The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-21
THE TURMOIL
BY BOOTH HARRINGTON
Condemnation by Clarence w. Barron

ing over a poem. He might venture
1t upon an editor and perhaps
| Then paper and pencil dropped as
he stood up paralysed Through his
half-open door he heard Mrs. Roscoe
Sheridan confiding to Mother Sheri.
dan: "The Vertrees' house has been
sold on foreclosure; they are allowed
to live there a little longer" "Mr
Vertrees has been trying to get a
| position. They have been doing
their own cooking" Those people
were SO hard up that Miss Vertrees
started after Bibbs before they knew
whether he was insane or not" t"She
had to get him" If he'd stop to
think, he'd know he wasn't the kind
OF man any girl would be apt to fall
In love with"
Gibbs quickly burned papers and
notebooks, descended and told his
father: "Tll take the job you offered
! me-, and went straight to Mary Ver-
tress and said: "Will you marry me?"
| Mary drew it all out Of Bibbs; then
sank down kneeling, tears overwhelm-
ing her. ~ can't make it plain" said
Blbbs. Il never dreamed I could do
anything for you! I knew you never
thought Of me except generously-to
give"
1--WE were poor, and think did
mean to marry your brother But
something stopped me from such a
sacrilige. l posted the letter. but he
never got it,
"You kept me alive and I've hurt
you like this" said Bibbs. Gould
you forgive me, Mary"
oh, thousand times! But there's
nothing to forgive and you mustn't
come to see me any more" she cried
In a passion OF tears. Never, never,
never!"
He returned In time to tell his sis
ter-in-law in the presence Of the fam
lily: Il proved what you said Of me,
and disproved what you said Of Miss
Vertrees. I asked her to marry me
and she refused"
B1bbs went with his father and sat
in the porch Of the temple with the
money-changers; worked and talked Of
nothing but work.
He delved into the ways Of the city
and its political influence, and began
TO buy 1ntertraction shares where the
Vertrees' fortune had vanished.
Soon the Vertrees were able to paw
the butcher, hire cook, and follow
the brokers' advice to keep the bal
ance OF their stock Sheridan boosted
that his plan for Bibbs was working
out all right. Still there was some.
thing wrong and the doctor and Sheri.
oan agreed that it might be a good
thing II Miss Vertrees would permit
Bibbs to see her--sometimes.
Il had to make Bibbs 20 nv way."
sheridan explained to Miss Vertrees,
but there isn't anything in 1t to him.
He gave up everything he wanted and
took the job he never would Just for
you. There's only one girl he could
feel sorry for. Can't you let him come
back?"
When Mary responded: II can't! He
was only sorry for me-" the truth was
out. "Don't-don't-" she cried. You
mustn t."
won't tell him. I won't tell any
body anything" said Sheridan.
J On crowded downtown thorough
fare Mary saw Sheridan, at the risk of
his life, spring before moving trolley
} car and with the whole force of his
big body shunt Bibbs from impending
danger. The crowd had shrieked warn
1ngs, but Bibbs had looked the wrong
way
High up In the Sheridan Building.
bids sat down. shaking and sore. He
realized that his father held his own
life OF no account compared to that of
his son. Bibbs perceived what he had
never perceived before-the shadow.
Ing OF something enormous, indomft-
able, lawless. Irresistible and blindly
noble.
He looked out into tho vast foggy
heart of the smoke. Dizzy traceries
were rising dimly against II, chatter.
Ing with steel on steel and screeching
IN steam while tiny figures of men
walked on threads in the dull sky Big.
ness was being served and there was
only Turmoil. But what for - the
mighty question came to Bibbs with a
new despair.
The roar Of the city beat upon Bibbs'
ear until he began to distinguish a
pulsation: the voice Of the god, Big.
ness. Come and work for all men,
BY your youth and your hope. I sum-
mon you! BY your age and your de-
SPAR! By your love Of home and
woman and children! Yop shall be
blind slaves. For reward you shall
gaze only upon my usliness."
| Then. the voice came a. some music
struggling to be born OF the Turmoil
1T 10 man who makes me ugly by his
worship Of me. II man would Let me
serve him l should be beautiful"
From the vague contortions OF the
} smoke and fog. Bibbs soulptured a
gigantic figure with feet pedestnlled
upon tho great buildings and shoulders
; disappearing In the clouds, q colossus
OF steel, wholly blackensd with SCOT.
Ho thought UP over tho clouds unseen
from below tho giant laborsd with
Bic hands IN the clean sunShlne; and
: Bibbs !mased what he made thero-
perhaps for fellowship of the chfl-
dren of the children that were children
nova noble Ind joyous city, unbe-
| ueYahlY Hhtta