The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-11-03

STUCK nlM. lie desired 10 % ALONE.
he wanted to rub himself and, for once.
to do some useless thinking again. He
knew that his father had not hap
pened" to run into him; he knew that
Sheridan had instant!y-and instinct
fvely-proved that he held his own life
Of no account whatever compared to
that OF his son and heir. Bibbs had
been unable to speak Of that. or
to know It; for Sheridan. just as In
s~tinctivcly, had swept the matter aside
AS Of no Importance. since all "a
well-reverting Immediately to bust
ness.
Dibbs began to think intcntly Of his
father. He perceived. as he had never
perceived before. the shadowing OF
something enormous and indomitahle
and lawless; not to be daunted by
the will OF natures very self; laughing
at the lightning and at wounds and
m%utilation; %conquering. irresistible
and blindly noble. For the first time
in his life Bibbs began to understand
the meaning Of being truly this mans
son.
He would be the more truly his son
h~enceforth, though. rs Sheridan said,
Rlbbs hnd not come downtown with
him meanly or half -hcartedly. &c had
given his word because he had wanted
tie money. simply. for Mary Vertrees
in her need. And he shivcrcd with
J,, r,.,r - ls,,-n1C 4ls~I;r~ 1n,, H., Eol
gone to her TO offer it, asking her to
marry him-with his head on his
breast in shameful fear that she would
accept him! He had not known her:
the knowing had lost her to him, and
this had been his real awakening; for
he knew now how deep had been that
slumber wherein he dreamily celebrat-
I'd the superiority OF friendship" The
sleep-walker had wakcned to bitter
knowledge Of love and life. finding
himself a failure in both. He had
made a burnt offering Of his Dreams.
and the sacrifice had been an unforgiv-
able hurt to Mary. All that was left
for him was the work he had chosen.
bat at least he would not fail In that,
though 1t was Indeed no more than
dust in his mouth" II there had been
anything ito work for"
He went to the window. raised 1t,
and let in the uproaf OF the streets be-
low. He looked down at the blurred.
hurrying swarms and he looked
across. over the roofs with their pant
ing jets OF vapor. into the vast. foggy
heart Of the smoke. Dizzy traceries OF
steel were rising dlmly against II, chat
tering with steel on steel, and screech-
ing in steam. while tiny figures of men
walked on threads In the dull sky.
Buildings would overtop the Sheridan
Bigncss was being served.
But what for? The old question
came to Blbbs with a new despair.
Here. where his eye fell, had once been
green fields and running brooks. and
how had the kind earth been despoiled
and disdcured! The pioneers had be-
gun the work. but In their old age their
orators had gaid for them that they
had toiled and nsked and sacrificed
that their posterlty might live In peace
and wisdom. enjoying the fruits OF tho
earth. Well. their pesterity was here
and there was only turmoil. Where
was the promised land. 1t had been
promised BY tho soldiers Of al the
wars: It had been promised to this gen.
Grafton By the pioneers: but here was
the vcry postedty to whom II had been
promised. toiling and rtsking and q G
dfdng In turn-for what1
The harsh roar Of the city came in
through the open window. continuously
beating upon Bibbs' ear until he began
to distinguish q %pulsation In ia bro
ken and irregular cadence. It seemed
to him that II was like q titanic voice,
.discordant. hoarss. rusttly metallic
the voice OF the god, Bigness. And the
voice summoned Bibbs az II summoned
all its servants.
Come and work. It seemed to call.
Come md work for Ne, all men. Fly
your youth and your hope l summon
you! By your age md your despair
| summon you to work for NJ yet a
little, with what strength you have.
By your love Of home I summon you!
BY your love OF woman I summon You:
By your hope Of children summon
you!
You shall BE- blind slaves OF Mine.
blind to everything but Me. your Mas
ter and Driver! For Jour reward you
shall gaze only upon my uguness. You
shall give Jour toll and your lives. you
stall 60 mad for love and worship Of
my ugliness! You shall perish still
~worshiping Me, and your children shall
perish knowing no other god"
And then. a. Dibbs closed the win
dow down tight, he heard his fathers
voice booming IN the next room: ho
could not distinguish the words. bns
tho lone ri exultant-and there came
the thump! thump! Of the MANNED
hand. Bibbs guessed that Sheridan
was Dragging Of the city and Of the
Bigness to some visitor from o0t Of
town.
And he thought how truly Sheridan
was the high priest Of Bigness. But
with The old. old thought again. what
fort" Bibbs caught = giimmer Of far.
pnfwA M~AH u~~~- AAaA oA>~AAa~ h~A