The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-09
THE CURSE AND THE KEY.

filled the glaSS-the dark red wine that
held within it death. DEATH A strange
quiet word-a word that meant the end
and a beginning. that meant sleep, long
sleep; that meant change and dark
ness; that meant calmness and rest.
And this wineglass held the key
How fnel He smiled as he grasped it
and held it up to the light. How fine
and red and strong looking was the
winel And it contained the key to
mystery subtle, quick poison. He
was sad and tired, and here were OBJ
liViOn and rest.
He was not as other men. He feared
neither the beginning nor the end, He
was brave with the bravery that dares
ALL He was absolutely his own god
He laid the wineglass back on the
table He would not take the step
Just now. He would wait till the night
had worn further on.
And suddenly he began to think of
the time when he was alone and bag
gard and full of strange. wild dreams.
Aye, in the great city he found some
one to care for him because he was
what he was. The fine, sweet face OF
woman arose before him as he
walked the streets where flooded and
surged the tide of human life.
But the time came when he left her
and went forth to a greater and a
wider and a stranger city. He Went
out WOO that hard mistress, Fame.
thought of her dimly. She was to him
as a beautiful, faint memory. When
her face arose before him, it was as
the face of one who has long been dead
or as face seen in a dream, a haunt
ing, tender face. He knew that she
must have sorrowed, but he believed
that it was better for a. woman to sor-
row than not to know. 1t was better
for a woman to eat of the fruit of the
tree of knowledge even though she
brought upon herself the curse of
frightful suffering.
And at last ne heard that she was
dead He was very wise, this student
His philosophy was the philosophy that
believes in the realizing to the full the
possibilities of the present. For him
today was the day; tomorrow had not
dream-Was dead
And he became famous mainly be-
cause he possessed a. pagan clearness
of sight and because he was bold. He
had realized that a great philosopher
was simply a man who talked convinc-
ingly concerning things of which he
really knew nothing.
And now on this his last night, he
was sitting by the fire and thinking OF
the time long ago.
He thought sadly that he was a much
better man then than now, fam Gus
though he was. If he had been really
a brave and great man, he would have
taken his life in his hand and died
fighting for the spread Of liberty
through the world
Instead he had elected to perform in
tellectual tricks before tho inane, stu
pid mass. And the mass rewarded him
by giving him money and calling him
great His success was a LEA cursed
lie. He had been panderer and a
coward.
No. no; he was not a panderer, he
was not a cowardl He had done the
best for himself. He had grasped the
golden fruit Of life when it swung
arfe ia had <vif
for the realizing of his desires.
But was not his first desire his great
desire? He had wished to devote his
life to the freeing of man, and he had
himself after all. Perhaps he should
have gone on nungering and have died
on the scanold.
He had had everything-love fame,
honor, riches and all things that men
madly strive for-and still he wished
sadly for the old terrible days when he
knew not what the morrow would
bring forth Then there were the ex-
the distant star of hope. And he had a
grand ideal. And the shade of the man
he was in those days seemed to arise
before hin1-the young man haggard of
face and stern of eyes. And he bowed
his head in shame, for there was fail
ure, fine and noble, and grand, and
here was success begotten Of trickery
and pandering.
Aye. his success had indeed been a
low, degrading failure. and he had been
punished by safety settling upon his
shoulders-that unspeakable vuIture.
He had become tired Of everything.
and still he was young, but his soul
was old
He arose suddenly and raised the
winegIass aloft. How ike blood the
wine as it shone in the light
II drink" he cried, TO change, or to
rest, or to wild, unheard of adventurel
Come, death and strike mel Comet"
But, 10, he saw a facet It was the
face Of Ellen-Ellen, who had loved
him as no other woman had loved him;
Ellen, who had endured disgrace for
his sake; Ellen. who was dead.
He had been thinking of her tonight,
and she was here. And how he loved
her. Safety was gone from him. Again
the power of love had come to him.
This woman had loved him when he
was only a vagab bond student.
But she was dead, and still she was
here.
But, stay Was this a trick of the
Imagination, or was she really here2
He would see. There was now another
reason for the invoking of the power of
death. It might mean another life and
the renewal of a glorious love. He
'.Eiienl" he cried. Sweetheart, I
drink to youi''