Salt Lake Telegram | 1905-11-30 | Page 25 | The Two Presidents

THE TWO PRESIDENTS. "It' an Infernal shame all this unjust criticism." said President McBawl, leaning lean-ing back in his simple 35000 chair. ' "And so absurd, so uncalled for," said President McBlrdte. "Would you believe it. those rascally papers are criticising my office? You've seen it plainly furnished. fur-nished. They say $12,000 is too much for a rug shows how much they know about rugs. Why. that rug was a snap at $12.-000. $12.-000. It's more than a thousand years Tld. "Absurd, Indeed," assented President McBawl. "And $74,000 for luncheons during a whole year, mind you. They're kicking at that, too." said President McBirdie. bitterly. "Do they expect our directors to eat ham and eggs every day? I call $74,000 cheap." "Sure, Birdie." said President McBawl. "My office furniture cost a mere $50.-000." $50.-000." continued President McBirdie. "Barring "Bar-ring a few silks and tapestries and one or two really good antique, it's a barn, a regular barn." "And thev say our families make too much." said President McBawl. "As if we could make too much: Why, the thing's Impossible." "Of course," said President McBirdie. "My salary's only $10.000. Can I let my family starve? And a miserable $&0,OCO for stationery there's more kicking." "Tou can't please "em." said President McBawl. "They kick when they know what we spend their money for. and they kick when we lump a few hundred thousands thou-sands under 'legal expenses. No pleasing pleas-ing 'em." "No pleasing 'em. echoed President McBirdie. "If It wasn't for my sense of duty, my family would resign and go to work." "Mine too," said President McBawl. And then, attended by eighty detectives, detec-tives, the two presidents went to lunch, forgetting for the. moment the public's querulous talk of pools, syndicatea, extravagances, ex-travagances, graft, mismanagement and grand juries. San Francisco Examiner.