Riding High Page #5

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Could be.

Maybe it's off gallivanting

with a ridiculous horse.

Father!

Let's get back to

the paper boxes, huh?

Yes, indeed, let's.

You came to this town

over a year ago. Penniless,

questionable background.

Racetrack profession, I believe.

"Reformed gypsy", you said.

You and Margaret wanted

to get married.

I was not impressed.

I got mine the hard way.

Ulcers.

But we decided upon

a probationary period.

I put you at the head of

the Higgins Paper Box Company,

the most successful

of the Higgins Enterprises.

You accepted, with gratitude.

You were the envy of Mr. Winslow

and Mr. Early.

- Oh, no, J.L.

- No, J.L., no.

It isn't paper bags,

my reformed gypsy friend, it's neglect.

Shameful neglect.

Now, Margaret's divorce, final.

Wedding, set. Expensive.

Four daughters, no sons.

Have to accept what they bring in.

But I don't want to go through

what I had to go through with the last

fellow who sat in that chair.

- A hockey player, I believe.

- Thank you, Father.

Beginning tomorrow,

exclusively paper boxes.

Beginning tomorrow,

get rid of that horse.

See that it's done.

Now, back to Acme Lumber Company.

I've had their statement gone

over thoroughly.

I find a book value of

17 dollars a share.

This allows for depreciation

in current year's taxes.

Figures follow.

Cash on hand in banks: $13,764...

Wait a minute!

Wait a minute, J.L. Wait here.

You may be interested to hear I have

no intention of disposing of that horse.

Matter of fact, I'm leaving

Higginsville in the morning.

- Hooray! Hooray!

- Alice!

Everything you said is true.

I have neglected the business.

It isn't that I don't appreciate what

you've done for me. It's just that...

...I'm not built for it, that's all.

Take handsome here. He was meant

to spend his life in an ironworks.

And Never Late Early.

He even looks like a lampshade.

But me, boy, I have nothing

in common with paper boxes.

Yes, I've...

I took it for a year, on probation.

Isn't that beautiful, probation?

Like a criminal. What was my crime?

I fell in love with your daughter,

so I get a year in a paper-box factory,

where, since 1889, the Higgins

Enterprises have made a paper box

for 4 cents and sold it for 5.

If only once we could have made

it for 5 and sold it for 4.

That would've been

a welcome switch.

I know I sound crazy to you.

Maybe I am.

Maybe you strike me the same way.

It's just that you're only interested

in one thing:

Accumulating wealth and gobbling up

the little fellow, like this morning

when you snatched the Acme Lumber

Company from some poor little Joe

who spent his lifetime building it up.

I hope it made you happy.

- Young man! Don't...

- Look at you!

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