The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-22

thinking about something; in brown
study. I've had a good deal on my mind
lately"
"Oh, of course, we supposed something Of
The kind. We all agreed that there was
something wrong with More. We only diff
fered as 10 the possible nature of his trouble
There were three theories current among
us; one, that you were, as l said, in a huff
with us; one that you were in love, and
one, if you don't mind my being frank, that
y0u had tue national disease"
The national diseaSe?" he repeated
''Nhat the deuce is that?"
why l explained, "the disease that
affects every good American upon his attain
nent OF that Tor which every good American
Is striving tooth and nail: Success. Success,
dear boy, IS our InammOn of unrighteOus-
ness, the golden calf before which we all
fall down and worship. And when success
smiles upon one OF Us, he Is afflicted with
strange and terrible disease. Dingy little
half-dOllar OTdinaries like Madame'S become
lntOlerable to him; he can stomach nothing
lower in the scale of restaurants than Del
nonlcoS. The mere mention OF beer makes
Inn bilious; he must drink champagne. His
memory is weakened and his eyes lose by
degrees their power of recognizing his less
successful friends. These ara few OF the
symptoms, A good many of the fellows
= II give it up" said More, shaking his
head. You've got the advantage OF me.
l don't smoke you. That disease is-?"
1t is called the big head for Short"
murnured, looking hard at the fire.
The big head" he cried. why on earth
Should 1 have the big head?"
Why, indeed? Why should any one
have it, if you come to that? Oh, why
should the spirit of mortal be proud? You
are successful man, and we feared your
success was, beginning to tell upon you.
l successful? Since when. in heavens
name, have | succeeded2"
"Wel, let me see. / never had any head
for dates, but it's about two years ago now,
isn't il, since you got the order for the Smith
monument. A $4,000 orderi We thought
rs the thing was drawing toward compile
ton, land your $4,000 were within meas
urable distance--well some of us thought
your hat was beginning to get too small for
you. As Walter Besant expresses it, pride
nowadays, instead of going before a fall
seems To come after RISE
-: Y cure set of uncharitable curmudge-
ons," he cried. Pve been in the deepest
: depths of the blues. I've felt as though I'd
ike to go hang myself to my bed-post. and
be buried in the POtter's Field. Then 70
avoid lntilcting myself upon my fell0w-be-
; ings I've nursed my misery in hiding; and
you, like the dear, good, old chaps you are,
you hold council over me, and decide tina
I've got the big head. | call that-yOu've
been frank; now I'll be frank-I call that
damned unfriendly of you all.''
Ion, well" said /, "let bygones be by
cones. It's been misunderstanding, and
I'm very sorry, for my part, if I've done you
an injustice. So long as you haven't got the
big head, and prove it by dropping in and
stirring my fire for me in this affable man
ner, forgive you from my heart. And now
tell me, if you please. how is the statue of
Major General Smith progressing?"
The statue Of Major-Generai Smith is
finished"
Finished Good enough; congratulate
you. When did you finish it? And have
you 90; your money? Perhaps you've come
around to blow Inc off," l suggested jo-
coseiy
mo, haven't exactly got my money yet, u
he. answered, but the thing is finished
IN clay. and the casters are coming to-
morrow
We'll, honestly, old man, congratulate
you. By Jove. yOu ought TO be the happiest