Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-01-08
"LET US BE FOOLS"
The Wise Conclusion of TWO Pes
sinistic Philosophers. W

In aSuburba district OF Cnlcago tnere
is a building known as the "Nest of
Disappointment" 1t is an old-looking
structure, of grayish, brick, and was,
once the. pretentiOus home of rich
man; but several years ago it was cut
up into offices. Real estate men, a
number of young doctors and alawyer
took rooms there, and it was not long
until the shrewd observers Of the
neighborhood discovered that all of
them were failures in their several
lines. After time it was believed
that none but disappointed man
would take up his business abode in
the gray brick house, and out of that
belief arose the name of "Nest of Dis
appointment"
1t is with the lawyer that this story
has to deal. He was man of about
forty-fve years of age. He had thick
head of hair and short beard that
grew in gnarls. His eyes were of that
peculiar reflective kind which seemed
ever to be looking afar off. No one
knew anything about him, and doubt
less none of the neighbors would ever
have paid the slightest attention to
him, OF at least have made him the
subject of their conversation, had he
not arisen in court and called POM
pous old Justice of the peace an internal
liar. A sign above this mans door i'm
parted to those who might be in search
of information that James Dismukes
was an attorney at law. The furnish
ings of Mr.. Dismukes' Office were no.
ticeably plain, and, as he him
self once remarked, 'strikingly
scarce" There were number of
books on improvised shelves, but not
many of them held decisions Of ju-
dietary tribunals or comments on the
''rule of civil action" but were related
70 philosophy and those sharp, merci-
less probings into the breast of man.
One afternoon Mr.. Dismukes sat at
his desk meditating. The wind blew
his door open, but he needed it not
The day was beautiful with the mel
lowness of fall. The grass in the park
hard by was turning gray with age
and the German carp that had sur
prised and delighted the children all
summer had been taken out Of the
fountain.
"If l could only put my thoughts on
paper" the lawyer unused. "But why
can't ~ Other men do. The world is
full of their written thoughts. Poor,
miserable wretch am 1. And why?
Because Pm not fool enough to be hap
py. The creation 1T man was an ex-
periment-his perpetuation is the car.
rying out OF scheme of vengeance.
may be wrong in saying this, but
am not wrong in refusing to be fool
November! There is something in the
air to-day that makes me think Late
autumn is the patron Of thought.
Spring is childhood, with nursery
rhymes and playful fancies; summer is
manhood, warm with the arguments Of
life; winter is cold decay--but autumn
is maturity, the reckoning of the mind
the sad humor of life, the melancholy
sarcasm of existence. There is a
laugh in bud; there is sermon In g
fallen leaf. In the late autumn we
stop and look back What do we seei
The impulsive steps of error and the
false sentiments of enthusiasm. Ant
vet we taste q strange sweetness
standing in the autumn, looking back
There is dreamy delight in the mem
ory of lost hope. A Joy that dies in it
youth is looked back upon with loving
tenderness; Joy that lives its full
time and then, palsied, sinks into the
decay of old age, is recalled with {
shudder. What is philosophy Who il
q philosopher The pessimist WHIT
sees no light flashing through the
darkness of o gloom-depressed world
or the optimist who smiles as he stands
In the June day sun, listening to thu
sweet chant of blithe nature?"
He took up pen and wrote his mus
ings, and after time appeared to b
writing verse, for he began to count oil
the fingers of his left hand. He fin
ished his task, and read aloud his pros,
meditahons. Then he hesitated, q
though afraid to give voice to his verse
He counted on his fingers again ant
then read the following:
'THE LATE AUTUMN
"A chilling shudder floats upon the air,
An old perfume is borne across the lea
The trees, discouraged, stand with branehe
bare;
yAs iaasa ysas 10 Sssss wiz soon be trsa