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Literary
April 12, 1961
Atlanta Daily World
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
What is this article about?
In a tense conversation, Ben refuses to sell the family business despite his father Julius's pressure, asserting his desire for independence. They reconcile partially, with Ben inviting Julius for breakfast, but the excerpt ends on a vengeful note hinting at unresolved conflict. (Serialized story cliffhanger.)
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Ben laughed softly. "Well, you want to sell it now, you'll have to rustle up another buyer. The three men that made the offer aren't interested now. Jerry Vale is dead, Bert Hutchins has backed out, and Murray Singer's been burned out, clean to the ground. And the price has gone up. Or don't you watch the markets?"
"I saw that flurry," Julius snapped. "Ben, that was the cheapest bit of conniving I ever saw. I suppose you wanted the stock up a half or so, then you'll dump yours and pocket the profit."
The impulse to hit him was strong; he had never known it so strong before. But he resisted it. "I want working capital. Not one share of my stock is for sale."
Julius Holliday was surprised. "What's that?"
Ben walked over and stood near his father, looking down at him. "I don't want to sell the line at any price, Dad. I want to stay with it, rise with it if it succeeds, and fall if it fails. All my life I've wanted to go it on my own. That's the way it's going to be this time."
"I've only tried to help you," Julius said.
"Sure, but I don't want any more help, Dad."
"You're turning into a man, Ben," Julius said. "I like you better. And I'm sorry if I held you back."
"Don't be sorry. It's a lesson I've learned in Texas: never be sorry. Good or bad, do what has to be done and don't cry about it." He got up and walked back to the window and watched the sky turn rose.
"Dad, why don't you go on back to Chicago and let me be? Not because I want to get rid of you. But because I want to be on my own."
Julius Holliday chuckled. "Met the German girl. Serious with you?"
"It might be in time," Ben said. "You'll like her; she isn't afraid of you at all."
"I sure found that out," Julius said. "Ben, would you take my word that I won't interfere and let me stay a week or so? Just as a favor?"
"Sure," Ben said, turning, a smile on his face. "Why not?"
He walked over to the chair that held his father's clothes, and tossed them to him. "Come on, I'll buy you a Texas breakfast!"
"You killed my son and burned me to the ground. Did you think I'd let you get away with it?"
The story concludes tomorrow
"I saw that flurry," Julius snapped. "Ben, that was the cheapest bit of conniving I ever saw. I suppose you wanted the stock up a half or so, then you'll dump yours and pocket the profit."
The impulse to hit him was strong; he had never known it so strong before. But he resisted it. "I want working capital. Not one share of my stock is for sale."
Julius Holliday was surprised. "What's that?"
Ben walked over and stood near his father, looking down at him. "I don't want to sell the line at any price, Dad. I want to stay with it, rise with it if it succeeds, and fall if it fails. All my life I've wanted to go it on my own. That's the way it's going to be this time."
"I've only tried to help you," Julius said.
"Sure, but I don't want any more help, Dad."
"You're turning into a man, Ben," Julius said. "I like you better. And I'm sorry if I held you back."
"Don't be sorry. It's a lesson I've learned in Texas: never be sorry. Good or bad, do what has to be done and don't cry about it." He got up and walked back to the window and watched the sky turn rose.
"Dad, why don't you go on back to Chicago and let me be? Not because I want to get rid of you. But because I want to be on my own."
Julius Holliday chuckled. "Met the German girl. Serious with you?"
"It might be in time," Ben said. "You'll like her; she isn't afraid of you at all."
"I sure found that out," Julius said. "Ben, would you take my word that I won't interfere and let me stay a week or so? Just as a favor?"
"Sure," Ben said, turning, a smile on his face. "Why not?"
He walked over to the chair that held his father's clothes, and tossed them to him. "Come on, I'll buy you a Texas breakfast!"
"You killed my son and burned me to the ground. Did you think I'd let you get away with it?"
The story concludes tomorrow
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
What themes does it cover?
Commerce Trade
Liberty Freedom
What keywords are associated?
Business
Independence
Family
Stock
Texas
Literary Details
Key Lines
"I Don't Want To Sell The Line At Any Price, Dad. I Want To Stay With It, Rise With It If It Succeeds, And Fall If It Fails."
"You're Turning Into A Man, Ben," Julius Said. "I Like You Better."
"You Killed My Son And Burned Me To The Ground. Did You Think I'd Let You Get Away With It?"