Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1919-02-27
The Struggle
Full Steam Ahead,

J ful Nt'Hm .tHtuu.
With the Ferrols life suddenly
took on the stress and strain OF a
crisis. Since John had been com
/ PEELED 10 give up his job with the
publishing firm not only all their
savings. but their source OF income
was sunk. invested. sacrificed for
tho little volume with which they
hoped 10 win economic freedom.
SUPPOSE It failed The Ferrols
and sara Selden didp't allow their
minds 10 dvell on such possibility
II would have meant SINGING Of
heart, loss OF courage and vitality.
They needed every bit OF their force
and spirit TO carry their project to
success.
II was almost funny to see even
! the Riddles doing their part Small
Jack insisted on sealing and stamp
| ing the hundreds OF envelopes con-
| training circulars about the book.
Jack licked them by tongue power
until his sister Virginia, who was the
circular folder OF the "Terroll com
pnny" introduced efficiency and tho
! higher sanitation into Jackie's labors
by making him substitute a damp
sponge.
Edith and Miss Selden threw them
selves into the work OF making the
book ready for sale. with the aston
ishlng ardor and tlrelessness women
show in times OF crisis. John laborcd
on the marketing Of the volume as
he had never exerted himself as a
paid salesman. Early and late he
worked. never letting his mind Off
his problems for one waking mo-
ment; even dreaming OF them at
night.
The whole Ferrol household felt
they had tapped what william
James, the psychologist. calls "hid-
den reservoirs" OF strength and
energy.
Yet there were times. in spite OF
the flow OF vitality, when Edith's
spirit grew tired. There was some
thing within her which cried out for
safety and the steady income rather
than this high pressure even with Its
promise of reward.
Edith Ferroll came from a family
OF fine and worthy folk who had
somehow never quite been able to
make good llvings. She remembered
her childhood as n period OF ups
and downs, OF comfort and dire pow
erty, OF high hope and teary despair
on the part OF her long suffering
mother. Edith. as n little girl. had
often felt rebellious at the lack OF
comforts her home possessed at
times In her unreasoning child
mind she had blamed her mother.
Now, as she looked back she knew
what miracles OF economy that same
mother had often achieved. She real
lied that what she had often de-
nounced In her kiddie soul az her
mas "stipglness' was the result OF
her poor mas utter lack OF funds.
a lat h.1 la
man. full OF charm and elegance,
Kindness. ehishness and love for
his family, He was the gentleman
and scholar" But he could never
work for another man. He was OF
the type who must be his own boss.
But nature had not provided him
with the aggressiveness necessary
Edith remembered many a time find
ing her mother In tears over AN
other of fathers failures" How
often she had heard her mother say,
"If he only would work for a salary,
how comfortable we could be-"
II had been good deal the same
with Edith's brother Edgar. But
there seemed more reason In Edgar's
persistent efforts to be his own mas
ter Time and again he had proven
his talent for invention. only to have
II come TO nothing by lack S money
or a bad streak OF luck. Edith still
had faith in Edgar.
., IT was this faith, and her big ais
terly love OF the boy who had never
had much OF chance. which now
kept her working at fever heat to
make the marketing OF Miss Selden's
re written book n smashing success.
Edith realized that her tendency to-
ward the safe port OF the pay en-
velope was weaSness that should
be fought And with real valor she
fought IL.
II don't recognize myself" she
cried with shining eyes at dinner
one night. 81 seem TO have been
living with only one-half OF myself
til now. And you. too, John--I