, 1888-11-01
is THIS A GAY LIFE?
Opinions of Some Persons as to
the Fact Thereof.
Historical Predictions Discov-
cred by a Poet.
A Man Who Awoke with His Head Tn
der Notwithstanding Inter-
views on the Subject.

the REVIEW city staff, have taken occa-
sion to interview certain persons as to
their views of life, and If they think il is
a gay one.
Meeting a young man, not over
Is years of age, at lunch counter, he
was asked how he was getting along. He
replied that he was hunting work.
81 was running whelberrow," said he,
'on railroad grade, up here a ways, at
$2 day, but couldn't stand it,"
"Was the work too hard?"
mo, the work was easy enough, but |
couldn't stand the foreman. You see, he
made orders that the men should not talk
while at work, and he fired" one of them
for asking me question, and so | threw
up my job"
Then you don't think this as gay
life2"
"No, not when one has to work under
such cussed forman as that one."
Meeting a middle-aeed man, whose
nerves were somewhat high-strung from O
recent siege at the flowing bowl, a reporter
asked him If he thought this to be gay
life.
mo, | don't" he replied; "the struggle
through 1t is too great for any compensa-
tion that can see. IL the intense rush
for wealth had prolongation of life for
its fruition, and insured an easy death
and comfort afterwards, there would be
some reason in makink the struggle. not
withstanding it would be to the disadvan.
tage of our neighbors and neglect of our
personal comfort. No, sir; this not gay
life. Will you take drink"
The reporter declines to state that he
accepted his kind invitation.
Meeting a Grand Army man, who is
something of philosopher, he was asked
the question and replied: II have my
doubts about it, in fact that is a question
have had on my mind for some time, and
still | am undecided. Perhaps man
who behaves himself enjoys life better than
a common scoundrel. | think Diogenes
was wiser than Alexander the Great, when
he told that conqueror to stand aside and
not prevent the sun from shining on him.
Diogenes lived quietly and alone in tub,
and reached u ripe old age, while Alexan-
der died at the age of 81 on account of his
exposures in Persia and along the feverish
Nile. By the way, don't it seem strange
that our generals, so young in years, are
dying off so soonP" he asked.
"Our generals were also sufferers from
exposures in a feverish climate or regions
new to them" said the reporter.
Yes, you are quite right" said the old
soldier; 1--WE endured many exposures, the
consequences of which we did not then
realize, but many OF US are beginning to
feel the effect as time rolls on. | remem-
Der once, down in Arkansas during q
night march under orders of silence, being
near the enemy, we bivouaced on our
arms at midnight without making noise
or lighting any fires. When | awoke at
reveille half my head, including my right
eye, was under water and held fast in the
mud. Too tired to mind the rain, had
gone to sleep in place where my head
was lower than my feet"
How Is it that Won Moltke, now at the
advanced age of eighty-elght, is yet in
full healthP"
"Oh, he never fought outside of q eli
mate that he had been raised in"
A bystander who had overheard the
conversation, remarked: THAT man re.
minds me of lines I've seen somewhere,
that read:
"Deeming we wiser grow,
Ii what pleased us once.
Has ceased to please us now"
what is your politics." the reporter
asked
'l'm for Cleveland and Thurman"
THAT settles it," said the scribe, as he
journeyed on.
Meeting a poetical young man who
sometimes contributes very creditable
lines to the REVIEW, he was asked if he
Thought this to be gay life.
"Gay," he said, why, yes, it is q lux
ury to live, If you live in the right place.
Here in Spokane 1 feel like colt in a
clover field. | want to climb tree right
now. This is the land Pindar wrote
about"
"Was he newspaper manp" asked the
reporter.
"Oh. no, no, not at all. mean Pindar,
the Greek lyric poet, who wrote 24OO
years ago. The rhymes were 80 fine that
when the city he inhabited was captured
by great general, his life alone was
spared. Why he wrote about Spokane
Falls, even then, although he was little
off as to the exact location. He said:
"In the islands OF the blest, they say;
In the islands of the biest
They are peaceful and happy, by night and
by day;
Far away In the glorious west.
"They till not the ground, they plow not
the wave,
They labor not, never, oh never
Not a tear do they shed, not a sigh do they
heave,
They are happy forever and ever.'
"ls that our happy condition here?"
"Certainly. We live high and happily
We labor not, nor plow the wave; but on
the contrary we make the river waves do
our plowing."
Wise and happy poet, thought the re.
porter as he put away his pencil and
sought no further information.
All DAMS LOVELY RRJDE