Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-06-29
CHAPTER Xxx.

Who looks a mustang in the eye?
Changety. chang. chang! Bash! Crashl
Bang!
So sang Bibbs, his musical gayeties
inaudible to his fellow workmen be-
cause Of the noise of the machinery.
He had discovered long ago that the
uproar was rhythmical. and 1t had
been intolerable; but now, on the aft
ernoon Of the fourth day of his return.
he was accompanying the swing and
clash of the metals with jubilant va
quero fragments, mingling improvisa-
tons Of his own among them, and
hooking the zinc eaters crash with
vocal limitations:
Fearless and bold,
Chang! Bash!s Behold!
With a leap from the ground
To the saddle in bound.
And away-and away!
Hi-yay!
dering with metallic sound; the air
was thick with the smell Of oil; the
floor trembled perpetually; everything
was implacably in motion-nowhere
was there rest for the dizzied eye.
The first time he had entered the place
Bibbs had become dizzy instantly, and
six months of it had only added in
creasing nausea to faintness. But he
felt neither now. ''All day long I'll
send my thoughts to you. You must
keep remembering that your friend
stands beside you" He saw her there
beside him, and the greasy. roaring
place became suffused with radiance
The poet was happy In his machine
shop; he was still poet there. And
he fed his old zinc eater. and sang:
Away-and away!
Hi-yayl
Crash, bash, crash. bash, chang!
Wild are his eyes.
Fiercely he dies!
Hi-yay
Crash. bash, bang! Bash. chang a..
Ready to fling
Our gloves in the ring Asa
II like the machine" said Bibbs
"I'ye made a friend of it, | serenade
it and talk to it, and then 1t talks back
to me-
Indeed, indeed? What does it say?"
what want to hear"
He was unaware of q sensation that
passed along the lines of workmen.
Their great master had come among
them. and they grinned to see him
standing with Doctor Quincy behind
the unconscious Bibbs. Sheridan nod
ded to those nearest him--he had per-
sonal acquaintance with nearly all of
them-but he kept his attention upon
his son. Bibbs worked steadily, never
turning from his machine. Now and
then he varied his musical program
with remarks addressed to the zinc
eater.
$50 on, you old crash-basher! Chew
it up! It's good for you, IL you don't
try to bolt your vittles. Fletcherize,
you pig! That's right-you'll never
get lump in your gizzard. Want some
more? Here's a nice, shiny one"
The words were indistinguishable, but
Sheridan inclined his head to Gurney's
ear and shouted fercely: 'Talkin' to
himself! BY Georgew
Quincy laughed reassuringly, and
shook his head.
Bibbs returned to song.
Chang! Chang, bash, chang! It's I!
Who looks a mustang In the eye?
Fearless and bo-
His father grasped him by the arm.
"Herer' he shouted. Let me show
you how to run a strip through there.
The foreman says you're some better'n
you used to be, but that's no way to
handle Get out the way and let me
show you once"
Better be careful" Bibbs warned
him, stepping to one side.
Careful? Roh'r Sheridan seized
a strip of zinc from the box. what
you talkin' to yourself about? Tryin'
to make yourself think you're so
abused you're goin' wrong in the
headT
.Abused?' MOI shouted Bibbs. 81
was singing-because like 1t! told
YOU I'd come back and like it,"