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

"l'm Cured, Father" He Said.
you over there by the collar. Last
night I made up my mind I'd give you
just one more day. Well, you got to
it before I did-pretty close to the
eleventh hour! All right. Start in to-
morrow. It's the first O. the month.
Think you can get up in timer"
"Six O'clock" Bibbs responded brisk
ly. "And I want to tell you-rm go
ing in cheerful spirit AS you said,
I'll go and I'll like it,"
"That's your lookout" his father
grunted. They'll put you back on the
clippin' machine. You get nine dollars
a week"
More than I'm worth, too," said
Bibbs, cheerily. THAT reminds me, l
didn't mean you by Midas in that
nonsense I'd been writing. I meant"
Makes a hell Of a lot Of difference
what you meanp'
II just wanted you to know. Good
night, father"
"G'nightr'
The sound Of the young mans foot
steps ascending the stairs became in
audible, and the house was quiet. But
presently, as Sheridan sat staring an
grily at the fire, the shuff1ing of pair
Of slippers could be heard descending,
and Mrs. Sheridan made her appear
ance, her Oblque expression and the
state Of her toilette being those of a
person who, after trying unsuccess-
fully to sleep on one side, has got up
to look for burglars.
''Papa!' she exclaimed, drowsily.
"Why'n't you go to bed? It must be
gotn' on 'leven o'clock!'
She yawned, and seated herself near
him, stretching out her hands to the
fire. whats the matter?' she asked,
sleep and anxiety striving sluggishly
with each other in her voice. II knew
you were worried all dinner time
You got something new on your mind
besides Jim's bein' taken away like he
was. What's worryin' you now, papa ~
"Nothin'"
She jeered feebly. an tell me that!
You sat up to see Bibbs, didn't your"
He starts in at the shop again to-.
morrow morning." said Sheridan.
''Just the same as he did before 2"
Just pre-ciselyp'
"How-long you goin' to keep him
at it, papa?" she asked, timidly.
Until he knows something's The
CT SO -
gether, then got to his feet and began
to pace the room, as was his wont
when he talked. He'll go back to the
machine he couldn't learn to tend prop
erly in the six months he was there,
and he'll stick to it till he does learn
1t! That boys whole life, there's been
a settin' up O. something mulish that's
against everything | want him to do.
[ don't know what 1t is, but it's got
to be worked out Of him. Now, labor
amt any more a simple question than
what 1t was when we were young. My
idea is that, outside o. union troubles,
the man that can manage workin' men
Is the man that's been one himself.
Well, l set Bibbs to learn the men and
to learn the business, and he set him
self to balk on the first job! That's
what he did, and the balk's lasted close
on to three years. II he balks again
I'm just done with him! Sometimes l
feel like l was pretty near done with
everything, anyhow"
Il knew there was something else,"
said Mrs. Sheridan, blinking over a
yawn. you better let it go till to-
morrow and get to bed now-'less
you'll tell me?"
Suppose something happened to
Roscoe" he said. "Then what'd l
have to look forward to? Then what
could I depend on to hold things to-
gether? A lummix! A lummix that
hasn't learned how TO push a strip O.
zinc along a grover
''Roscoe?" she yawned. 'sYou needn't
worry about Roscoe, papa. He's the
strongest child we had. l never did
know anybody keep better health than
be does. | don't believe he's even had
a cold in five years. You better go up
to bed, papa"
Suppose something did happen to
him, though. You don't know what it
means, keepin' property together these
days-just keepin' It alive, let alone
maxim it grow the way I do. I tell
you when a man dies, Il that dead
mans chuldern amt on the job, night
and day, everything he built II get
carried off. My Lord! when | think
O. such things comm to me! 1t don't
seem like I deserved it-no man ever
tried harder to raise his boys right
than | have. l planned and planned
and planned how to bring 'em up TO
be guards to drive the wolves off, and
how to be builders to build, and build
bigger. l tell you this business life Is