son. Don't be surprised,' he says--'don't be
surprised at his makin' a success,' he says. 'He couldn't get over his
heredity; he couldn't HELP bein' a business success--once you got him
into it. It's in his blood. Yes, sir' he says, 'it doesn't need MUCH
brains,' he says, 'an only third-rate brains, at that,' he says, 'but
it does need a special KIND o' brains,' he says, 'to be a millionaire.
I mean,' he says, 'when a man's given a start. If nobody gives him a
start, why, course he's got to have luck AND the right kind o' brains.
The only miracle about Bibbs,' he says, 'is where he got the OTHER kind
o' brains--the brains you made him quit usin' and throw away.'"

"But what'd he say about his health?" Mrs. Sheridan demanded,
impatiently, as George placed a cup of coffee before her husband.
Sheridan helped himself to cream and sugar, and began to sip the coffee.

"I'm comin' to that," he returned, placidly. "See how easy I manage this
cup with my left hand, mamma?"

"You been doin' that all winter. What did--"

"It's wonderful," he interrupted, admiringly, "what a fellow can do with
his left hand. I can sign my name with mine now, well's I ever could
with my right. It came a little hard at first, but now, honest, I
believe I RATHER sign with my left. That's all I ever have to write,
anyway--just the signature. Rest's all dictatin'." He blew across the
top of the cup unctuously. "Good coffee, mamma! Well, about Bibbs. Ole
Gurney says he believes if Bibbs could somehow get back to the state o'
mind he was in about the machine-shop--that is, if he could some way get
to feelin' about business the way he felt about the shop--not the poetry
and writin' part, but--" He paused, supplementing his remarks with a
motion of his head toward the old house next door. "He says Bibbs
is older and harder'n what he was when he broke down that time, and
besides, he ain't the kind o' dreamy way he was then--and I should
say he AIN'T! I'd like 'em to show ME anybody his age that's any wider
awake! But he says Bibbs's health never need bother us again if--"

Mrs. Sheridan shook her head. "I don't see any help THAT way. You know
yourself she wouldn't have Jim."

"Who's talkin' about her havin' anybody? But, my Lord! she might let him
LOOK at her! She needn't 'a' got so mad, just because he asked her, that
she won't let him come in the house any more. He's a mighty funny boy,
and some ways I reckon he's pretty near as hard to understand as