Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-02-22

have the fatal gift of second sight in
regard to length of life, and L saw
that he would pass from this world
within two years. AS to the cause of
death I could not say. He seemed in
excellent health now, though not of
robust constitution; few men who do
office work exhibit the quality of
ruggedness which is associated with
length of life, yet many live to good
old age. was filed with q strange
pity for the man before me, so fair
minded, generous, and, in his way,
SO attractive. Yet could not say Il
word of his short career.
This gift is difficult to describe.
only know that possess it. BY ex-
perience 1 have learned to guess how
near any person is to dissolution and
to avoid his society, for I dread
dying person, man or woman.
''Your stories, Alcott," the editor
was saying, ''lack moral purpose,
patriotism, a belief in high motives,
in affection. The people who read
stories want that sort of thing. They
read for amusement, for emotional ex-
citement, to be tlattered by approba-
tion of sort of cheap generosity
which they feel they could easily in
dulge in themselves if rich. The
mission of all art it has been said.
is to create and foster agreeable illu-
sions.'"
YES" responded, rousing myself
to answer. 81 have heard that, but
despise that sort of cheap art. 1t is
work for valet, not a philosopher. )"
People don't want philosophy,
Alcott. Most persons accept their re-
ligion, their politics, and their philos-
ophy, from the current talk. If I
were rich should be happy That
is the unspoken conviction. Mean
while, let somebody tell me how vir-
tuous I am and how much / deserve.
You don't do that. Just as likely as
not your hero robs bank or wins
money on a horse race or kills an
enemy and has never qualm of CON
science afterwards. That isn't
proper. You want to make dishonest
people suffer for their sins and show
that Americans beat the world"
'In what? In knavery? Is there
any nation at the top?"
81 have tried to point out the way
you might succeed, but if it seems
only a jest to you, if you don't care to
profit by my experience, why let it
60"
The editor was wounded by my
fippancy, and [ could only pity him
and think: "Too bad! Only two
years longer to live!"
"You want me to initiate Kipling?"
I said
"No, Kipling's merits belong solely
TO him. But if you'd change this end
ing aud make the men reform, it
might 60"
elk it up for me, that's a good
fellow I said. "You can't imagine
how l hate to touch thing [ have
written, even to read it over again,
after [ haze grown cold"
"Iou will never make n success Of
literature unless you get over that
Alcott. What you'd a lawyer amount
to il he could not tire ont n Jury by
repetition, or an actor, or, in fact, any
pro essluuGl man? But authors seem
to think they can say thing once and
have the world af their feet"
| was glad 10 get away. The very
thought Of death dtsturbs me. 1t
makes me ask myself how long am [
to live, and rs ] cannot see myself, /
torture myself in futile questionings
OF the future.
About year later met Mr.. King,
the editor, on the street.
81 had a strange dream last night, :"
he said. 81 thought / was dead, and
that You said you had known about it
long ago. What do you think of ito"
He tried to smile, but saw he was
scared. Death daunts all when looked
at face to face.
81 don't have much faith in
dreams" was my reply. eff you had
failed in as many things as 1 have
you would welcome death as a
change"
One says these things to others but
they are falsehaods. I fear death.