The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-10-12
CHAPTER v.


and a noisy one, too, because there was
an orchestra among some plants at one
end of the long dining room, and after
a preliminary stiffness the guests were
tmpelled to converse-necessarily at
the tops OF their voices. The whole
company Of fifty sat at great oblong
table, a continent of damask and lace,
with shores of crystal and silver run
ming up to spreading groves of orchids
and lilies and white roses-an inhab
fted continent, evidently, for there
were three marvellous. cleaning build
ings; one in the center and one at each
end. white miracles wrought by some
inspired craftsman in sculptural icing.
They were models in miniature, and
they represented the Sheridan build
ing. the Sheridan apartments, and the
pump works. Nearly all the guests
recognized them without having to be
told what they were, and pronounced
the likenesses superb
The arrangement Of the table was
vtsibly baronial. At the head sat the
great Thane. with the flower of his
family and of the guests about him;
then on each side came the neighbors
of the "old" house. grading down to
vassals and retainers-superinten
cashiers, heads of departments, and the
lhe-at the foot, where the Thames
lady took her place as n consolation for
the less important. Here. too. among
the thralls and bondmen, sat Bibbs
Sheridan. a meek Banquo. wondering
how anybody could look ut him and
cat.
Nevertheless, there was a vast. con-
tdnuous eating and the talk went on
with the eating. necessarily. 1t rose
over the throbbing of the orchestra and
the ciatter and clinking Of silver and
ehino and glass, and there was a
mighty babble.
And through the interstices of this
clamorlng Bibbs could hear the con-
tinuai booming of his fathers heavy
voice. and once he caught the sentence,
Yes. young lady, that's just what did
1t for me. and that's just what III do 1t
for my boys-they got to make two
blades o. grass grow where one grew
before" 1t was his familiar flourish.
an old story to Bibbs, and now jovially
declaimed for the edificaton Of Mary
.Vertrees.
1t was a great night for Sheridan
the very crest of his wave. His big.
smooth, red face grew more and more
radiant with good will and with the
simplest, happiest, most boyish vanity.
He was the picture of health, of good
cheer, and Of power on holiday.
He dominated the table, shouting
ijocular questions and railleries at
everyone. His idea was that when
yeople were having a good time they
we're noisy; and his own additions to
the hubbub increased his pleasure,
and, of course, met the warmest en-
couragement from his guests. He kept
time to the music continually-with
his feet, or pounding on the table with
his fist, and sometimes with spoon or
knife upon his plate or a glass. with
cut permitting these side-products to
interfere with the real business of eat
ing and shouting.
Tell 'em to play Nancy Lee'" he
would below down the length of the
table to his wife, while the musicians
we're in the midst Of the "Toreador"
song. perhaps. ASK that fellow II
they don't know Nancy Lee'w And
when the leader would shake his head
apolcgetically In answer to an obedient
Shrek from Mrs. Sheridan, the "TOrea-
dor" continuing vehemently. Sheridan
would roar half-remembered fragments
Of Nancy Lee" naturally mingling
some Bizet with the air Of that uxori-
Gus tribute.
No external bubbling contributed to
this effervescence; the Sheridan's table
had never borne wine, and, more be-
cause Of dmidity about 1t than convic-
tion. 1t bore none now. And certain
~ no wine could have inspired more
turbulent good spirits in the host. Not
even Bibbs was an alloy in this nights
happiness, for, as Mrs. Sheridan had
paid. he had "plans for Bibbs"-plans
(which were going to straighten out
home things that had gone wrong.
| 30 he pounded the table and doomed
- AoAans uf cid songs. and then. for