The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-08-10

farmer and the weather. The rooster
thinks only OF the moment; Midas pro-
vides for tomorrow. What does he pro-
vide for tomorrow Nothing that the
rooster will not have without providing
The rooster and the prosperous worker;
they are born, they grub. they love: they
grub and love grubbing: they grub and
they die. Neither knows beauty; neither
knows knowledge. And after all. when
Midas and the rooster dies. there IL one
thing Midas has had and rooster has not
Midas has had the excitement OF accumu-
lating what he has grubbed. and that has
been his life and his love ana his god. He
cannot take that god with him when he
dies. I wonder II the worthy gods are
those we can take with us
Midas must teach all to be as Midas:
the young must be raised In his religion
The manuscript ended there. and
Sheridan was not anxious for more. He
crumpled the sheets into a ball, depos-
iting II with vigorl in wastebasket
beside him: then. rising. he consulted n
Cyclopedla OF Names, which book
agent had somehow sold to him years
before; a volume now first put to use
for the location OF midas" Having
read the legend. Sheridan walked up
and down the spacious office, exhallng
the breath OF contempt. Dam foolg
he mumbled.
He felt very lonely. and this was.
daily, his hardest hour. For a long
time he and Jim had lunched together
habitually at small restaurant near
the Sheridan building, where they
spent twenty minutes in the consump-
ton OF food, and twenty in talk, with
cigars. But now Sheridan remained
alone in his office; he had not gone out
TO lunch since Jim's death. nor did he
have anything sent TO hlm--he tasted
until evening.
II was the time he missed jim per.
sonally the most--the voice and eyes
and handshake, all brisk and alert, all
businesslike. But Sheridan's sense OF
loss went far deeper Jim was the one
who would have been surest to keep
the great property growing greater,
year by year. Sheridan had fallen
asleep, night after night, picturlng
what the growth would be under Jim.
He had believed that Jim was abso-
lutely certain to be one OF the biggest
men In the country. Well, 1t was all
up to Roscoe nowl
That reminded him OF a question he
had in mind to ask Roscoe. 1t was a
question Sheridan considered OF no
present Importance. but his wife had
suggested it-though vaguely-and he
had meant to speak to Roscoe about II.
However, Roscoe had not come into
his fathers office for several days. and
when Sheridan had seen his son Mt
home there had been no opportunity.
He waited until the greater part OF
his days work was over, toward four
O'Clock, and then went down 90 Ros-
GOES Office, which was on lower floor.
He found several men waiting for bust
ness interviews in an outer room OF
the series Roscoe occupied: and he sup
posed that he would find his son busy
with others, and that his question
would have to be postponed, but when
he entered the door marked "R. c.
Sheridan. Private" Roscoe was there
alone.
He was sitting with his back to the
| NNNAt hAo iNtl ou N "iuhOM-Hili, anu lie
did not turn as his father opened the
door.
Some pretty good men out there
waitin' to see you, my boy" said Sherl
dan. whats the matterr"
Nothing" Roscoe answered indis
tinctly, not moving.
"Well. guess that's all right, too
l let 'em wait sometimes myself!
just wanted to ask you a question. but
l expect it'll keep. IL you're workin
something out In your mind"
Roscoe made no reply; and his "a
ther, who had turned to the door
paused with his hand on the knob
staring curiously at the motionless
figure in the chair. Usually the sou
seemed pleased and eager when he
came to the office. You're all right
amt you?" said Sheridan. "Not sick
are your
"No."
Sheridan was puzzled; then. abrupt
ly, he decided to ask his question. al
wanted to talk to you about that young
Lamhorn." he said. ~ guess your
mother thinks he's comm to see Edith
pretty often, and you know him longer
n any of us. So"
IL won't" said Roscoe, thickly-"l
won't say a dam thing about himg
Sheridan uttered an exclamation and
walked quickly to a position near the
window where he could see his sons
face. Roscoe's eyes were bloodshot
and yacuous; his hair was dlsordered
his mouth was distorted, and he was
deathly pale. The father stood aghast
"By Georger' he muttered. "Ros
cocg'
my name" said Roscoe. "Can' helE
that"
Roscoe" Blank astonishment was
Sherldan's first satlon. Probably
nothing In the world could have more
amazed him than to find Roscoe-the
steady old wheel-horse-ln this condi
tion. How'd you get this way?" he
demanded. "You caught cold and took
too much for itT'
For reply Roscoe laughed hoarsely