The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-07-16

been brought up to call comfortable;
but then II we're wrong on other fun
damental points, why mayn't we be in
this? To cut it short, I've found out
that we are. Stop and think. Half
the money we spend is for things we
only enjoy indirectly-@through the i'm
preston they make on other people;
in fact, because. they're fashionable
and two-thirds of the other hall go for
'necessaries' which our ancestors were
just about as happy without, Don't
understand me as despising Injuries. ]
enjoy them much more than do those
who have them all the time; but OBJ
ject to the price. It's too big; so I've
tried to find the equation, / look re-
spectacle, don't I? feel respectable,
anyhow, and assure you I'm perfectly
comfortable. Well, on my honor, av-
erage a little over three hours of work
a day, and any man of ordinary intel
ligence can do as well on as little.''
What do you do?'
81? Oh, ] write. What q man does
doesn't make so much difference,
though admit my work is more agree
able than most. Sometimes I'm not
quite sure it should be called work"
"And the rest of the timer"
II enjoy my leisure. enjoy life. |
read: converse with congenial people
on congenial topics; l walk; take
lots of out-of-door exercise, and steer
clear of nervous prostration; play
tennis and chess; GO wherever there
are beautiful things to see-you have
no idea how many are available, both
in nature and art-and let them soak
in and become assimilated with my be-
ing, live"
Don't you ever expect to marry?"
IF do, the woman will be either a
leisurist like myself, or one who has
brains enough to appreciate leisurist,
and money enough to indulge her
taste"
"But, seriously, old man, how many
people to-day could enjoy the things
you enjoy? Your reasoning and phil
osophy are worthless when applied to
the mass of humanity"
"They aren't intended to be applied
to the mass of humanity any more than
any other system of living-at least not
until the mass of humanity is educated
up to where it once was. Tht cult
may De small one now, but its infiu
ence may be wide for ultimate goods
bound to be. by so much as it removes
any man, if only hairs breadth
from the crazy Philistinism that dom
mates him."
"Pray what is the name of the new
SCHOOL,"
"Oh -'Leisurists,' 'Neo-Epicureans.
Either answers, and we answer t.
either. I'm not sure but that Thorear
ought to be o,1s' eponymous hero. Ht
was certainly. the leader of Neo-Epi
curean thought, and, like most leaders
he took rather too advanced position
He proved his case all the same
though"
II presume, of course, you're pre-
pared to welcome with open arms tn,
Weary Willies' and Dusty Rhodeses
of the humorists? l congratulate you
You've lots of readv-made disciples"
mot exactly. You see, the rea
tramp is either laborer out of worl
and trying to find it, or else loafe
pure and simple. You must not neg
lect to note the distinction between
} leisure and loafing. rarely loaf"
Joking aside, Ralph, realize, o
course, that you've been just talking
but what supremely selfish existenc
your Leisurists would lead!'
Wrong on both points. was neye
more in earnest in my life, and m
philosophy is anything but selfish-no
the faintest approa CHI to the rabid Sc
fishness of your so-called useful pro
fessional or business man, who jostle
and elbows his way to the foot of tn
| ladder and tries to scramble up i
needless of how many aching ribs an
crushed fingers he leaves behind, an
all the time fattering himself that he
doing his duty as citizen of civil
lied community-pah! Every man VIII
can be dragged from your selfish con
petition for power and money, who's
aim can be diverted ever so little
more useless occupations, is. just s
much accomplished for the benefit {
humanity. Selfish! That's good"
by Jove! Do you know what tim
it is? It's after two" The speakt
rose quickly. what are you going
do this afternoon"
"Sayre is coming to take me to met
Penfold and see his 'Antigone.' He
Just back from Paris with it, and the
say it's great. Why not go with us?"
my dear boy, do you realize tina
what with listening to your nonsens
!, l sha'n't have chance to get my lunc
to-day, and probably'll get home la
for dinner into the bargain? No pi
, lures for me. Drop in and see me whe
= you get chance. can always spal
: five minutes for you. Take care
. yourself, and excuse me for runnir
, away"
/ glanced from the corner of my e.
, to see slender back and thin hes
of hair whisk out of the door. The
;. some one else entered.
: Hello, Ralph! ReadyP" cried Il
newcomer.
|, "All ready. By the by, did you me
a slave as you came in?"
q "Who? What slave?"
i Ned Bunce, to be sure. Poor devil
g And then heard low, contented, i
a dulgent laugh, and my Neo-E picurei
t was gone.-Dufield Osborne, in Ha
v per's Weekly.