Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-20
A SAD, SAD STORY.
IrLER COMMENTS on A PATHETIC
BIT or LITERATURE.
THE NAN WHO WOULD Be FREE.
The Friendship of Women and How
1t Starts and Ends-An Exchange
of Kisses and sweets-The sapient
RoOter.

1t Is not often that the pathos OF an
author can touch me deeply and cause my
bosom to heave with sorrow and sup
pressed emotion, nor is 1t often, either,
that the tender sentiments OF mere
scribe can force me to bespatter my
shirt-bosom with briny tears OF sym
pathy. And yet there have been times
when / have wept at the page before
me-not merely on account Of the typo
graphical errors-but from the sadness
engendered by the ideas Of the writer.
There is an unspeakable pathos in that
scene Of Mark Twain's, where the humor-
list weeps at the tomb Of Adam, nor is
Maud Muller's failure to make a matri-
monial deal with the Judge q thing TO
be scoffed at. The reporter who wrote
the item wherein II was stated that lots
at Barton Heights were selling at Sl.50 a
foot likewise struck a pathetic chord In
my nature, for own two acres Of this
daisy-dappled realty, and I estimate that
each daisy has already cost me so cents
per bloom. 1t Is sad, too. to recall the fact
that Mary, Queen of Scots. and her head
have parted company. and that George
Washington has gone TO that undiscovered
country from whose bourne no traveller
returns-that undiscovered country where
Cife-insurance agents have no field for
work. Yes, all these things are sad,
but some days since / read about man
whose case touched me more deeply than
any of the above Yea! the sorrows of
this man dwarfed those of the before
mentioned characters. even as the merits
Of potato-pie dwarf the seductiYeness OF
bread and molasses.
/ Here is the whole story as told by the
! New York Journal. With all its awful
| brevity. it appeals TO married men alone,
/ and vet with them, every word irritates
! the cd sore and brings home grlefs
which the unnitiated cannot realize.
| Pause. gentle stranger, and drop tear
when your eye spells out the followins
The other day n thin. tired-looking mar
entered a printng-ofiice, and approaching
! the proprietor. said:
Il want to have a list printed Suppose
you write ii down as l tell YOU"
The proprietor made ready. and th'
man said: 49,, -. .u. aoo.
| Eyes. I'm sure locked the front uoor
| Have you got that"
| YES but L don't understand"
'Never mind. Don't interrupt me till
| have finished. Are you ready? All right
| then. / turned out the gas in the bath
| room"
"Weu?'
"The kitchen windows are fastened"
eyes"
"oThe dog is in the cellar. The servant
are ali in. The stable door is locked; Tn
cat is ont OF doors l turned off the draft
of the range. No. do not smell smoke
! do not think i hear any one trying L
get into the house. No, that is, not on
Gop barking: it's the one next door. II
ct necessary TO 20 down and see if tn
cellar door is fastened; know II IS. Tina
Is nobody-it is only the wind rafting tn
shutters ~,
as there anything more?'
| "Weu. I think that's about all. II
| 600 my wife asks me certain question
every night just as l am getting into pee
| and If | had q printed list | could sn0N
II TO her. 1t would save lots OF rouDle