The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-27
Gtre GateItigstrrer.
MYFRTENpTHR COMMUNIST


From LPpneott'I Magazine for october.
There was plenty Of brilllancy abov
Paul Forbes, and when, after his retur
from Europe, he took a fancy to spend hi
evenings with me, was highly aattere
by the idea that I was fitted to enjoy IRE
and untrammelled intercourse with-a-mn
ter mind. He had sounded life and el
perience to the bottom. and could relat
his experience in clear picturesque fash
ion. He had fought through the war G
the rebellion, belonged to secret socletle
In Europe, studied art under c., an
lived in Paris during the commune; b
had been foreign newspaper correspor
dent, and written book and three play
all dead failures. He called himself
champion failure, but he took III
world with an air OF success, and hi
accumulated experiences, instead OF de
pressing him, afforded him q fun,
OF material upon which his imagination
acted with powerful viVacity. ] fOunt
him and his conversation very fascinating
A holy friendship sprang up between US
He pronounced himself communist and
after long arguments, quite converted mt
to his ideas. When finally, he made The
suggestion in his frank, .diCtatorial fash
ion that we should live together and have
everything In common, l was touched and
exalted blythe idea, besides being secret.
ly pleased with the notion OF identifying
my insignificant career with that OF an In.
tellectual giant. Paul despised the meager
conventlonalisms and corrodIng selfish.
ness which pervaded society, and hearti.
ly agreed with him that, In order to re.
adjust the scale OF human estimates and
reCommence civilization, 1t was necessary
for brave spirits like ourselves to make a
beginning and afford spectacle OF the
true brotherhood of man.
AS had an excellent room on Twelfth
street, 1t was not necessary that we should
find new quarters. Paul brought his Of.
tects and settled down at once. While We
were discussing ways and means, he had
talked good deal about his furniture"
and l had gained the idea that his belong.
ings would inagurate an era OF sumptuons
luxury IN any modest apartment. / con.
less 1t did seem to me that these hints
were not practically carried out. He had,
It Is true, an embroidered arm chair, but
1t was faded and badly moth.eaten, But
some woman had worked it for Paul. and
| could not blame him for seeing more In
1t than was apparent to my eyes. There
was sofa, too, which he had affirmed to
be a superb piece Of furniture, but 1t came
to pieces when moved, and when the re.
mains were carried to the nearest
cabinet-maker, the idea that it could
be Tesurrected entirely was cynically
repudiated. He had, besides, about
thousand books, some handsomely
bound, and plaster cast Of "the Venus, y
as he called 1t, spotted and blackened by
age, and skeleton. Iyentured to object
to the skeleton, but Paul scorned all ideas
which rested upon individual within or
caprice and demanded a foundation Of
universal law. Anything, he declared.
which was universal was good. Now
certainly nothing can be more universal
than skeletons Accordingly, the Venus
stood on a draped pedestal (made OF a
chair that had lost It's back and an old
dressing.gown) oil one side Of the book.
shelves, and the skeleton hung by hook
on the other. Over and above these DOS.
sessions he had two unframed pictures.
presented by artist friends in Paris,
frankly conCede that his things gave nm
air OF taste TO the room; they showed cul.
ture. had always felt my lack OF cul.
ture, and now encouraged a large and
vivid belief in my opportunity for intel.
leCtual and aesthetic improvement,
l began at once to enjoy his library,
and was not slow to notice a singular cir.
cumstance: all the books had differen,
names on their hy.leaves, as II they had
been drawn from various private libraries.
questioned Paul about this, and he told
me that few had been picked up at sales
others were presents, but the greater mum.
Der had been lent to him and never re-
turned.
"Why, Brix," said he Tiny name is Hen,
~ Brisbane, but he always called me
"Brix" ~ needed them more than the
people ] borrowed them from. WHY
Brix, books should be commodity free a,
the universal air. or what use is booL
when shut away in library2 As vel
shut away sunshine. When society /,
revolutioRized, when selfishness and mar
rowness no longer characterize men anC
rulers, books will be like the dew which
falls from heaven. Your or my right To ,
book lies in the need OF it."
l could readily see that there was a root
deal in this; still public Libraries offer ia
cilities TO the poor man.
Too much ClrCumlocution, too muci
red tape, said Paul. "By the very askini
for a particular book you become the hu
inflated bondsman OF certain rules which
cramp and letter every genuine impulse
| want books to suit my convenience.
can I read intelligentty pent up in room
with pack OF ninnies."
l had long since made up my mind tina
society was all wrong, and it was a rea
pleasure to hear Paul challenge the estab
lished order OF things so iearlessly.
some OF his views were rather persona
than general, rather chimerical than prac
tical that seemed, mere human nature
We got on CapItally. Paul had made al
estimate OF our expenses. l was to fur
nish $50 a month besides the room, ant
he would contribute the equivalent. Bu
as all his schemes turned out unluckily
and he had no money, the entire expens,
devolved upon me. We breakfasted to
gether In our room. Paul was a capita
cook, and used to get up at daylight In III,
cold winter mornings and broil our bacon
cook our hominy and make our coffee
Then in the evening, when We met again
he would often offer suggestion Of sup
per. l occasionally had dim suspicion
which sometimes amounted to certainty
that the poor fellow needed his supper
having had neither luncheon nor dinner
so l never begrudged 1t. In fact, l be
grudged him nothing. He was mos
delightful companion, and over our oys
tors and lager beer would pour out comics
sions suggestive, romantic, heart.stirring
l could not admire him enough. fol
myself tame, shabby fellow beside him
a mere foil to his brightness. His ward
robe was scanty, poor devil! and he ha,
a knack Of wearing clothes so much bette
than / that l liked to see him in m,
things. He shared my coats and trouser
as he shared my room, and that he shout