The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-06-15

worKs-wanred 'em quick. Contractors
aid 1t couldn't be done; said nine or
ten months at the soonest: couldn't see
it any other way. What c Jim do3
Took the contract himself; found a
fellow with a new cement and concrete
process; kept men Oh the job night and
day, and stayed on it night n dav
himself-and, by George! we beoin IN
use them warehouses next week Eo,r
months and a half, and every inch fire.
proof! l tell you Jim's one O. these
fellers that make miracles happen, 7
tell you these young business men T
watch just do my heart good! They
don't set around on the back fence-no
sir! They're putin their life-blood in.
to it. l tell you, and that's why vera.
gettin' bigger every minute, and WHY
they're gettin' bigger, and why it's all
goin' 70 keep on gettin' bigge ~
He slapped the desk resounding.v
with his open palm, and then, obsery-
ing that Bibbs remained in the sauna
impassive attitude, with his eyes stlu
fixed upon the ceiling in a contempla-
tiCn somewhat plaintive, Sheridan was
impelled to groan. "Ob, I.ord!'" he
said. This is the way you always
were. 1 don't believe you understand
, a dara word I been sayin'! You don't
look as If you did. By George! IT'S dis
c~ouragingr'
Il don't understand about getting
ntnttf rnttiyr Ifrra-y .A.l NTH
bringing his gaze down to look at his
father p~lacatively. II don't see just
why"
"What?' Sheridan leaned forward,
resting his hands upon the desk and
staring across it incredulously at his
son..
Il don't NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
you want it all bigger for?"
Great God"' shouted Sheridan, and
struck the desk a blow with his
clenched fist. "A son of mine asks me
that! You so out and ask the poorest
day laborer you can find! Ask bin
that question"
Il did once" Bibbs interrupteds
when l was in the machine shop. /"
"Wha'd he say?"
"He said. oh, heli!'" answered
Bibbs, mildly.
Yes, l reckon he would" Sheridan
swung away from the desk. II reckon
he certainly would! And I got plenty
sympathy with him right now, myselfr'
Its the same answer, then?" Bibbs'
voice was serious, almost tremulous.
"Damnation!" Sheridan roared,
Did you w hear the word pros
perity, you ninny? Did you ever hear
the word ambition? Did you ever hear
the word prOgress?"
He flung himself INFO a chair after
the outburst. his big chess surging, his
throat tumultuous with cultural inco-
herences. Now then" re said. husk-
lily, when the anguish has somewhat
abated, what do you want to do?"
Taken by surprise, Bibbs hammered
"What-what do-I-what--"
III I'd let you do exactly what you
had the whim for, what would you
do?"
Bibbs looked startled; then timiiity
overwhelmed him-a profound shy
ness. He bent his head and fixed his
lowered eyes upon the toe of his shoe,
which he moved to and fro upon the
rug, like a culprit called to the desk IN
school.
What would you do? Loaf?"
No, sir" Bibbs' voice was almost
inaudible, and what little sound it
made was unquestionably a guilty
sound. Il suppose ibid try to-tt
write"
Write what?"
Nothing important-just poems and
essays, perhaps"
Il see," said his father. breathing
quickly with the restraint he was put
ting upon himself. THAT is, you want
to write, but you don't want to write
anything of any account"
You think"
Sheridan got up again. "I take my
nat off to the man that can write a
good ad,' he said, emphatically. The
best writin' talent in this country is
right spang in the al business today.
You buy a magazine for good writin'-
look on the back OF IL! Let me tell
you | pay money for that kind o.
writln'. Maybe you think it's easy.
just try it: I've tried it, and | can't
do 1t. l tell you an ads got to be writ
ten so 1t makes peopn do the hardest
thing in this world to get 'em to do: it's
got to make 'em give up their money!
You talk about poems and essays
tell you when 1t comes to the actual
skill o. putin words together so SO to
make things happen. II. r. Bloss, r.ght
here in this city, knows more la a
minute than George Waldo Emerson
ever knew in his whole lifei''
"You-you may be-" Bibbs said,
indistinctly, the last word smothered in
a cough.
"Of course I'm right! And il 1t Amt
just like you to want to take up with
the most out-o'date kind o. writin'
there is! Poems and essays! My
Lord, Bibbs, that's. women's work!
Why, look at Edith! l expect that
poem o. hers would set a pretty high.
water mark for you, young man, and