The times., 1899-04-09
WHOM THE GODS DESTROY.

The most high gods have decided that too
much power over the hearts of men shall
not be given to other men, for then the
givers are forgotten in the gift and the
smoke dies away from the affairs. So they
kill the men who play with souls. Ac-
cording to an ancient saying. before
they destroy the victim they make him
mad. There are. however, notifications OF
the process. Occasionally they make him
drunk.
As / came down the board walk that
leads to the ocean. l saw by his staggering
and swaying gait that the man was not on
ly very drunk indeed but that he gloried
in the fact. This was shown by the bran
dishing arms and the tossing head and the
defiant air with which he regarded the COT
tages, before one of which he paused, iean-
ed forward placing one hand dramatically
at his ear and presently executed Wild
dance of what was apparently derlslon' a
timid woman would have retreated but
| am not timid, except when ] am alone lis
| the dark Also have what my brother-lh IN
| law calls Bohemian tastes. As nearly as
| have been able to understand that phrase,
| it signifies a great interest in people, es-
/ pecfaiiy when they are at all odd. And this
| solitary, scornful dance of a ragged man
/ before the Ayerys' cottage was odd in the
! extreme.
| So l walked quietly along. When
reached the man | heard him mutterins
rapidly to himself, while he rested from the
exertion of his late performance. WHAT dld
dancing drunken men talk abeut9 l walk
ed slower My brother-in-iaw says that a
woman with any respect for the proprie-
! ties. to say nothing of the conventions
would never have done this. | have oo-
served. however that his feelings for the
proDrieties and the conventions Doth u
them have on occasion suffered relapse
more especially at those times, prior 10 MS
| marriage to my sister. when |, although
! s,1pposed to be walking and riding and
| rowing and nahptha launching with them'
| was frequently and inexcusably absent. 80
| gather that the proprieties and the con-
ventions, IKE many other things, are reia-
! tive.
| AS passed the man he turned and look
ed Grossly at me, spoke apparently 10 some
one far away behind me, for he SPOKE Win
much force Did you ever hear suca damn
fooIishness? ," he demanded Now there
was nothing to hear but Miss Kitty Avery
pIaying Chopin's Fourth Ballade in f MI
nor. She played it badly, of course, but
nobody who knew Kitty Avery would nave
imagined that she would play other~lse
than badly. and have heard SO muc1 bad
pIaying that | didn't notice il very much
ANYWAY / thought it hardly probable ina
the man should know how untortuhate
Kitty's method and selection were, so
passed discreetly by. Soon | heard MS
steps and knew he was coming after M
While he was yet some distance behind me
he spoke again
II suppose that fool of a woman thinks
she can play" he growled as he lurched
against a lamppost. Then ! did the un-
| pardouable deed l turned and answered
him.
How do you know it's woman"
asked. -,
-Huh, Take me for fool, don't you? -
he said scornfully. sufIing along unsteadily.
I'm drunk as an owl. but m no fool NO
| know it's woman from the pawnin
round she does Bah, Thinks she's play
L in. Damn nonsensei" He sat down care
fully on the sand by the side OF the walk
and wagged his head knowingly. | looked
cautiously about. No one was in sight
bent down and united my shoe.
Perhaps you could play it better
suggested sweetly. His jaw dropped VIII
CONSERVATION.
can nIay- If better. Can-I-play-it- better
Well. I'll tell you one thing If | couldnt
play il better dye know what I'd do2 Dc
you2"
NO" said /. and tied my shoes. Hi
didn't talk thiekly as they do in books. Or
the contrary, he brought out each wore
with a particularly clear and final utter
ance.
"Wen. I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd &c
off and drown my sorrers in drink! Yes
would. Although ! am so drunk tnat
wouldn't know when | was getting drum
on principle and when I was just piair
drunk. Le' me tell you somethin': In
drunk now He announced the fact Sltf
a gravity so colossal TO render laughter
impossible / united the other shoe.
s'Can you really play Chopin | said Fl,
shook his fist at the Avery cottage.
What l. can't play of Chopin you neve1
heard played So that's the end OF that,
he said. The folly of the situation sud
denly became clear TO me. | hastily uet
NV shoe and turned to go. He half rost
from the sand but sunk helplessly back.
Look here he said cdnhdentially, Il Il
tired, and | need m rest. got TO haV'
rest. We all need rest. If you want t.
hear me play you come to the old hulk
barn that's got the piano in it. The!
call it auditorium-au-d -df-to-ri-um. ti'
pronounced the syllables as if TO a chile
of three) I'll be there You come befor'
supper. I'll be rested then. I'd like Il
shoot that woman-thinl1s she can play
damn nonsence-" 1 went on to th'
beach.
Nv brother-in- law came down on th
afternoon boat, and of course he occupie'
our attention. His theories, though oftel
absurd are certainly well sustained. Fo
instance, his ideas as to the connection be
tween genius and insanity He says-bu
! don't know why / speak Of il. defeate
him utterly AT length / left the room.
hate man who won't give up when he
1 beaten l found the Nice Boy on tn
piazza, and we sat and talked Really
charming fellow. And not so very young
] either. He told fascinating tales of ship
wreck he'd experienced, where they sat o
| the bow as the boat went down and trade
| sandwiches.
| = gave Hunter two hams for CHECKER
and il was mean swindle,' he said remi
| niscently Speaking of sandwiches,
| gave a chap 10 cents 10 buy some this af
ternoon Awfully seedy looking. Shabb
clothes, stubbly beard, dirty hands. nc
| half sober. and what to you think he said
| / remembered and blushed-
! don't know | murmured.
He invited me to recital piano re