The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-09
CHAPTER XXX.

III OAC " SCOuI lin AOl III AOi
this was the temple of Bigness. and
the changing of money was holy wor-
ship and true religion. The priests
wore that selfish look Bibbs' mother
had seen beginning to develop about
his mouth and eyes-a wary look
which she could not define. but ii
comes with service at the temple; and
it was the more marked upon Bibbs
for hia sharp awakening to the neces-
sites of that service
He did as little useless thinking as
possible, giving himself no time for it
He worked continuously, keeping his
thoughts still on his work when he
came home at night, and he talked of
nothing whatever except his work
But he did not sing at it. He was
often in the streets. and people were
not allowed to sing in the streets.
They might make any manner of hide
Qua uprOar-they could shake build
iniss; they could outthunder the thun-
der. deafen the deaf, and kill the sick
with noise; or they could walk the
streets or drive through them bawling,
squawking or screeching, as they chose,
If the noise was traceably connected
with business; though street musicians
were not tolerated. being considered a
nuisance and an interference. A man
or woman who went singing for pleas
ure through the streets-like a crazy
Neapolitan-would have been stopped.
and belize locked up; for freedom does
not mean that a citizen is allowed to
do every outrageous thing that comes
into T.ioy st. do
gerous enough, in all conscience, with
out any singing! and the Motor fedora
ton issued public warnings declaring
that the pedestrians life was in his
own hands, and giving directions how
to proceed with the least peril. How
ever, Bibbs Sheridan had no desire
to sing in the streets, or anywhere. He
had gone to his work with an energy
that, for the start. at least, was bitter,
and there was no song left in him.
He began to know his active fellow
citizens. Here and there among them
he found a leisurely, kind soul. relic
of the old period of neighborliness.
pioneer stock" usually; and there
were men-particularly among the
merchants and manufacturers-''so
uOnCSl DIGy OdCkHdEUp
tations sometimes attested by stories
of heroic sacrifices to honor; nor were
there lacking some instances Of gen
erosity even nObler. Here and there.
too, were bookmen, in their little lei
sure; and among the Germans, music
men. And these with the others, wor-
SHIPPED Bigness and the growth. each
man serving for his own sake and for
what he could get out of it, but ali
united in their faith in the benefcence
and glory of their god.
To almost all alike that service stood
as the most important thing in life. ex-
cept on occasion of some such vital.
brief interregnum as the dangerous i'll
ness of a wife or child. In the way OF
| relaxation" some of the servers took
golf: some took fishing; some took
shows mixture of infantile anC
| negroid humOr, stockings. and tin mu
sic; some took an occasional debauch;
| some took trips: some took cards; and
some took nothing. The high priests
were vigiiant to watch that no 'relaxa-
! ton should affect the service. When
a man attended to anything outside
his business. eyes were upon him; his
credit was in danger-that is, his life
was in danger And the old priests
were as ardent as the young ones; the
million was as eager to be bigger as
the thousand; seventy was as busy as
seventeen They strove nightly
against one another, and the old priests
were the most wary. the most plaus-
| ible and the most dangerous Bibbs
learned he must walk charity among
these-he must wear a thousand eyes
| and beware OF spiders indeed!
And outside the temple itself were
the pretenders. the swarming thieves
| and sharpers and f1eecers. the sly ras-
Gals and the open rascals; but these
were feeble folk. not dangerous once
he knew them. and he had a good guide
to point them out to him. They were
useful sometimes, he learned, and
many of them served as go-betweens
in matters where business must touch
politics. He learned also how brew
cries and traction companies and
banks and other institutions fought
one another for the political control OF
the city. The newspapers. he discov-
cred. had lost their ancient political in.
fuence. especially with the knowing
who looked upon them with skep
teal humor, believing the Journals
either to be retained partisans, like
lawyers. or else striving to forward
the personal ambitions Of their owners
The control OF the city lay not viii
them. but was usually obtained by Civ
| ing the floating voters gin money
| and by other largesSes- The revenue.
of the people were then distributed al
t fairly as possible among a great mum
t Der OF men who had assisted the win
ming side Names and titles OF Of
t ices went with many Of the prizes
and most OF these title holders wer
e expected 70 present a busy appearanel
at times. and Indeed some anond
them cid vFazk honestly and faith fuily