Willmar Tribune

He Expected a Promotion
By EDGAR T. MONFORT
(Copyright.)
"And pretty soon. If I get it, it ought to just about double my salary. I'm expecting a promotion to just about double my salary. Then we'll get married, won't we?"
Gene Walters smiled at her fiance.
"You're just like a twelve-year-old boy talking about getting a new radio set or something of that sort," she told him. "And how do you know you'll get that promotion?"
"Oh. I don't know it. but I'm practically certain of it. Everybody at the office says so. You see, it's this way"-Wade Everett's voice was eager and his clear eyes flashed intelligence as he explained the situation- "it's just this way. Hawkins is going to leave the first of the year. Somebody'll have to fill his place. I've been with them longer than anyone else in the office, and I've carried more responsibility straight along. The president, old McKellar, has always been nice to me, and well . . . It's just about inevitable," he ended with a little laugh.
Oh. Wade. I'll be so proud of you, if you do get it. It will be wonderful, my husband. manager of the sales department of the McKellar Paint and Varnish company! I'll be so stuck up!" She rose and walked around the room, her head up, an imaginary lorgnette before her eyes, a laughable imitation of a woman of the wealthy dowager type. Wade laughed and was not unflattered by her remarks.
"You little monkey," he said, "but you shall have the prettiest little run-about for a wedding present a man can give his bride."
"You generous old dear."
But the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley." When Everett went to the office a few mornings later everyone was in a hubbub of excitement over the promotion of John Langston to the position of sales manager.
"Poor old Everett." they said sympathetically, "we were all sure you'd get it. Never mind, there are plenty of us to keep you company." They slapped him kindly on the back and tried to pass it off lightly, but Everett was stunned. At first he could not believe what they told him, then he knew it must be true. and suddenly he was stunned.
"Well. Langston's a fine fellow He'll treat us right," he heard himself saying after a while.
Suddenly the gong sounded and they scattered to their respective desks and all day long he kept asking himself how he could ever tell Gene. What would she say. what would she do? He thought of the plans they had made and the car he would buy her. How could he ever tell Gene?
By now his head was aching intolerably. Every time he moved it gave him a terrible thumping stab.
When the gong sounded for five o'clock he was numb with misery and pain. Mechanically he put on his hat and overcoat and went out into the cold winter air. He saw no one he knew on the way, and only habit guided him safely to his rooms. Arrived there, he felt a sudden strange tension in his throat, a violent and rapid pounding of his heart. an almost audible scream of pain from his head. and a second later he had thrown himself across the bed and was crying like a child. For an hour or more he lay there, then pulled himself together and forced himself out for something to eat and a brisk walk.
A well-cooked dinner changed Everett's viewpoint decidedly. Things weren't so bad after all. He would go straight to Gene and tell her the truth, and the next morning when he took his place at his desk he would see how hard he could work for the company. Perhaps some day he would get a promotion.
So. rather late that evening he surprised Gene by ringing her doorbell.
"Oh. I know about it. dear." she told him, after one glance at his face; "but don't look so tragic. We'll get along all right. I might have turned into the silly snob I was trying to imitate the other night." she laughed.
Good old sport that she was! He was glad she knew it, and he felt much better now.
A week later McKellar was passing through the office and stopped at Everett's desk for a kindly word as usual.
"How do you think you'll like your new boss?" he asked suddenly
"Fine! He's a good fellow," Everett said heartily.
"You had a little idea you were going to get the position yourself, didn't you?"
Everett flushed and looked down.
"I'm afraid I did," he answered after a moment's hesitation.
"Well, I didn't give it to you because I want you to go to Nashville and open a branch store at three times your present salary. Will you do it?"
Dazed, Everett passed a hand over his forehead and tried to grasp the full meaning of his words.
McKellar saw the inarticulate joy on the young man's face and secretly enjoyed it.He liked to give people happy surprises.
Well, you think about it." he said. "and if you want to talk it over with anyone I'll give you the afternoon off and a couple of matinee tickets I have here I can't use."
He moved away toward another desk and left Everett gripping the two bits of pink pasteboard and looking as if someone had just dropped a million dollars at his feet.
-G. M. Gallagher of the State Farm has purchased a Maxwell sedan. T. J. Sampson also has a new car.