The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-03
Stories Of an Inland State.

Old John Wright crouched beneath the
open window, drinking in the words Of old
Peter Wattles and the young thief and
although his head was bent to his knees
and his back contorted out Of natural po-
sition the activity Of his mind in following
every utterance Of the two men and the
strain with which he listened for every
chance movement they made as they sat
at the table, withdrew from him all sensi-
bility Of bodily discomfort. He had just
heard Peter WattIes' refusal to accept the
fortune and his quotation of the Mosaic
commandment and the thiefs ind;neren;
surprise.
Now he heard the thief moving In his
seat and speaking:
Peter, do you want to pray for me?'
There was nothing Of deris.on or too care
fully concealed sarcasm in the tone with
| which this was said. but there was palpably
| a flavor Of trembling Difference to the man
before him.
| John Wright did not know whether Peter
Wattles answered with nod or not, for
! the young thief again in the same anxious,
| submissive voice:
| MIR. Wattles. You have religion and I
admire you for II. II you entertain the
| belief for an instance that have anything
l
tan religion. you have mistaken me. and
I am sure that you do not mistake as
other gentlemen Of less experience would
by believing me insincere You will tell
me, as many others. Of an actual spiritual
exaltation, springing from your faith. Far
be 1t from me to question your sincerity, or
&c charge your bliss UP to that mental slim
ulation which they call fanaticism. I hon.
! estly hold in my own mind without any
| sort OF reservation, that you are In poses
SION OF a tangible, serious spiritual happi-
ness. Still am honest in my declaration
that am untouched by any sublime in
| nuence whatever
| John Wright heard Peter Wattles humble
something to himself and scrape his fee.
on the floor while the thief continued:
Your impulse now is to command me TO
have faith, to pray for divine help. I feel
| safety from your smile when tell you that
| I have prayed, but without response.
Grant me with equal honesty In your own
| mind the credit Of the attempt-an honest
| attempt"
The thieFs voice had lowered and become
| a monotone as he went on:
There must be somewhere In the vast
| Of Nature a sublime voice, g vocal entity,
| which speaks from the tiny bowl Of the
fragrant butter-cup, that booms in the bass
| Of the lashing SURF that fills you in the
silent awe-strikins solitude of an unbound
ed, virgin prairie, but my heart, Peter. has
never been in tune with 1t. Why, / have
| never determined. This thing exists. SIN
oere men have told me so. I have never
felt it. You have. as others. and as others.
believe me insincere. You do me wrong, be-
1iaxeo <ltxvsr H-a -, ,% x~tvSf
life was not impaired to you until you were
on the western slope Of life, Peter, when
the heroism Of theft had died within you.
when the world and your battle with it Is
receding from you and no longer holds you.
binds you. clutches you and defles you.
But am in the midst Of the BATTLE. an
gered at its blows, quick to avenge. eager
for advantage, indifferent to means, ardent
to an end. Look at the paltry gems"
John Wright heard a patter on the table
and he knew the gems were again scattered
there.
Look At the paltry gems. These are
society's. not Gods. and society covets
them in an unGodly spirit, for their value
is that the other man can not have them
that and nothing else. No court would Is
ten to me, Peter, but you shall. Some man
came to title to the diamond field through
thieving nation, and through that stolen
title, claimed the title to the Jewel that a
black slave earned equally as much as he
the land by the right of prior and secret
possession. But the slave, an honest fool,
gave it up. It was sold to a man who had
in some other channel of polite robbery
garnered enough to give an equivalent
And he, Peter, did not buy II for its beauty,
but because Of its rarity, because Of the
thieving impulse to have that which his
neighbor DID not have, and so possessing
take social rank above his fellow. And,
Peter, on one thing am enthusiastic-in
the belief that in no possession but bread
and butter is man justifiable. / grant
you that society has it's courts and officers
but say to you that tho law of mankind
u the law OF knavery and conspira
How old John Wright listened, How he
loved the man who was speaking,
do not think that blame society. But
1t has named the game and take my base
to play II out with them. do not dislike
It. You have felt the Joy of hazard, the
bliss OF risk, and you know. Peter. cushion
ed as you are even now in your religion
that there Is more happiness in one hair
breadth escape than a whole lifetime OF
hum-drum safety. The game is swift, and
am fleet I am not caught yet As any
thief, dreading capture, I would, IL taken,
thank my stars for the relief There is
absolutely no punishment extant for the
philosophical thief am playing society's
game A little holder than the land-Ersh-
b!ng nations. or the public-squeezing mo-
nopoly. or our nations Legislators"
John Wright arose to his full heighth to
better hear the speaker
playing merely more Of an open came
than they. but the same game, Peter, the
same game, tho game that the Christian
religion was established to combat, am
told. but which in this day and age, can
scarcely stem the tide
And you will play It out." murmured
Peter speaking for the first time for several |
minutes. |
Il shall play It out Perhaps as I grow
older. may tire little OF so fast q pace |
and quit gems, safes and the like and take |
Politicsr' asked Peter.
Politics." he repeated. "Now I lack
age"
My boy" said Peter Learn to love
God. He will show you the mistake Of |
your heart better than Old Peter could. |
Learn to love HIM"
TN time. Peter"
Think, Think OF the riskr'
Risk 10 my religion"
You mean -"
That risk Is my religion. There u no
heros;m IN honesty"
My God! cried Peter rising as he re-
nembered his temptation. Honesty il the
greatest heroism."
Apparently We argue from diferen.
premises" said the thief lightly. II must
30. GOODBYE I may get out the state
Ind west to Frisco with the gems and I