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more smoke instead o' chokin' it off！〃
It was Narcissism in him to love the city so well； he saw his reflection in
it； and； like it； he was grimy； big； careless； rich； strong； and unquenchably
optimistic。 From the deepest of his inside all the way out he believed it was
the finest city in the world。 〃Finest〃 was his word。 He thought of it as his
city as he thought of his family as his family； and just as profoundly
believed his city to be the finest city in the world； so did he believe his
family to bein spite of his son Bibbsthe finest family in the world。 As a
matter of fact； he knew nothing worth knowing about either。
Bibbs Sheridan was a musing sort of boy； poor in health； and considered the
failurethe 〃odd one〃of the family。 Born during that most dangerous and
anxious of the early years； when the mother fretted and the father took his
chance； he was an ill…nourished baby； and grew meagerly； only lengthwise；
through a feeble childhood。 At his christening he was committed for life to
〃Bibbs〃 mainly through lack of imagination on his mother's part； for though it
was her maiden name； she had no strong affection for it； but it was 〃her turn〃
to name the baby； and； as she explained later； she 〃couldn't think of anything
else she liked AT ALL！〃 She offered this explanation one day when the sickly
boy was nine and after a long fit of brooding had demanded some reason for his
name's being Bibbs。 He requested then with unwonted vehemence to be allowed
to exchange names with his older brother； Roscoe Conkling Sheridan； or with
the oldest； James Sheridan； Junior； and upon being refused went down into the
cellar and remained there the rest of that day。 And the cook； descending
toward dusk； reported that he had vanished； but a search revealed that he was
in the coal…pile； completely covered and still burrowing。 Removed by force and
carried upstairs； he maintained a cryptic demeanor； refusing to utter a
syllable of explanation； even under the lash。 This obvious thing was wholly a
mystery to both parents； the mother was nonplussed； failed to trace and
connect； and the father regarded his son as a stubborn and mysterious fool； an
impression not effaced as the years went by。
At twenty…two； Bibbs was physically no more than the outer scaffolding of a
man； waiting for the building to begin insidea long…shanked； long…faced；
rickety youth； sallow and hollow and haggard； dark…haired and dark…eyed； with
a peculiar expression of countenance； indeed； at first sight of Bibbs Sheridan
a stranger might well be solicitous； for he seemed upon the point of tears。
But to a slightly longer gaze； not grief； but mirth； was revealed as his
emotion； while a more searching scrutiny was proportionately more puzzlinghe
seemed about to burst out crying or to burst out laughing； one or the other；
inevitably； but it was impossible to decide which。 And Bibbs never； on any
occassion of his life； either laughed aloud or wept。
He was a 〃disappointment〃 to his father。 At least that was the parent's word
a confirmed and established word after his first attempt to make a 〃business
man〃 of the boy。 He sent Bibbs to 〃begin at the bottom and learn from the
ground up〃 in the machine…shop of the Sheridan Automatic Pump Works； and at
the end of six months the family physician sent Bibbs to begin at the bottom
and learn from the ground up in a sanitarium。
〃You needn't worry； mamma；〃 Sheridan told his wife。 〃There's nothin' the
matter with Bibbs except he hates work so much it makes him sick。 I put him
in the machine…shop； and I guess I know what I'm doin' about as well as the
next man。 Ole Doc Gurney always was one o' them nutty alarmists。 Does he
think I'd do anything 'd be bad for my own flesh and blood？ He makes me
tired！〃
Anything except perfectly definite health or perfectly definite disease was
incomprehensible to Sheridan。 He had a genuine conviction that lack of
physical persistence in any task involving money must be due to some subtle
weakness of character itself； to some profound shiftlessness or slyness。 He
understood typhoid fever； pheumonia； and appendicitisone had them； and
either died or got over them and went back to workbut when the word
〃nervous〃 appeared in a diagnosis he became honestly suspicious： he had the
feeling that there was something contemptible about it； that there was a
nigger in the wood…pile somewhere。
〃Look at me；〃 he said。 〃Look at what I did at his age！ Why； when I was
twenty years old； wasn't I up every morning at four o'clock choppin' wood
yes！ and out in the dark and the snowto build a fire in a country grocery
store？ And here Bibbs has to go and have a DOCTOR because he can'tPho！ it
makes me tired！ If he'd gone at it like a man he wouldn't be sick。〃
He paced the bedroomthe usual setting for such parental discussionsin his
nightgown； shaking his big； grizzled head and gesticulating to his bedded
spouse。 〃My Lord！〃 he said。 〃If a little； teeny bit o' work like this is too
much for him； why； he ain't fit for anything！ It's nine…tenths imagination；
and the rest of itwell； I won't say it's deliberate； but I WOULD like to
know just how much of it's put on！〃
〃Bibbs didn't want the doctor；〃 said Mrs。 Sheridan。 〃It was when he was here
to dinner that night； and noticed how he couldn't eat anything。 Honey； you
better come to bed。〃
〃Eat！〃 he snorted。 〃Eat！ It's work that makes men eat！ And it's imagination
that keeps people from eatin'。 Busy men don't get time for that kind of
imagination； and there's another thing you'll notice about good health； if
you'll take the trouble to look around you； Mrs。 Sheridan： busy men haven't
got time to be sick and they don't GET sick。 You just think it over and
you'll find that ninety…nine per cent。 of the sick people you know are either
women or loafers。 Yes； ma'am！〃
〃Honey；〃 she said again； drowsily； 〃you better come to bed。〃
〃Look at the other boys；〃 her husband bade her。 〃Look at Jim and Roscoe。 Look
at how THEY work！ There isn't a shiftless bone in their bodies。 Work never
made Jim or Roscoe sick。 Jim takes half the load off my shoulders already。
Right now there isn't a harder…workin'； brighter business man in this city
than Jim。 I've pushed him； but he give me something to push AGAINST。 You
can't push 'nervous dyspepsia'！ And look at Roscoe； just LOOK at what that
boy's done for himself； and barely twenty…seven years old married； got a
fine wife； and ready to build for himself with his own money； when I put up
the New House for you and Edie。〃
〃Papa； you'll catch cold in your bare feet；〃 she murmured。 〃You better come
to bed。〃
〃And I'm just as proud of Edie； for a girl；〃 he continued； emphatically； 〃as I
am of Jim and Roscoe for boys。 She'll make some man a mighty good wife when
the time comes。 She's the prettiest and talentedest girl in the United
States！ Look at that poem she wrote when she was in school and took the prize
with； it's the best poem I ever read in my life； and she'd never even tried to
write one before。 It's the finest thing I ever read； and R。 T。 Bloss said so；
too； and I guess he's a good enough literary judge for me turns out more
advertisin' liter'cher than any man in the city。 I tell you she's smart！
Look at the way she worked me to get me to promise the New Houseand I guess
you had your finger in that； too； mamma！ This old shack's good enough for me；
but you and little Edie 'll have to have your way。 I'll get behind her and
push her the same as I will Jim and Roscoe。 I tell you I'm mighty proud o'
them three chuldern！ But Bibbs〃 He paused； shaking his head。 〃Honest；
mamma； when I talk to men that got ALL their boys doin' well and worth their
salt； why； I have to keep my mind on Jim and Roscoe and forget about Bibbs。〃
Mrs。 Sheridan tossed her head fretfully upon the pillow。 〃You did the best
you could； papa；〃 she said； impatiently； 〃so come to bed and quit reproachin'
youself for it。〃
He glared at her indignantly。 〃Reproachin' myself！〃 he snorted。 〃I ain't
doin' anything of the kind！ What in the name o' goodness would I want to
reproach myself for？ And it wasn't the 'best I could；' either。 It was the
best ANYBODY could！ I was givin' him a chance to show what was in him and
make a man of himselfand here he goes and gets 'nervous dyspepsia' on me！〃
He went to the old…fashioned gas…fixture； turned out the light； and muttered
his way morosely into bed。
〃What？〃 said his wife； crossly； bothered by a subsequent mumbling。
〃More like hook…worm； I said；〃 he explained； speaking louder。 〃I don't know
what to do with him！〃
Beginning at the beginning and learning from the ground up was a long course
for Bibbs at the sanitarium； with milk and 〃zwieback〃 as the basis of
instruction； and the months were many and tiresome before he was considered
near enough graduation to go for a walk leaning on a nurse and