Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-10-03
MY FRIEND TIE COMMUNIST,

There was plenty of brilliancy about
Paul Forbes, and when, after his return
from Europe, he took a fancy to spend
his evenings with me, was highly flat
tered by the idea that was fitted to en-
Joy free and untrammeled intercourse
with master mind. He had sounded
life and experience to the bottom, and
could relate his experiences in a clear,
picturesque fashion. He had fought
through the war of the rebellion, be-
longed to secret societies in Europe,
studied art under C. and lived in
Paris during the Commune; he had been
foreign newspaper correspondent, and
written book and three plays, all
dead failures. He called himself a
champion failure, but he took the world
with an air of success, and his accumu-
lated experiences, instead of depressing
him, afforded him fund of material
upon which his imagination acted with
powerful vivacity. found him and
his conversation very fascinating. A
holy friendship sprang up between us.
He pronounced himself q Communist,
and after long arguments quite con-
verted me to his ideas. When finally
he made the suggestion in his frank,
dlctatorial fashion that we should live
together and have everything in COM
mon, | was touched and exalted by the
idea, besides being secretly pleased
with the notion of identifying my in
significant career with that of an intel
lectual giant. Paul despised the meagre
conventionalisms and corroding selfish
ness which pervaded society, and l
heartily agreed with him that in order
to re-adjust the scale of human esti-
mates and recommence civilization it
was necessary for brave spirits like our
selves to make beginning and afford
a spectacle of the true brotherhood of
man.
AS l had an excellent room on
Twelfth street, twas not necessary that
we should find new quarters. Paul
brought his effects 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 belongings
would inaugurate an era of sumpt-
uous luxury in my modest apartment.
| confess it did seem to me that these
hints were not practically carried out,
He had, it is true, an embroidered arm
chair, but it was faded aud badly moth
eaten. But some woman had worked
it for Paul, and could not blame him
for seeing more in il than was apparent
to my eyes. There was sofa too,
which he had affirmed to be a superb
piece of furniture, but it came to pieces
when moved, and when the remains
ss,.1 g.. L
maker the idea that it could be resur-
rected entire was cynically repudiated.
He had, besides, about thousand
books, some handsomely bound, and q
plaster cast of 1.-The Venus" as he
called it, spotted and blackened by age
and a skeleton. ventured to object
to the skeleton, but Paul scorned all
ideas which rested upon individual
whim or caprice, and demanded a
foundation of universal law. Any
thing he declared, which was unlver-
sal'' was good. Now certainly nothing
can be more universal than skeletons.
Accordingly, the Venus stood on a
drapped pedestal (made of chair that
had lost its back and an old dressing
gown on one side of the bookshelVes,
and the skeleton hung by q
hook on the other. Over and above
these possessions he had two un.
framed pictures, presented by artist.
friends in Paris. l frankly concede
that his things gave an air of taste to
the room; they showed culture. had
always felt my lack of culture, and now
encouraged a large and vivid belief in
my opportunity for intellectual and
aesthetic improvement.
began at once to enjoy his library,
and was not slow to notice a singular
circumstance; all the books had differ.
ent names on their hy-leaves, as if they
had been drawn from various private
libraries. questioned Paul about this,
and he told me that few had beer
picked up at sales, Others were pres,
ents, but the greater number had beer
lent to him and never returned.
"Why, Brix," said he (my name is
Henry Brisbane, but he always called
me "Brix'O, 81 needed them more
than the people borrowed them from
Why, BriX, books should be a com
modify free as the universal air. o.
what use is a book when shut away in
libraryP AS well shut away sunshine
/ w nun eOSACl1 10 WHtl
sellishness and narrowness no longe
characterize men and rulers, books viii
be like the dew which falls from
heaven. Your or my right to a bool
lies in the need of it,
could readily see that there was
good deal in this; still, public libraries
offer facilities TO the poor man.
"Too omuch hcircumlocution, too mucI
red tape" said Paul. "By the yer,
asking for particular book you be
come the humiliated bondsmen of Ger
tain rules which cramp and fetter ever
genuine impulse. want books to sui
my convenience. can't read intelli
gently pent up in a room with pacl
of ninnies."
had long since made up my min,
that society was all wrong, and il wa
Il real pleasure to hear Paul challeng
the established order of things so fear
lessly. If some of his views were rathe
personal than general, rather chimeI
ical than practical, that seemed mer
human nature.
We got on capitally. Paul had mad
an estimate Of our expenses; was /
furnish fifty dollars a month besides Tn