Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-27

GOOD morning Miss Aylesfordn
Jack Ashton passed out very haughtily. |
There is no more exquisite pleasure that feel |
ing that one has a genuine grievance.
1t was 10 o'clock and Mr.. Ashton should |
have been at his desk in the banking house a |
full hour before but he was not troubled with |
scruples, and Kenyon s. Co. knew his ways. |
He was a very clever accountant, a man who |
knew the market and could on pinch do the |
work Of three men.
"A cunning chap said old Kenyon to the |
Co, land will make his fortune when he |
buckles down TO it. We will keep him until
| he knows his WORTH
1t was also September and Jack was due
for a weeks vacation, so his absence did not |
cause comment
There isn't much for a fellow like me to
do,n he said to himself, celebrating this idea,
land suppose I'll have TO enlist as a soldier.
Still, that wouldn't do Precious little sol
! diering and plenty of wood chopping and
road making. II there was only a war;
By this time he was on the docks and the
shipping Invested the current of his thoughts
| He would he a sailor and go away, never TO
| return. Perhaps when she read of his perish
/ ing in gale Off Zanzibar or somewhere, or
| knew that he had been tossing for DAYS and
days in an open boat with daily ration OF
| spoonful of water and an ounce of raw
| pork
But these things rarely got into the papers,
and when they did they generally read,
| Capt Jones and four seamen," and as he
would be one Of the seamen. how would she
| knowi
That he would do something desperate he
was, however, quite resolved. II was absurd
to think that he could so on living.
1t was the afternoon OF the third day He
| had been to the park in the morning and had
/ walked back. There was a strange dizziness
in his head, his knees knocked together more
than once, and twice his eyesight seemed to
be leaving him. He was hungry; he had not
eaten for nearly three days, but he thought
he was dying.
II gave him a certain sort Of grim satisfac-
| ton. He would not have taken his own life,
but if death would come without his direct
aid -. And then he looked at his retlec-
ton in plate glass shop window and shud-
dered.
1t would never do 10 die in such plight
His clothes We're dusty, his boots grimy and
scuffed, and he had not been shaved for three
1 days. Come lac might as well die like a
| gentleman. The bootblack fell TO work at
once as he sank into the chair and Jack was
diuly conscious that the boy was making a
| good job.
a by street ran off the thorouzhfare, and
HAIL WY uONu u SirlueE TSQ anu Wllte
striped pole protruded from door Jack
sauntered down to the shop and paused on
the sidewalk to make a survey Reckless as
he was, he had no notion of five-cent shave
or one at Ifnclean hands. The survey was
emiDently satisfactory. 1t was a very cabin
VI place, 50 small and so snug. Jack thought
that the barber looked Ike a German pro-
fessor-not OF music; theology, perhaps, or
may be ethnology or physics a well built,
| brown bearded man. with his hair combed
smoothly back from high forehead, and
eyes Of limpid blue, calm and reflective
'tShavei Yes, sir" said the barber, in a
voice quite in keeping with his looks.
"A pleasant day." said Jack drearily, as
the barber lathered him deity
Exceedingly PLEASANT" said the barber
The weather is one of the few things We can
enjoy without price,
The idea struck Jack as original, and he
smiled for the first time in three days
! In this world pursued the barber
where a man has but one life and that of
humble origin, he has to fight for what
Others more favored can have for asking"
"A socialist" said Jack 10 himself, with
the natural contempt Of a bank clerk.
Therefore" continued the barber, begin
ming on Jacks chin, lit is fortunate that this
life Is but one OF d cycle; that the KarnIa Of
| 1Ouay a. III. PiepIAtloh LOT another me-
OF eruapS NrNaha' VINO Knows
by heavensl "a BUDDHISM exclaimed Jack
to himself
The barber turned his limpid eyes full upon
him. Not exactly" he said gravely, Il am
theosophist.n
Jack gave little start and then cry Of
pain.
Il have cut you, or rather" said the barber
alphabetically, You have cut yourself 1t Is
nOOninR-a mere scratch. NO, SIR, theosophy
conceive 10 DE CIVILIZED Buddhism, with
none Oh us lanIts ana all oil us virtues. You
understand the doctrines OF Buddhaf lgnor-
ance, according 10 Buddha, Is the cause OF
our EXISTENCE our existence Is hopelessly
mlseraole-misery Is Its very essence. To I've
sure thefe Is another LIE, life upon life, but
VIZ can reg uiate 'he successlonf
| no, ln6eed" said Jack, closing his eyes
ne was getting weary.
Our future condition Is determined by the
oit'u a,u UNCONSCIOUS concatehatlon oil cause
anu erect Az the reincarnation a man
u'ns ptsome ei'her god or the West i'm
aginahle object. That canary in the cage
may have once he u svharite, "A trifer."
Jack opened his eyes in amused contenpla-
ton. DO YOU really believe such rubbish"
he asked with IA smile on his face.
certainly replied the barber gravely,
Il have already travelled part OF the uav to
Nirvana | have twice achieved Dhyana,
during which saw my past stages Of exist
ence. was Carthagenian general once,
and ages ago was tiger. have prepared
myself for Nirvana by contemplation and
thought, have hanished desire, 1--we, hate
ali the human passions | am negation
WIN no attachment Tor existence"
e' YOU EXIST Ventureo JACK teehng