The St. Charles herald., 1921-07-23

CLASSICS
~
TURMOIL
81
BY BOOTH TARNNaToN
Condensation bg Ciarance W. Barsos
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
Condensation bg Clarance w. Baron

EH~>>><*~%~~*e*%*~**%~*~EN
"HE Sheridan building was the
biggest skyscraper, the Sheri-
dan Trust company, the big
Eest 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.
Bibbs Sheridan was his "odd one"
the family failure. He grew up only
lengthwise, and at twenty-five was the
dry scaffolding Of man. Six months
In his fathers pump works made nee
esaary two years in sanitarium. He
returned 20 the ''new house" on the
outskirts of the city in time for the
house-warming 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 ninny! Did you ever
hear the word ambition Did you
ever hear the word 'progress!' Look
ut Jim, just completing two more big
warehouses at the pump works in half
fhe time the contractors wanted. Jim
took the contract himself, found fel-
low with a new cement process and
we begin using them next week. Now.
Tn goin' to make a man Of you. By
God! I am!" And Bibbs was given
two months to get his mental attitude
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 .theis yterhity.
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 i'll, but has pleas
ant eyes,"
Later BibDs and Mary met as he
was passing her gate. He apologized
sT-I hate frozen fish myself, and
that three miles was too long for you
20 put up with one. I've never been
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 hear
some Handel music. It meant, she
said, one thing above all others to hei
courage. -
Thereafter Bibbs went often to the
home Of Mary vertrees. "You see.'
he confded to her, ''it is all 80 simple
/ am-.to feed long strips OF zinc into
steel jaws that bite It into little cir
cles, 68 q minute. ! used to finch and
the workmen laughed"
sTt sha'n't hurt you" exclaimed
Mary. .All day long, I'll send my
thoughts to you; and You must re
member that a friend stands beside
you."
Trouble grew in the Sheridan house
hold. Roscoe took to drink; then quit
He had enough few thousand
year.
Sheridan sent for Bibbs, his only
hope, offered him vice presidencies
salaries and shares; but Bibbs pre-
ferred happiness and nine dollars
week. sWhat's the use." he said, "ol
being Just bigger. dirtier and nois.er7'
That evening Bibbs and Mary reat
ldaessriinek together and he told her
s.Touaofrow. TIM. one Of the hands o.
the pump works and going 70 stay one
unless lam thrown out md decide e
etndy rnnbing."
~Why not give Bibbs Ii chance Il