West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-04-20

alas! What consolation to offer, for
so terrible a catastrophe? l wished
to write to him Immediately, howev-
er, and / began to do my best. In
the midst of my fabor, which / felt
was worse than useless, interrupt
ing myself to read his letter once
more, / experienced such shock of
inconsolable sorrow that the pen
dropped from my hand. :. =. For
it was not letter, it was the thing
itself, so naif, so, bitter. l saw the
whole scene. And the paper was
moistened with tears, my letter eff
faced. But. such as it was, illegible
as it was, l sealed it up and sent it
to him.
was far, at this time, from sus-
pecting the gravity and the Difficult
ty of this grand and profound sub
jcct. The past weighed me down;
the future oppressed me. l was in
danger of remaining what / had
been until then, an erudite artist.
wished to liberate the age, and
it was tne age which was giving lib
erty to me. These transparent and
confiding young minds, which laid
themselves open to my gaze, revealed
to me many things. But nothing
has been of more service to me than
the friendship of those to whom eve
rything is told-I mean physicians.
I have been intimately acquainted
with several of the most illustrious
of the country. l have been, for ten
years, more than the friend, may
say the brother, of an eminent phys
iologist, who. carried with him into
the natural science an exquisite
sense of moral things. ~
learned much from him on many
subjects, but especially of love.
One thing struck me in this very
delicate and gifted man, the syste.
matte perfection of his domestic life.
1 have not the kind of talent to
write novel. Besides, the romant-
ic form would have presented the
inconvenience of findividualizing too
much.
Characters with names (like the
Emile and Sophie of Rosseau) do
the idea harm. The reader occu-
pies himself with the useless part of
the biography; he forgets the use
full parts, the groundwork and basis
of the book. l have preferred to
speak of the vices of the age or to
state, in my own name, some grave
truth, where / feel the need OF strong
ly expressing my convictions and
asserting my belief.
1t was my heart, nothing less,
that 1 gave to these people. In re
turn what did they give me ?
At q still early hour of the day,
as 1 am closeted at work, an impetu-
Gus young man rushes past the SER
wants at the door, reaches my room,
enters.
"Sir," said he to me, excuse my
abrupt entrance. You will not be
vexed, know, for / am the bearer
of news. The proprietors of certain
cafes, disreputable houses, and ball.
gardens, complain of the effects OF
your teachings. Their establish
ments. they say, are losing terrible.
The young men have taken to Sc
rious conversation, and forget their
former habits. In short, they
make love elsewhere. q. These
balls are dying out. All who, un-
til now, have earned their living by
providing amusement for students,
regard themselves menaced with q
moral revolution, which will ruin
them without fail"
l took his hand, and said to him:
"If what you tell me is true, / de-
clare to you that it will bea victory
and triumph for me. / desire no
other success. When young men
become thoughtful, liberty is saved.
Let such results follow our teach
ings, and l will carry it, sir, as the
crown of my life's efforts, to the
He went away. And, left alone,
/ said to myself: Il, in return, shall
sooner or later make them present.
1 will write them book of enfran-
chisement from moral servitude, the
Book Of True Love-