The Ordway new era., 1916-09-08
vort.-wanted 'em quick. contr.etsss

ten months at the soonest; couldn't So
It any other way. What d Jim dot
Took the contract himself; found .
fellow with a new cement and concrete
process: kept men on the Job night ana
dny, and stayed on 1t night and day
himself-and, by George! we begin to
use them warehouses next week! Four
months and n half. and every inch fire.
proof! tell you Jim's one O. these
fellers that make miracles happen! l
tell you these young business men
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 II, 1 tell you, and that's why were
gettin' bigger every minute, and why
they're gettin' bigger. and why it's all
goIn' to keep on gettln' biggcr!'
He slapped the desk resoundlngly
with his open palm, and then. observ-
Ing that Bibbs remained in the same
impassive attitude, with his eyes still
fixed upon the ceiling In n contempla-
ton somewhat plaintive, Sheridan was
impeled to groan. "Oh, Lord!' he
said. This Is the way you always
were. l don't believe you understand
darn word l been sayln'! You don't
look rs If you did. By George! it's dis
couraging!'
81 don't understand about getting
about getting bigger" said Bibbs.
bringing his gaze down to look at his
father placatively. Il don't see just
why"
WHAT" Sheridan leaned forward.
resting his hands upon the desk and
staring across it lncredulously at his
son.
81 don't understand-exactly
you want It all bigger forT'
Great Cod" shouted Sheridan. and
struck the desk a blow with his
clenched fist. "A son OF mine asks me
that, You go out and ask the poorest
day laborer you can find! Ask him
that question:"
II did once" Bibbs Interrupted;
when I was in the machine shop. L"
"Wha'd he say?"
HE said. oh, hell"" answered
Bibbs, mildly.
Yes. | reckon he would" Sheridan
swung away from the desk. Il reckon
he certainly would! And l got plenty
|
ITS the same answer, them" Blbbs'
voice was serious. almost tremulous.
"Damnation!' Sheridan roared.
Did you ever hear the word pros
perity, you ninny? Did you ever hear
the word ambition? Did you ever hear
the word progress?"
He flung himself into n chair after
the outburst, his big chest surging. his
throat tumultuous with cultural inco-
herences. Now then" he said. husk-
lily, when the anguish had somewhat
abated. "what do you want to do?"
Taken by surprise, Bibbs stammered.
"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 timidity
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 tho
rug, like q culprit called to the desk In
school.
What would you do? Loaf?"
"No, SIR" Bibbs' voice was almost
| I
made was unquesdonably guilty
sound. Il suppose ibid try to-to
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. 81 take my
hat 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 ad business today.
You buy magazine for good writin'-
look on the back of it! Let me tell
you l pay money for that kind O.
writin'. Maybe you think it's easy,
Just try 1t! I've tried it, and I can't
do it. tell you an ads got to be writ
ten so 1t makes people 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
l tell you when 1t comes to the actual
skill O. putin words together so as to
make things happen, X. T. Bloss, right
here In this city, knows more in a
minute than George Waldo Emerson
ever knew in his whole life!'
"Iou-you may be" Bibbs said,
fndistinctly, 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! NV
| Lord RIhhs thnt,.