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America； and if my sons behave right by me and by themselves they're goin' to
have a mighty fair share of ita mighty fair share。 I love this town。 It's
God's own footstool； and it's made money for me every day right along； I
don't know how many years。 I love it like I do my own business； and I'd
fight for it as quick as I'd fight for my own family。 It's a beautiful town。
Look at our wholesale district； look at any district you want to； look at the
park system we're puttin' through； and the boulevards and the public
statuary。 And she grows。 God！ how she grows！〃 He had become intensely
grave； he spoke with solemnity。 〃Now； Bibbs； I can't take any of itnor
any gold or silver nor buildings nor bondsaway with me in my shroud when I
have to go。 But I want to leave my share in it to my boys。 I've worked for
it； I've been a builder and a maker； and two blades of grass have grown where
one grew before； whenever I laid my hand on the ground and willed 'em to
grow。 I've built big； and I want the buildin' to go on。 And when my last
hour comes I want to know that my boys are ready to take charge； that they're
fit to take charge and go ON with it。 Bibbs； when that hour comes I want to
know that my boys are big men； ready and fit to hold of big things。 Bibbs；
when I'm up above I want to know that the big share I've made mine； here
below； is growin' bigger and bigger in the charge of my boys。〃
He leaned back； deeply moved。 〃There！〃 he said； huskily。 〃I've never spoken
more what was in my heart in my life。 I do it because I want you to
understandand not think me a mean father。 I never had to talk that way to
Jim and Roscoe。 They understood without any talk； Bibbs。〃
〃I see；〃 said Bibbs。 〃At least I think I do。 But〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 Sheridan raised his hand。 〃If you see the least bit in the
world； then you understand how it feels to me to have my son set here and
talk about 'poems and essays' and such…like fooleries。 And you must
understand； too； what it meant to start one o' my boys and have him come back
on me the way you did； and have to be sent to a sanitarium because he
couldn't stand work。 Now； let's get right down to it； Bibbs。 I've had a
whole lot o' talk with ole Doc Gurney about you； one time another； and I
reckon I understand your case just about as well as he does； anyway！ Now
here； I'll be frank with you。 I started you in harder than what I did the
other boys； and that was for your own good； because I saw you needed to be
shook up more'n they did。 You were always kind of moody and mopishand you
needed work that 'd keep you on the jump。 Now； why did it make you sick
instead of brace you up and make a man of you the way it ought of done？ I
pinned ole Gurney down to it。 I says； 'Look here； ain't it really because he
just plain hated it？' 'Yes；' he says； 'that's it。 If he'd enjoyed it； it
wouldn't 'a' hurt him。 He loathes it； and that affects his nervous system
The more he tries it； the more he hates it； and the more he hates it； the
more injury it does him。' That ain't quite his words； but it's what he
meant。 And that's about the way it is。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bibbs； 〃that's about the way it is。〃
〃Well； then； I reckon it's up to me not only to make you do it； but to make
you like it！〃
Bibbs shivered。 And he turned upon his father a look that was almost
ghostly。 〃I can't；〃 he said； in a low voice。 〃I can't。〃
〃Can't go back to the shop？〃
〃No。 Can't like it。 I can't。〃
Sheridan jumped up； his patience gone。 To his own view； he had reasoned
exhaustively； had explained fully and had pleaded more than a father should；
only to be met in the end with the unreasoning and mysterious stubbornness
which had been Bibbs's baffling characteristic from childhood。 〃By George；
you will！〃 he cried。 〃You'll go back there and you'll like it！ Gurney says
it won't hurt you if you like it； and he says it 'll kill you if you go back
and hate it； so it looks as if it was about up to you not to hate it。 Well；
Gurney's a fool！ Hatin' work doesn't kill anybody； and this isn't goin' to
kill you； whether you hate it or not。 I've never made a mistake in a
serious matter in my life； and it wasn't a mistake my sendin' you there in
the first place。 And I'm goin' to prove itI'm goin' to send you back there
and vindicate my judgment。 Gurney says it's all 'mental attitude。' Well；
you're goin' to learn the right one！ He says in a couple more months this
fool thing that's been the matter with you 'll be disappeared completely and
you'll be back in as good or better condition than you were before you ever
went into the shop。 And right then is when you begin overright in that
same shop！ Nobody can call me a hard man or a mean father。 I do the best I
can for my chuldern； and I take full responsibility for bringin' my sons up
to be men。 Now； so far； I've failed with you。 But I'm not goin' to keep ON
failin'。 I never tackled a job YET I didn't put through； and I'm not goin'
to begin with my own son。 I'm goin' to make a MAN of you。 By God！ I am！〃
Bibbs rose and went slowly to the door； where he turned。 〃You say you give
me a couple of months？〃 he said。
Sheridan pushed a bell…button on his desk。 〃Gurney said two months more
would put you back where you were。 You go home and begin to get yourself in
the right 'mental attitude' before those two months are up！ Good…by！〃
〃Good…by； sir；〃 said Bibbs； meekly。
Bibbs's room； that neat apartment for transients to which the 〃lamidal〃
George had shown him upon his return； still bore the appearance of temporary
quarters； possibly because Bibbs had no clear conception of himself as a
permanent incumbent。 However； he had set upon the mantelpiece the two
photographs that he owned： one； a 〃group〃 twenty years oldhis father and
mother； with Jim and Roscoe as boysand the other a 〃cabinet〃 of Edith at
sixteen。 And upon a table were the books he had taken from his trunk： Sartor
Resartus； Virginibus Puerisque； Huckleberry Finn； and Afterwhiles。 There
were some other books in the trunka large one； which remained unremoved at
the foot of the bed； adding to the general impression of transiency。 It
contained nearly all the possessions as well as the secret life of Bibbs
Sheridan； and Bibbs sat beside it； the day after his interview with his
father； raking over a small collection of manuscripts in the top tray。 Some
of these he glanced through dubiously； finding little comfort in them； but
one made him smile。 Then he shook his head ruefully indeed； and ruefully
began to read it。 It was written on paper stamped 〃Hood Sanitarium；〃 and
bore the title； 〃Leisure。〃
A man may keep a quiet heart at seventy miles an hour； but not if he is
running the train。 Nor is the habit of contemplation a useful quality in the
stoker of a foundry furnace； it will not be found to recommend h