Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-07-20
CHAPTER xxIv.--continued.


instinctively; he felt himself at every
possible disadvantage. He was a
sleeper clinging to a dream-a rough
hand stretched to shake him and wax
en- him. He went to table and made
vague drawings upon it with finger,
and as he spoke he kept his eyes low
cred. "You weren't altogether right
about the shop--that is. in one way
you weren't, father" He glanced up
apprehensively. Sheridan stood facing
him, expressionless, and made no at
tempt to interrupt. ''That's difficult to
texplain," Bibbs continued, lowering
his eyes again, to follow the tracings
of his finger. ST. believe the shop
, might have done for me this time II
u hadn't--if something hadn't helped
me to-oh, not only to bear 1t, but to
be happy in It Well, am happy In
It. want to go on just as am. And
of all things on earth that don't want
don't want to live business life
j I son't want to- be> drawn into it. l
don't think 1t is nving-and now I am
living. ! have the healthful toil-and
can think. In business as important
as yours / couldn't think anything but
business. DON'T don't think max
ing money is worth while"
go on" said Sheridan, CURLY. as
Bibbs paused timidly.
. 1T hasn't seemed to get anywhere,
that can see," said Bibbs. "You think
this city is rich and powerful--but
what's the use Of its being rich and
powerful? They don't teach the chill
dren any more in the schools because
the city is rich and powerful They
teach them more than they used to be-
cause some people-not rich and pow
erful people = have thought the
thoughts to teach the children. And
get when you've been reading the pa
per I've heard you objecting to the
children being taught anything except
what would help them to make money.
You said it was wasting the taxes.
You want them taught to make liv-
ing, but not to live. When was a
little boy this wasn't an ugly town;
now It's hideous. What's the use of
being big just to be hideous? | mean
= don't think all this has meant really
going ahead-it's just been getting
bigger and dirtier and noisier Wasn't
the whole country happier and in many
ways wiser when 1t was smaller and
cleaner and quieter and kinder? I
know you think I'm an utter fool. ia
ther, but, after all, though. aren't bust
ness and politics just the housekeeping
part Of life? And wouldn't you despise
q woman that not only made her
housekeeping her ambition, but did II
so noisily and dirtily that the whole
'Reighborhood was In continual tur.
moil over 1t? And suppose she talked
sand thought about her housekeeping
.ail the time, and was always having
additions built to her house when she
couldn't keep clean what she already
had; and suppose, with 1t all, she made
the house altogether unpeaceful and
uniivnble-"
!. "Just one minutev Sheridan inter
rupted, adding, with terrible courtesy
S;''If you win permit me? Have you
Fever been right about anythingT
! II don't quite"
II ask the simple question: Have
I you ever been right about anything
whatever In the course of your life
Have you ever been right upon any
subject or question you've thought
about or talked about? Can you men
ton one single time when you wert
proved to be rightT'
I He was fourishipg the bandaged
hand as he spoke, but Bibbs said only
NIf I've always been wrong before
surely there's more chance that I'm
right about this. 1t seems reasonable
Ito suppose something would be due t.
bring up my average"
: Eyes, thought you wouldn't see thu
point. And there's another you prob
ably couldn't see, but I'll take the lib
aerty to mention 1t. You been baikin
all your life. Pretty much everything
II ever wanted you to do, you'd let GU
tsome kind of boiler, like you arr
now--and yet / can't seem to remem
Der once when you didn't have to lal
down and do what said. But go OF
with your remarks about our city ant
the business Of this country. Go onl'
@.T don't want to be part of It," sale
Bibbs, with unwonted decision. :"
want to keep to myself, and I'm dotni