The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-03-15
THOMAS CRANES OATH.

!, Fenton meant that his friend would
stand up and talk for an hour in exactly
the same way he would talk for six hours
sitting, that he would talk for half an
hour longer in the hall, finish with fif-
teen minutes before two in the morning
with chance OF not more than five
minutes error either way-it would be
possible to go to bed. Thomas Crane
had the reputation of being sure; he was
certainly sure.
One could scarcely blame Thomas
Crane for his slowness at this time. The
room in which he and Fenton had spent
the long evening was the ideal of CON-
fort. Some rooms are furnished to
please those who may happen to see them
from time to time, and are elegant; some
are furnished because rooms are neces-
sary, and are common place; some are
furnished to please the one who spends
his time in them, and are comfortable
and home-like.''
Harry Fenton's study was of the latter
kind. Every chair and table, every
paper, every book seemed to have some
thing of Fenton's individuality, and to
his friend could not but be attractive.
The night outside was equally I'M
attractive. The icy wind was piling the
snow into long hard drifts in the dark
ness. The contrast was not very pleas
ant one to one who must soon face the
storm.
/. On the table nearest the fireplace were
the books the friends had been using
from time to time in their discussion;
curious works on the strangest features
in mental science; collections of instances
which have never been explained, and
perhaps never will be; books on the
brain and nerves These two old cliums
never failed to meet once q week in tho
young lawyers study to spend an even
ing their favorite way.
Standing by the open fire Thomas
Crane said:
81 must maintain that there is not
merely possible but probable connec-
ton between any two persons you may
name. Trace back your life and some
where it crosses the life of the beggar
you pass in the street. But for me, the
man who makes my clothes and the
woman who cooks my food would have
different lives from what they do. You
grant it? Well then, trace it on, and
what happens? But for them, what?
tell you, Fenton, your life or mine
sways that OF human beings beyond the
seas"
What grew out of this took about the
hour which Fenton had felt from expe-
rience would be spent standing in the
cheerful freight.
y In the hall the conversation had drift
ed to another phase of the fascinating
subject, and as Crane took down his
overcoat he WAS saying:
"Of course, there is such thing as
indirect, uniutentional, responsibility.
The man who does good deed may rob
some one behind him of deserved praise
when he allows the deed to be counted
to his own credit; and the man whose
life set in motion the train of
events which resulted in the good
may never even dream of it.
And, on the other hand, we meet men
every day who are really responsible for
the crimes for which other men endure
punishment. Not knowingly, not pur-
posely, not with malice, but, in truth,
responsible, for all that"
From this the discussion went on for a
half-hour or more and then Crane opened
the door to go. The bitter cold rushed
in in fierce blast, as he said in answer
to his friends last remark:
"An oath should be sacred. can
conceive of no circumstance which would
warrant its being broken"
"Well," said Fenton, II thlnk we
have pretty completely covered the whole
ground to night. You have brought up
the theories Of a connection between all
human beings, and of far.fetched kind
of responsibility in which / don't be-
lieeN, and l will take pleasure in a con.
Aict with you on these points next week.
And now, do you know It's COMPOUNDED
cola? l am half inclined to drive you
away, old friend. Can you deduce any,
thing mathematical or psychological
from that?"
"Both," said Crane; "two straight
lines intersect in only one point. Five
minutes might make man too late for
the inevitabls. certainly ought not to
be too early for my fate" And with
these laughing words on his lips no in
deed went straight to his fate.
Crossing the little park which seemed
doubly desolate from night and storm, as
though to balance its summer beauty,
there was sudden cry little ahead. A
quarter minute two men seemed engaged
in terrible struggle, but before he
could reach them one had rushed away
among the trees and the other had fallen
10 the earth. Cranes first impulse was
TO follow the runaway; his second, and
the one he acted upon, was to assist the
other. Crane had studied medicine be.
fore his father prevailed uron him to be
banker. 80 as to perpetuate the bust.
ness in which the family had grown rich
for three generations. 1t scarcely