The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-13
90 saaaa.a. . F. 81 So SO 50 50 So /. !. IS SO I:
3: WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS
By HENRY JAMES. SO
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If there is a fraud in the world it is
the so-called science known as palms.
! try This is not a science, but fake.
| stupid at that That the destiny Oh
mortal is written in the palm any more
than in the sole of the foot is rlal-
culous notion. It is true that some
thing can be discerned from scrutiny OIL
the hand; a plowman can be olstin-
guished from pianist. But for per-
son to profess to be able to read there
the story of human destiny, the length
and the richness or poverty OF years
the fortune which shall betide; is the
rankest tomfoolery, and anybody to be
taken in by it would buy fictitious
mine If he had money enough IL Is
a surprising circumstance that people
pretending to be respectable should Of
fer to read palms for price, ana tnaC
other people, in some particulars sane
should pay the price. So far as re-
veaIing the future is concerned, the
pairing of the nail of the little finger
would be as effective as the palm. "A
lock of hair would be even more con-
ducive to correct Representation. II
seems strange that in an age which no
| longer accepts a red string as a cure
| for nosebleed, and which rejects the
withered potato as a guard against
rheumatism, there should be necessity
for saying these things.
Two weeks ago 1 performed a pleas
ant duty in saying a word in commend
! alton of the poetry of Ina Coolbrlth
This was not done with any thought
that it would provoke the approval or
her friends, and yet many have written
words of appreciation. The circum-
stance is gratifying to me. and yet to
Miss Coolbrith it will be even more SO,
and that is why 1t is recorded here. 1t
may impress upon her the fact that she
has a following, and that the beauti-
full sentiments she has couched in
words of music are not lost.
For the veteran of the Civil War /
have the utmost respect and have here
tofore expressed it. 1t seems to me
right that he should have a pension.
He gave his time, he offered his lie.
I remember we'll wher man wearing
the tattered oYercoat of blue would
come to the house of my father, ana
he needed no further introduction. HIS
place was at the right hand of the host.
Like many young Americans, l grew
up with a feeling of respect amounting
almost to reverence for the old soldier,
and have it yet Therefore, it is with
an emotion not far from disgust that
1 read a communication from E. A. Fall
vey, signed by himself as a veteran.
There is only one point in Falvey's let~
| ter. and it is shown by this excerpt:
Attention, Comrades: You have no.
ticed how little consideration has been
shown you since you left the army with
your manned bodies and impaired
health so many years ago" Now they
have not noticed anything of the kind
for II has not been in existence. ms
veteran has been cared for tenderly.
He has applied for pension and lest
one worthy be cheated, a pension has
been given to ten preterders. With
the money freely de--0teG to pensions
the greatest standing army of the world
could be supported. The pension list
purged of frauds would never be recog-
nized. 1t reeks to-day with sham. 1t
bears the names of those who have long
been in the grave. of those who never
bore arms, of the hangers-on about the
wagon of the sutler. 1t is heavy with
bogus widows and hummer orphans. 1t
has the burden of rich men remem-
bered at special rates, and shameless
enough to accept the bounty. Does ex-
Senator Henderson of Nebraska draw
500 a month? 1 have heard so, and
he ought to be abashed. Within few
years the stipend of wealthy Judge
Long of Michigan was cut from 500
to SIS a month. Tt his lasting dis
grace he made contest for the former
figure and beat the Government from
which he should blush to take a cent.
I believe a man financially independent,
yet willing to receive pension, would
pick a pocket if convinced there was
ANYTHING in il. There is not the slight
est excuse for Falvey to rail. If he
earned pension and applied for it, he
is getting it, If he earned it and neg
lected to apply, the fault is his own.
At least, he shows bad taste in rush.
ing into print with a plant so unjust
that for the very purpose of making
it impossible this Government and this
/ people have for Years consented to be
swindled, and allowed the pension list
/ to grow until it has become a menace
and a scandal.
The intelligence which finds express
sion in betting on an election is not of
a high order. / have been led into a
practical test of the matter, and in
variably have lost.
John Thornford, tin roofer, has
lately twice essayed to leave this world
of woe, each time being yanked back
! from the edge by misguided zeal. When
| a man reaches the morbid state in
! which he yearns for suicide l do not
| believe in interfering with him. Per-
haps ne would be happier in another
world, and he would never be missed
/ from this Instead of being bothered
by solicitude for which there is no re-
/ turn in gratitude John should be sup
piled with a pistol. poison, rope and
razor and locked in a room with them
while a Gordon of police saw to 1t that
he did not make his escape. There are
plenty of fools on earth who are will
| ing to stay.
! No civilian can understand the neces-
tod ,,fx Ire.