Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-28

Roscoe settled his hat down over his
eyes and went out.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Who looks mustang in the eyer
Changety, chang, chang! Bashi Crash!
Bang!
So sang Bibbs, his musical gayeties
tnaudible 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 jubiIant va
lions of his own among them, and
mocking the zinc eaters crash with
vocal limitations:
Fearless and bold,
Changi Bash! Behold!
With leap from the ground
To the saddle in a bound,
And aWay-and away!
Htyay!
The long room was ceaselessly thun-
dering with metallic sound; the air
was thick with the smell of oil; the
door trembled perpetually; everything
was implacably In motion-nOwnere
was there a rest for the diZZied eye.
The first time he had entered the place
Btbbs had become dizzy instantly, and
syfw 80 T. hn1
crea sing 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
The poet was happy in his machine
shop; he was still a poet there. And
he fed his old zinc eater, and sang:
Away-and away!
Hi-yay!
Crash. bash. crash, bash. changi
Wild are his eyes.
Ffercely he diesi
Hi-yay!
Crash. bash, bang! Bash, chang!
Ready to fling
Our gloves IN the ring
81 like the machine" said Bibbs
"I've made friend Of It, | serenade
to me-"
Indeed, indeed? What does it say?"
what l want to hear"
He was unaware of a 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.
go on, you old crash-basher! Chew
1t up! It's good for you, If you don't
try to bolt your vittles. Fletcherize,
you pig! That's right-youll never
get lump in your gizzard. Want some
more? Here's nice, shiny one"
The words were indistinguishable, but
Sheridan inclined his head to Gurney's
ear and shouted fercely: "Talkin' to
himself! By Georgev
Gurney laughed .eassuringly. 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
"Here! he shouted LET me show
you how to run 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? Boh'r Sheridan seized
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'
"tAbusedT Nor shouted Bibbs. 81
was singing like it, I told
you I'd come back and like It,
Sheridan may not have understood.
At all events, he made no reply, but
began to run the strip Of zinc through
the machine. He did it awkwardly-
and with bad results,
"Here?' he shouted 'SThis Is the
way. Watch how l do It, There's
nothin' TO 1t, II you put your mind on
It," By his own showing then his mind
was not upon 1t. He continued to talk.
"All you got to look out for is to keep
1t pressed over to"
"Don't run your hand up with It,"
Bibbs vociferated, leaning toward him.
Run nothin'! You got to"
Look outw shouted Bibbs and Cur
ney together, and they both sprang for
ward. But Sheridan's right hand had
followed the strip too far, and the zinc
eater had bitten off the tips of the first
and second fingers. He swore vehe-
mentiy, and wrung his hand, sending a
shower Of red drops over himself and