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The rooster has no pressure and no wine； this difference is in his favor。
The rooster is a dependent； he depends upon the farmer and the weather。
Midas is a dependent； he depends upon the farmer and the weather。 The
rooster thinks only of the moment； Midas provides for to…morrow。 What does
he provide for to…morrow？ Nothing that the rooster will not have without
providing。
The rooster and the prosperous worker： they are born； they grub； they love；
they grub and love grubbing； they grub and they die。 Neither knows beauty；
neither knows knowledge。 And after all； when Midas dies and the rooster
dies； there is one thing Midas has had and rooster has not。 Midas has had
the excitement of accumulating what he has grubbed； and that has been his
life and his love and his god。 He cannot take that god with him when he
dies。 I wonder if the worthy gods are those we can take with us。
Midas must teach all to be as Midas； the young must be raised in his
religion
The manuscript ended there； and Sheridan was not anxious for more。 He
crumpled the sheets into a ball； depositing it （with vigor） in a waste…basket
beside him； then； rising； he consulted a Cyclopedia of Names； which a
book…agent had somehow sold to him years before； a volume now first put to
use for the location of 〃Midas。〃 Having read the legend； Sheridan walked up
and down the spacious office； exhaling the breath of contempt。 〃Dam' fool！〃
he mumbled。 But this was no new thought； nor was the contrariness of Bibbs's
notes a surpise to him； and presently he dismissed the matter from his mind。
He felt very lonely； and this was； daily； his hardest hour。 For a long time
he and Jim had lunched together habitually。 Roscoe preferred a club luncheon；
but Jim and his father almost always went to a small restaurant near the
Sheridan Building； where they spent twenty minutes in the consumption of food；
and twenty in talk； with cigars。 Jim came for his father every day； at five
minutes after twelve； and Sheridan was again in his office at five minutes
before one。 But now that Jim no longer came； Sheridan remained alone in his
office； he had not gone out to lunch since Jim's death； nor did he have
anything sent to himhe fasted until evening。
It was the time he missed Jim personally the mostthe voice and eyes and
handshake； all brisk and alert； all business…like。 But these things were not
the keenest in Sheridan's grief； his sense of loss went far deeper。 Roscoe
was dependable； a steady old wheel…horse； and that was a great comfort； but it
was in Jim that Sheridan had most happily perceived his own likeness。 Jim was
the one who would have been surest to keep the great property growing greater；
year by year。 Sheridan had fallen asleep； night after night； picturing what
the growth would be under Jim。 He had believed that Jim was absolutely
certain to be one of the biggest men in the country。 Well； it was all up to
Roscoe now！
That reminded him of a question he had in mind to ask Roscoe。 It was a
question Sheridan considered of no present importance； but his wife had
suggested itthough vaguelyand he had meant to speak to Roscoe about it。
However； Roscoe had not come into his father's office for several days； and
when Sheridan had seen his son at home there had been no opportunity。
He waited until the greater part of his day's work was over； toward four
o'clock； and then went down to Roscoe's office； which was on a lower floor。
He found several men waiting for business interviews in an outer room of the
series Roscoe occupied； and he supposed that he would find his son busy with
others； and that his question would have to be postponed； but when he entered
the door marked 〃R。 C。 Sheridan。 Private；〃 Roscoe was there alone。
He was sitting with his back to the door； his feet on a window…sill； and he
did not turn as his father opened the door。
〃Some pretty good men out there waitin' to see you； my boy；〃 said Sheridan。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Roscoe answered indistinctly； not moving。
〃Well； I guess that's all right； too。 I let 'em wait sometimes myself！ I
just wanted to ask you a question； but I expect it 'll keep； if you're workin'
something out in your mind！〃
Roscoe made no reply； and his father； who had turned to the door； paused with
his hand on the knob； staring curiously at the motionless figure in the chair。
Usually the son seemed pleased and eager when he came to the office。 〃You're
all right； ain't you？〃 said Sheridan。 〃Not sick； are you？〃
〃No。〃
Sheridan was puzzled； then； abruptly； he decided to ask his question。 〃I
wanted to talk to you about that young Lamhorn；〃 he said。 〃I guess your
mother thinks he's comin' to see Edith pretty often； and you known him longer
'n any of us； so〃
〃I won't；〃 said Roscoe； thickly〃I won't say a dam' thing about him！〃
Sheridan uttered an exclamation and walked quickly to a position near the
window where he could see his son's face。 Roscoe's eyes were bloodshot and
vacuous； his hair was disordered； his mouth was distorted； and he was deathly
pale。 The father stood aghast。
〃By George！〃 he muttered。 〃ROSCOE！〃
〃My name；〃 said Roscoe。 〃Can' help that。〃
〃ROSCOE！〃 Blank astonishment was Sheridan's first sensation。 Probably
nothing in the world could have more amazed his than to find Roscoethe
steady old wheel…horsein this condition。 〃How'd you GET this way？〃 he
demanded。 〃You caught cold and took too much for it？〃
For reply Roscoe laughed hoarsely。 〃Yeuh！ Cold！ I been drinkun all time；
lately。 Firs' you notice it？〃
〃By George！〃 cried Sheridan。 〃I THOUGHT I'd smelt it on you a good deal
lately； but I wouldn't 'a' believed you'd take more'n was good for you。 Boh！
To see you like a common hog！〃
Roscoe chuckled and threw out his right arm in a meaningless gensture。 〃Hog！〃
he repeated； chuckling。
〃Yes； a hog！〃 said Sheridan； angrily。 〃In business hours！ I don't object to
anybody's takin' a drink if you wants to； out o' business hours； nor； if a man
keeps his work right up to the scratch； I wouldn't be the one to baste him if
he got good an' drunk once in two； three years； maybe。 It ain't MY way。 I
let it alone； but I never believed in forcin' my way on a grown…up son in
moral matters。 I guess I was wrong！ You think them men out there are waitin'
to talk business with a drunkard？ You think you can come to your office and
do business drunk？ By George！ I wonder how often this has been happening and
me not on to it！ I'll have a look over your books to…morrow； and I'll〃
Roscoe stumbled to his feet； laughing wildly； and stood swaying； contriving to
hold himself in position by clutching the back of the heavy chair in which he
had been sitting。
〃Hoohoorah！〃 he cried。 〃'S my principles； too。 Be drunkard all you want
tooutside business hours。 Don' for Gossake le'n'thing innerfere business
hours！ Business！ Thassit！ You're right； father。 Drink！ Die！ L'everything
go to hell； but DON' let innerfere business！〃
Sheridan had seized the telephone upon Roscoe's desk； and was calling his own
office； overhead。 〃Abercrombie？ Come down to my son Roscoe's suite and get
rid of some gentlemen that are waitin' there to see him in room two…fourteen。
There's Maples and Schirmer and a couple o' fellows on the Kinsey business。
Tell 'em something's come up I have to go over with Roscoe； and tell 'em to
come back day after to…morrow at two。 You needn't come in to let me know
they're gone； we don't want to be disturbed。 Tell Pauly to call my house and
send Claus down here with a closed car。 We may have to go out。 Tell him to
hustle； and call me at Roscoe's room as soon as the car gets here。 'T's all！〃
Roscoe had laughed bitterly throughout this monologue。 〃Drunk in business
hours！ Thass awf'l！ Mus'n' do such thing！ Mus'n' get drunk； mus'n' gamble；
mus'n' kill 'nybodynot in business hours！ All right any other time。 Kill
'nybody you want to's long 'tain't in business hours！ Fine！ Mus'n' have
any trouble 't 'll innerfere business。 Keep your trouble 't home。 Don' bring
it to th' office。 Might innerfere business！ Have funerals on Sundaymight
innerfere business！ Don' let your wife innerfere business！ Keep all； all； ALL
your trouble an' your meanness； an' your tradyour tradegykeep 'em ALL for
home use！ If you got die； go on die 't homedon' die round th' office！
Might innerfere business！〃
Sheridan picked up a newspaper from Roscoe's desk； and sat down with his back
to his son； affecting to read。 Roscoe seemed to be unaware of his father's
significant posture。
〃You know wh' I think？〃 he went on。 〃I think Bibbs only one the fam'ly any
'telligence at all。 Won' work； an' di'n' get married。 Jim worked； an' he got
killed。 I worked； an' I got married。 Look at me！ Jus' look at me； I ask
you。 Fine 'dustriss young business man。 Look