Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-28

Sheridan had seized the telephone
upon ROScoe's desk, and was calling
his own office, overhead. "Abercrom-
bic? Come down to my son Roscoe's
suite and get rid of some gentlemen
that are waitin' there to see him in
room twO-fourteen. You needn't come
In to let me know they're gone; we
don't want to be disturbed Tell Pau
ley to call my house and send Claus
down here with a closed car. We may
have to go out. Tell him to hustle,
and call me at ROscoe's room as soon
as the car gets here. IT'S ALP
Roscoe had laughed bitterly through
out this mOnologue. Drunk In bust
ness hours Thass anvil! Mus'n' do
such thing! Mus'n' get drunk, musn'
gamble, mus'n' kill 'nybody-not II
business hours! All right any other
time. Kill 'nybOdy you want to-'s
hong faint in business hours! Finei
Mus'n' have any trouble t III inner
fere business. Keep your trouble It
home. Don bring it to tn office. Might
tnnerfere business! Don't let your
wife innerfere business! Keep all, all,
all your trouble an your meanness, an
your trad-your tragedy-keep 'em all
for home use! If you got die, go on
die It hOme-don' die round the office!
Might innerfere businessr'
Sheridan picked up a newspaper
from ROscOe's desk, and sat down with
his back to his son, affecting to read.
Roscoe seemed to be unaware of his
fathers significant posture.
you know VIII 1 think?" he went
on. II think Bibbs only one the family
any 'telligence at all. Won work, an
dim get married Jim worked, an be
got killed. / worked, an l got mar
ried. Look at me! JUS look at me,
ask you. Fine 'dustriss young bust
ness man. Look Whass happen to mel
Finer He lifted his hand from the
sustaining chair in a depl0rable ges-
ture, and Immediately losing his bal
ance, fell across the chair and car
omed to the floor with a crash, re-
naming PROSTATE for several min
utes, during which Sheridan did not
relax his apparent attention to the
newspaper He did not even look
round at the sound of Roscoe's fall.
Roscoe slowly climbed to an up
right position, pulling himself up W
holding to the chair He was slight. !
sobered outwardly, having progressed
In the PROSTATE interval to a state Of
befuddlement less volatile He rubbed
his dazed eyes with the back Of his left
hand.
"What-what you ask me while
ago?'' he said.
"Nothin'."
Eyes, you did. What-what was it?''
"Nothin'. You better sit down"
You ask me what l thought about
Lamhorn. You did ask me that. Well,
1 won't tell you. [ won't say dam
word bout himI'
The telephone bell tinkled. Sheridan
placed the receiver to his ear and said,
Right down" Then he got ROscoe's
coat and hat from a closet and brought
them to his son. "Get into this coat
he said. You're gOin' home"
"All RI" murmured Roscoe, obedi-
emily.
They went out into the main hall by
a side door Roscoe walked out of the
building without lurching and twenty
minutes later walked into his own
house in the same manner, neither he
nor his father having spoken a word
in the interval.
Sheridan did not go in with him; he
went home, and to his own room with
out meeting any of his family. But
as he passed Bibbs' door he heard from
within the sound Of a cheerful young
voice humming jubilant fragments OF
song:
Who looks the mustang In the eyer &. .
With leap from the ground
To the saddle in q bound.
And away-and away!
Hi-yay!
1t was the first time In Sheridan's
life that he had ever detected any
musical symptom whatever in Bibbs--
he had never even heard him whistle
and 1t seemed the last touch OF irony
that the useless fool should be merry
today
To Sheridan 1t was Tom o. Bedlam
singing while the house burned; and he
did not tarry to enjoy the melody, but
went into his own room and locked the
door.