If I could put men out, you bet I would. And when I found the gold I'd make her fly. You wouldn't catch me quarrelling with a lot Of fellows for the bones, I tell you that. I'd take a rump or two, then say, 'Light in And fill your bellies'; or, 'Come on; I'm rich; Let's take a turn together.' And I'd buy A train or two and we'd all take a spin Around the world. I'd make their hair stand up. I'd show those eastern fellows once or twice.
(_Goes left and climbs up on the boulder and looks back over the waste_)
You'll have that rolling down if you don't mind.
And that's one reason I'll be always broke, For I know how to spend, while Egerton And Jergens and those fellows down there don't, In spite of their big houses. They know how To quarrel with men and squeeze their last dime out, But they don't know how to say, 'By God, come on; Let's have a drink together; we're all friends.'
(_The old man busies himself about the fire, preparing the evening meal. Anderson sits down on the boulder and looks off up the valley. Where the town was seen, lights begin to appear_)
You'll wake up some day, Cap, and look about And Harvey will be gone.
You don't mean that! You ain't took no offence at what I said?
Don't you know, Harvey, About the rolling stone?
There's some stones, Cap, Would rather have the motion than the moss.
You're sure a wild one, Harvey; that you are. You'd stir a muss up, that's what you would do.
(_Goes to the boulder and stands beside Anderson, and they both look off up the valley_)
It's a strange world, Cap, it's a funny world. You throw a piece of bread down; it draws ants, Red ants and black ants, little ants and big, And if you'll keep it up you'll have them here Building their hills about you; you know that.
Well, men are ants, and Egerton he's had bread. And he's kept throwing it down there in the valley, First crumb by crumb and later chunk by chunk, Until he's drawn them round him, thousands of them, And when they've come he's put them all to work. And to see them at it! I could spend my life Sitting upon the mountains on some rock That hangs above the town, watching them drudge. 'Get me my logs out;' and they get his logs. 'Now saw them; make me lumber;' and they do it, 'Build me my railroad;' and they blast the rocks. 'Now up with my big mansion on the hill, And carve me all my ants upon the walls, Some sawing logs, others with axes raised Hard at the big round boles, some half cut down; Make her look like a forest through and through.' And they've tugged at it till they've got it done. And all they've chopped and sawed and built is his, And he puts it in his pocket and sits down And they can't help themselves. They've got to eat, And Egerton he's the man that's----