The daily critic., 1890-07-12
~ THINNING SHAPE.


found men who had no home. They
weren't tramps they were tenants
They paid rent Just as naturally as they
brrathed-because they had to. They
could have had homes lust as well as
not and here In Washington ! see it's
good deal easier 10 have a home than
It's 10 live In sort Of "pay,in-ad advance
forwhatyou-don get existence.
Speaking OF having home reminds
me Of two rather antipOdal facts First.
dog thinks more OF his kennel than
he does Of his relatives fact not sig
nalized In the cyclopgdia, but note
worthy as having a moral. And, sec
opd, that the only great and enduring
utterance Of cur lamented and unfortu-
nate fellow citizen, j. Howard Payne.
bore directly on the home question, aud
was as unctu0us as could be expected TO
omanate from man with an empty
stomach and no place 10 hang his hat
land no hat. for all / know. That's
the way Of the world We sigh the
deepest for what we don't possess.
Payne hadn't any home. He longed
for one But. instead Of getting a
hustle on him, he sat down on a stile
there, under the Italian sunset, aud
sang In a voice trembling with emo
tiOn and bronchitis, There's no place
IKE home. The young men of Wash.
ington don't need any search-ligh
thrown onto the future 10 know that
that isn't any way 10 get a home. Four
walls aren't stalkiRg around waiting 10
be Joined in the bonds of taxable union.
And you cant sing a roof over your
head, unless you've a market for your
warbles. But every time you toss a
dollar nOte into your Saving pocket"
you've risen one peg higher toward the
plane Of true. dignihed independence.
No American citizen ever knows what
independence really implies until he
can stamp his foot upon his own hearth
stone and. when the shades of night
dr0op nOiselessly from the heavens,
wrap the dTapeTy OF his couch about
him with that content which attends the
unCrOBned regality Of one who can say
Ny castle is my King alone
i saw a man this morning who was
as happy as a bee in a hot house. He Is
earning moderate income, has a young
family and is getting along as things
60 fairly we'll lie began By telling
me how he'd snapped his chains,
'lCOsed his fetters, pushed the axe
from his neck, and a lot Of such
metaphOFical enthusiasm. He c0ntended
that be was the happiest man collar
high on earth. OF course l asked
an explanation No man can trlhe
Biih poetic outlets like that. with me,
and not have % draw a diagram said
he Old man. Nov amt ola. bat
I'm willing 10 be 10 learn something
H.HH D.
last move. It's the best i ever made
I'm done pouring my hard earnings
into a rat hole.
I nodded my head as man win
who don't know enough 70 do anything
else
I've bought a lot Of land, and IN a
very few months Ill have a house on
it and it'll be mine Think Of it. you
ola century plant MiHs'
i thought II it and l thought big.
Well how bout itf' / asked
~ h0 len you The money!
See here De replied getting more
October 10 bis manner, I sc been pay
ln4 rent moaIh after month aud I We
gQt nothing but common. ordinary ten-
eueut aCcommQd4d0us MF family S
tied Up here in ihe CITY my cLil Ireu
are growing up Wilh tue street I11Dle,
d costs me all I can earn to liFe. il have
20 Interest Ia iLe house / IA in outside
n l's roof ana four walls, / ain get
ting ahead I've nothing 10 look for
Ward % and just g0t dred Of H.
I've known men % kil themselves
for less trouble than you're in. s. sou
bought a lot
ies I've heard and read a mighty
sight about Charlton Heights 30 I sent
and looked things over. Ifs only niue
miles our on he B. 6 O There are
eighteen trains q day stop there lt
only takes t8euty minutes % 81 or come.