Telegram-herald., 1891-12-05

decay Of old age. Is recalled with =
shndder What Is phiiosophye Nho is
. philosopher The pessiInist who
sees no light flashing through the
darkness of = gloofn-ae pressed world,
or the optiUist who smiles as he stands
In the June day sun, listening 10 the
sweet chant Of bilIhe natnref"
he took up = pen and wrote his mus
ings. and after = time appeared 10 be
writing verse. for he begsa 10 count on
the fingers of his left hand lie tn
isbed his task. and read aloud his prose
meditalons Then be hesitated. as
though slraid TO give voice To his verse
tie coanted on his fngers again and
tisen read the following
THE LATE AUTUMN
- chilling 81 udder nokts upon the afr
An old perfume Is oorae across the lee
TIE trees discouraged stand with branches
bare.
The laded year In death wiz soon be Tree.
The hopes thai came With early sprias ere
dead
The promises az summer unfuifl.ed.
The nigEis CT soft enes antsseat al have eea-
Dried are TIE dews 80 sweelly they distilled
.And thus when tired life shalt near It's close
How sadly shall We contemplate the past
We struggled hard and fought 10 seize the rose
And In death clutch catch tie tsorn ~
last"
Just as the lawyer finished reading
he heard a slight noise. and. wheeling
about with a start. saw a young woman
standing in the door. Mr. D.snnkes,
blushing as well Is his gnaried beard
would permit. sprang 20 his feet and
stammercd az inquiry as to how long
the young woman had been standing
there
Ever since you began to read" she
answered
"Ah. but do you think il was qSitc
proper. or ! might say 'lady-lilre,' TO
steal in Upon me ald snatch my private
correspondencc?"
IL confess my guilt" she said. bow
ing gracefully and then advancing.
but the truth is, | came OF business,
and, hearing the first word OF your
mcditations, couldn't interrrp, you.
felt Us one who. hearing a note of
strange and ye, familiar music, wishes
TO hear the entire tune. l beg your
pardon
'.Sit down." said the lawyer. tum-
bling a nunbe of books out OF a chair
She sat down, and Mr. Disnukes, re-
suming his chair, remarked:
'You don't mean to say that you
agree with my pcssimistic sentimcnt?"
But ] do mean to say it. and why
shouldn't 1? The world is a fraud aad
life is its accomplice. haven't lived q
great while, but ! have lived long
enough and studied profoundly enough
to know that happiness, or rather that
fuctuating and thoughtlcss condition
known as happiness. is but the result
of ignorance. But wrctchedncss We
know to be real. It is not aided by
side lights; it is not bolstered by argu-
ment-it stands alone as great truth
that needs no prop"
The lawyer looked at her In astonish-
ment She was not handsome, but her
form was graceful and her face was
pleasant She was evidently q stu
dent-indeed. a certain something about
her. an expression of meditative weari-
ness, proclaimed It.
IL am glad that have met you," said
the lawyer. ''As a general thing pay
no attention to women They have q
habit of smiling. the very stage car.
pcntry of hypocrisy, and they pretend
to be in exceeding good humor, when
moments thought should convince
were you educated?"
II am not educated yet" she an
swered. IL was graduated at an east
ern school, but ] came away knowing
that the system of training was wrong.
My mother and l." she added, after q
short silence. shave just moved into
this neighborhood; and, Immediately
upon our arrival, we were confronted
by the necessity Of engaging lawyer.
didn't know where to go. and while
passing along here happened to see
your sign"
II am very glad you called. not on
account of the business you may bring
me, but because ! am really glad to
meet you. Shall go to your mothcrs
house or can the business be transact
ed herc?"
II should like for you to go with me
ifit will not ',e too much trouble"
mo trorSlc at all, I assure you"
"Really, now," she asked. ''or shall
believe that you are playing the gal
liant hypocrite?"
"Miss-is it miss or madam?"
"Miss"
well. miss I should be Just n mis-
erable here as at your mothers house;
therefore should gain nothing by re-
naming here. Arc you ready to go7"
The business, trifiing in its nature,
was soon transacted The lawyer and
the young woman. Miss Blalscmorc.
sat In the library
The day is beautiful" she said
YES" he replied 1T is a powerful
search light thrown on the earth TO re-
veal its misery. II there be n time
when we should yield to the tcmpta-
tion to be happy. it should be when we
knew that our minute of death has
come Men look with dread upon
death; but why should they? Suppose
. man is suffering from an acute pain.
shonld he not welcome the physician
who brings relief9r
"He should" the young lady assent
ed. ''and he will. II be te q sensible
man The experiment OF life has been
50 thoroughly tried and the utter hol-