped the old man
on the shoulder. They've fred
me, too, Johnson" he said with a
hysterical laugh. Il guess you and
l are In the same boat together.
"Fired you, sir!" gasped old
Johnson, shocked by the announce.
ment. Why-Thompson had been
fixture in the Office ever since
he remembered him as a curly.
headed clerk.