The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-09-04
@HE Sheridan building was the

"HE Sheridan building was the
biggest skyscraper, the Sheri-
- dan Trust company, the big
xest bank, and Sheridan himself, the
biggest builder and broker, and truster
and buster under the smoke OF dirty
and wonderful midland city that piled
tower on tower and spread itself out
over the plain of fair country.
BTbks Sheridan was his "Odd one;"
the family failure. He grew up only
lengthwise, and at twenty-five was the
dry scaffolding Of a man. Six months
in his fathers pump works made nee
essary two years in a sanitarium. He
returned to the new house" on the
outskirts Of the city In time for the
house-wafming party. To this came
Mary Vertrees, whose family next door
maintained the highest air Of respect
ability upon a vanishing fortune. She
came under home promptings that led
her to dazzle with her wit and beauty
both Sheridan and James Sheridan' Jr.
When young Jim had proposed, Mrs.
Roscoe Sheridan, his sister-in-law, Of
fered to help Mary in return for help
in an affair of her own. Mary saw
that In bartering, she was to be BAR
tered with. Her soul rebelled and she
declined to marry young Jim Sheri-
dan. He never got the letter.
Sheridan demanded Of Bibbs If he
would quit dreaming Of poetry and
follow with Roscoe and Jim to make
the business and the city bigger. Bibbs
could not understand why anybody
wanted to make things bigger.
"Damnation !" roared Sheridan.
did you ever hear the word pros
perityr You ninnyl Did you ever
hear the word ambition Did you
ever hear the word 'progressP Look
at Jim, Just completing two more big
warehouses at the pump works in half
the time the contractors wanted. Jim
took the contract himself, found fell
low with a new cement process and
we begin using them next week. Now,
I'm goin' to make a man Of you. BY
God! / ami" And Bibbs was given
right for the pump works.
Miss vertrees' note went to the
senior Sheridan, as that afternoon one
of the new warehouse walls collapsed
sending the inventor and James Sheri-
dan. Jr., to their eternity.
Bibbs had to manage the funeral
and ride from the cemetery with Mary
Vertrees, but neither spoke. Hes
not insane" said Mary to her mother
"He looks dreadfully Ill. but has pleas.
ant eyes,"
Later Bids and Mary met as he
was passing her gate. He apologized
Ell hate a frozen FISH myself, and
that three miles was too long for YOU
to put up with one. I've never beer
able to speak quickly, because, II
tried I'd stammer."
Instantly, Mary saw his nature and
suffering. They walked on and she
invited him into the church to heal
some Handel music. It meant, sh'
said, one thing above all others to he
courage.
Thereafter BIbbs went often to tn
home of Mary Vertrees. "You see,
he con6ded to her, sit Is all 90 simple
am to feed long strips of xinc int
steel jaws that bite 1t into little cir
cles, IS minute. 1 used to finch am
the workmen laughed"
ut sha'n't hurt you" exclaime'
Mary. "All day long, I'll send m
thoughts to you; and you must re
member that friend stands besid
you
Trouble grew in the Sheridan house
hold. Roscoe took to drink; then quit
He had enough--a few thousand
year.
Sheridan sent for Bibbs, his onl
hope, offered him vice presidencie;
salaries and shares; but Bibbs pre-
ferred happiness and nine dollars
week. whats the use" he said, 20
being just bigger, dirtier and noisier7
That evening Bibbs and Mary rea
Maeterlinck together and he told her
tomorrow, I'm one Of the hands Q
the pump works and going to stay on'
unless am thrown out and decide {
study plumbing"
why not give Bibbs chance I
liver said the family doctor. There
something finer In Bibbs than his phi,
sical body. You're half mad with
consuming fury against the very Sc
Of law. But you want to beat II
lawi So Ajax defied the IIghtningT
rYesi And. BY God. I wilt" erie
Sheridan. Ajax was a jackass.
he'd been half man he'd a. got ava
with It; hitched Il up and made
work for him like black steer. +
have my way with that stubborn foe
Bibba.s But Blbbs still said, "No."
Sunday afternoon BIbbs was worl
ing over a poem. He might venture
upon an editor and 1erhape-
then paper and pencil dropped I
be stood up paralyzed. Through b
half-0pen door he heard Mrs. Roses
Sheridan conading to Mother Shel
dan: sThe Vertrees' house has be-
sold on foreclosure; they are allows
20 live there a little longer" IN
vartrees has been trying to get q p