Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-07-02

Keep your hand in that sling;n sid
Quincy, sharply. Il vi
Sheridan turned upon him. uttertns
sound like howl "For Gods sake,
sing another tune!: he cried. "You
said you came as a doctor but stay
as a friend, and in that capacity you
undertake to sit up and criticize me-"
"Oh, talk sense" said the doctor,
and yawned Intentionally. "What do
you want Bibbs to say?"
You were sittin' up there tellin' me
got Observation-Disclosures oh Lord
You sat up there and told me got
| 'hysterical' over nothin'! You sat up
there tellin' me didn't have as heavy
burdens as many another man you
/ knew. l just want you to hear this,
Now listen" He swung toward the
quiet figure waiting in the doorway
"Blbbs' will you come down town with
me Monday morning and let me start
you with two vice-presidencies, a di.
rectorship, stock and salaries? ash
YOU"
mo. father" said Bibbs, gently.
Sheridan looked at Quincy and then
faced his son once more.
And I'd like the doctor to hear;
What II you do If decide you're toe
high-priced workin- man either to
live in my house or work in my shopI"
''Find other work." said Bibbs
There! You hear him for yourself!'
Sheridan cried you hear what" Y
Keep your hand in that sling! Yes,
l hear him"
Sheridan leaned over Quincy and
shouted, in voice that cracked and
broke. piping into falsetto: He thinks
of bein' plumber lie wants to be
plumber so he can thinkw
He fell back step, wiping his fore.
head with the back OF his left hand.
There! That's my son! That's the
only son got now! That's my chance
to live" he cried, with bitterness
that seemed to leave ashes In bis
throat. That's my one chance to
live-that thing you see In the door.
way yonder!'
Doctor Quincy thoughtfully regard.
ed the bandage strip he had been
winding. and tossed it into the open
bag. whats the matter with giving
Bibbs chance to live?' he said, cool.
~. II would If were you. You've
had two that went into business"
| Sheridan's mouth moved grotesquely
before he could speak. "Joe Quincy"
he said, when he could command him.
self so far, "are you accusin' me OF
the responsibility for the death Of my
son James?'
II accuse you of nothing" said the
doctor. but just once I'd like to have
it out with you on the question OF
Bibbs-and while he's here, too" He
got up, walked to the fire. and stood
warming his hands behind his back
and smiling. Look here, old fellow,
let's be reasonable he said. you
were bound Bibbs should 60 to the
shop again. and he did go, and he's
made good there. Now, see: Isn't
that enough? Can't you let him of
now? He wants to write and how do
you know that he couldn't do it If you
gave him chance? How do you know
he hasn't some MESA ge-something
to say that might make the world just
a little bit happier or wiser? I'm not
speaking as doctor now. But tell you
one thing know: If you take him
down there you'll kill something that
l feel is in him, and it's finer, l think,
than his physical body, and you'll kill
it deader than door-nail! And so
why not let it live? You've about
come to the end Of your string, old
fellow Why not stop this perpetual
devilish fighting and glve Bibbs his
chance?"
Sheridan stood looking at him fixed.
~. what 'hghtingY"
"Yours-with nature" Quincy sus-
tanned the daunting gaze of his fierce
antagonist equally. You don't seem
to understand that you've been struR-
| Cling against actual law"
what law"
Natural law" said Quincy. "What
do you think beat you with Edith?
Did Edith. herself, beat you? Didn't
she obey without question something
powerful that was against you? Edith
wasn't against you, and you, weren't
aginst her. but you set yourself against
the power that had her in Its grip, and
1t shot out squirt of flame-and won
in walk! What's taken Roscoe from
you? Timbers bear just so much
strain. old man; but you wanted to
send the load across the broken bridge
and you thought you could bully or
coax the cracked thing into standing.
Well, you couldn't! NOW here's Bibbs
There are thousands of men fit for the
life you want him to lead-and so is
he. 1t wouldn't take nalf of Bibbs
brains to be twice as good business
man as Jim and Roscoe put together
"Whatv' Sheridan goggled at him
like, 8 Zany.