The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-10-05

He was more shaken than he had |
allowed his father to perceive. and his
side was sore where Sheridan had |
struck him. He desired to be alone; |
he wanted to rub himself and. for once, |
TO do some useless thinking again. He
knew that his father had not hap
pened" TO run into him; he knew that
sheridan had instantly-and instinct
lvely--proved that he held his own life
OF no account whatever compared to
that OF his son and heir. Blbbs had
been unable to speak OF that, or seem
to know Il: for Sheridan, just as In
stlnctively. had swept the matter aside
AS OF no Importance. since all was
well-reverting Immediately to busi-
ness.
Blbbs began TO think Intently OF his
father. He perceived, as he had never
perceived before, the shadowing OF
something enormous and indomitable
and lawless; not to be daunted by
the will OF natures very self; laughing
at the lightning and at wounds and
mutllatlon; conquering, irresistible
and blindly noble. For the first time
I'm his life Bibbs began to understand
the meaning OF being truly this mans
son.
He would be the more truly his son
henceforth, though, as Sheridan said
Bibbs had not come downtown with
him meanly or half.heartedly. He had
given his word because he had wanted
the money. simply, for Mary Vertrees
In her need And he shlvered with
horror OF himself, thinking how he had
gone to her to ofrer 1t, asking her to
marry him--with his head on his
breast in shameful fear that she would
accept hint He had not known her
the knowing had lost her to him, and
this had been his real awakening; for
he knew now how deep had been that
slumber wherein he dreamlly celebrat.
ed the superiority of Friendship" The
sleep walker had wakened to bitter
knowledge OF love and life, finding
himself a failure In both. He had
made a burnt Offering OF his dreams
and the sacrifice had been an unforgiv
able hurt to Mary. All that was left
for him was the work he had chosen
but at least he would not fail in that
though It was indeed no more thar
"dust in his mouth" II there had beer
anything "to work for"
He went to the window. raised II
and let in the uproar of the streets be
low. He looked down at the blurred
, hurrying swarms - and he locke,
, across, over the roofs with their pant
ing Jets OF vapor, into the vast. fogg.
| heart OF the smoke. Dizzy traceries o
; steel were rising Gimly against II, chat
tering with steel on steel, and screech
; ing In steam, while tiny figures OF me-
, walked on threads In the dull sky
D Buildings would overtop the Sheridan
P Bigness was being served.
But what for2 The old questlo
D came to Bibbs with new despair
: Here, where his eye fell. had once bee
3 green fields and running brooks, an
how had the kind earth been despoile
and disfgured! The pioneers had b,
gun the work, but In their old age the
: orators had said for them that the
had toiled and risked and sacrifice
that their posterity might live In peaC
and wisdom, enjoying the fruits OF tn
earth. Well. their posterty was here
u and there was only turmoil. Wher
e was the promised land2 II had bee
q promised by the soldiers OF all III
x wars: II had been promised to this gel
l. Grafton by the pioneers; but here wa
Z the very posterity to whom II had bee
promised. toiling and risking and sa
Q rificing in turn-for what7
+ =, The harsh roar OF the city came |
:, through the open window, continuousl
~ beating upon Bibbs' ear until he bega
7" to distinguish u pulsation in it-a br
7 ken and irregular cadence. II SCENE
II TO him that It was like a titanic voic
4 discordant. hoarse. rustily metallic
Al the voice OF the god. Bigness. And Il
II voice summoned Bibbs as II summone
IL all Its servants.
u "Come and work. II seemed TO ca
\ "Come and work for Me, all men! I
4 your youth and your hope I summc
! you! BY your age and your despa
! | summon you to work for Me yet
a little. with what strength you hav
4 BY your love OF home | summon 20
4 BY your love of woman summon yo
BY your hope OF children l summ'
II you!
Y "You shall be blind slaves OF Min
blind TO everything but Me, your Ma
ter and Drlverl For your reward "
| shall gaze only upon my ugliness. "
\ shall give your toll and your lives, "
shall go mad for love and worship
y my ugllness! You shall perish st
| worshiping Me, and your children shi
| perish knowing no other god!'
' And then, as Bibbs closed the wi
| dow down tight, he heard his father
- =. a. !. -