Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-09-01
CHAPTER xxIv.-continued.

Perturbed and distressed, Bibbs rose
tnstinctively; he felt himself at every
possible disadvantage. He was a
sleeper clinging to dream-a rough
hand stretched to shake him and wax
en- him. He went to table and made
vague drawings upon it with finger,
and as he spoke he kept his eyes low
cred. "You weren't altogether right
about the shop--that is, in one way
you weren't, father" He glanced up
apprehensiveIy Sheridan stood facing
him, expressionless, and made no at
tempt to interrupt. THAT'S difficult to
explain" Bibbs continued, lowering
his eyes again, to follow the tracings
Of his finger. ell believe the shop
might have done for me this time IL
{ hadn't-if something hadn't helped
me to-oh, not only to bear it, but to
be happy in it. Well, I am happy, in
1t. l want to go on just as | am. And
Of all things on earth that don't want,
I don't want to live business life
I don't want to be drawn into it. 1
don't think it is living-and now am
living. l have the healthful toil-and
{ can think. In business as important
as yours | couldn't think anything but
business. l DON'T don't think max
ing money is worth while"
"Go on" said Sheridan, CURLY, as
Bibbs paused timidly.
ct hasn't seemed to get anywhere,
that can see,' said Bibbs. ''You think
this city is rich and powerful-but
what's the use of it's being rich and
powerful? They don't teach the chill
dren any more in the schools because
the city is rich and powerful. They
teach them more than they used to be-
cause some people-not rich and pow
erful people - have thought the
thoughts to teach the children. And
yet when you've been reading the pa
per I've heard you, objecting to the
children being taught anything except
what would help them to make money.
You said it was wasting the taxes.
You want them taught to make a liv-
ing, but not to live. When I was q
little boy this wasn't an ugly town;
now it's hideous. What's the use of
OGluS U1S just W NC u1QOOuS mean
I don't think all this has meant really
going ahead-it's just been getting
bigger and dirtier and noisier. Wasn't
the whole country happier and in many
ways wiser when it was smaller and
cleaner and quieter and kinder?
know you think I'm an utter fool, IA
Their, but, after all, though, aren't bust
ness and politics just the housekeeping
part of life? And wouldn't you despise
a woman that not only made her
housekeeping her ambition, but did it
so noisily and dirtily that the whole
neighborhood was in continual tur-
mol over it? And suppose she talked
and thought about her housekeeping
all the time, and was always having
additions built to her house when she
couldn't keep clean what she already
had; and suppose, with it all, she made
the house altogether unpeaceful and
unlivable-"
'Just one nainutey Sheridan inter
rupted, adding, with terrible courtesy.
eff you will permit me? Have you
ever been right about anything"
81 don't quite"
81 ask the simple question:: Have
you ever been right about anything
whatever In the course of your life?
Have you ever been right upon any
subject or question you've thought
about or talked about? Can you men,
ton one single time when you were
proved to be right?"
He was fourishing the bandaged
hand as~he spoke. but Bibbs said only.
"Tf I've always been wrong before.
surely there's more chance that Pm
Eight about tglie. 1t seems reasonable