The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17

"A lie? I didn't say word How do
you make IL out?'
81 know you didn't speak. stu you said
TO him very plainly and enthusiastically
in dumb show. Hello, you in town? Aw-
full glad TO see YOU, old fellow: when did
you get backy Concealed in your actions
was what you have called a misleading
reservation Of an explanatory fact'-the
fact that you had never seen him before.
You eXpTesseu JOY in encountering him
a lie; and you made that reservation-an-
other lie. II was my pair over again. Bu-
don't be troubled-we all do it,"
Two hours later. at dinner. when quite
other matters were being discussed. he
told how he happened along once just IN
the nick OF time 10 do a great service for
a family who were old friends OF his. The
head Of IL had suddenly died In circum-
stances and surroundings Of n ruinously
disgraceful character. II known. the facts
would break the hearts OF the innoce Mt
family and put upon them load Of un-
endurable shame. There was no help but
in a giant lie. and he girded up his loins
and told il.
THE family never found out. c.
Never. In all these years they have
never suspected. They were proud OF him
and always had reason 20 be; they are
proud Of him yet. and To- them HIS memory
Is sacred and stainless and beautiful
They had a narrow escape, c.
Indeed they had"
For the very next man that came along
might have been one OF these heartless
and shameless truth-nfongers. You have
told the truth a million times in your
life. c.. but that one golden lie atones for
ii all. Persevere."
Some may think me not strict enough
in my morals. but that position is hardly
tenable. There are many kinds OF lying
which ] do not approve. ! do not ike
an injurious lie. except when it Injuries
somebody else; and / do not like the lie Of
bravado. nor the lie OF virtuous ecstasy;
the latter was affected by Bryant, the
former by Carlyle.
Mr.. BRYANT said Truth crushed 20
earth will rise again" have taken
medals at thirteen worlds fairs. and may
claim to be not without capacity. but
I never told as big a one as that. Mr..
Bryant was playing TO the gallery; we all
do H. Carlyle said. in substance, this
! do not remember the exact words:
This gospel is eternal-that lie shall
not ave" / have n reverent affection for
Carlyle's books. and have read his
Revolution" eight times: and so l pre-
fer TO think he was not entirely at him
self when he told that one. To me IL is
element. when chasing Americans out OF
his back yard with brickbats. They used
TO go there aud worship. At bottom he
was probably fond of them. but he was
always able 10 conceal IL. He kept bricks
for them. but he was not good shot, and
IL Is matter Of history that when he fired
they lodged and carried Off the brick:
for as a nation we like relics. and so long
as we get them we do not much care what
the reliquary thinks about 1t. / am quite
sure that when he told that large one
about a lie not being able TO live he had
lust missed an American and was over
excited. He told ii above thirty years
ago but II is alive yet: alive. and very
healthy and hearty. and likely 10 outlive
any fact in history. Carlyle was truth
full when calm. but give him Americans
enough and bricks enough and he could
have taken medals himself.
AS regards that time that George
washington told the truth, word must