Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-12
FATALIsM AND PERMANENTLY.

Whenever I hear any one dfscours- ing learnedly on fatalism and pre- destination and all that sort of thing I smile in a superior sort of way and reflect What fools these mOrtals be-, said the analytical young woman, as she poured tea for the healthy Eng liShman.
 What has brought about this keen insight" questioned the Engllshman, squeezing the lemon and making gentlemanly effort to appear delighted with the beverage.
 Why" explained the analytical young woman, ''you must know that 1 have friend, the dearest old lady imaginable. 1 have known her ever since I was a little girl and have al- vays admired her sweet character She was calling on me the other day and 1 happened 10 express some ap- prehension concerning a business ven- ture in which my father was interest ed Never mind, my dear she said to me. Don't worry over it. All the worry in the world won't alter the result If your father is going to be successful he will be successful. If he is not to succeed nothing that you can do or say will alter the situation
 This struck me as a rather logical way of putting the matter. told her I guessed she was right. And l asked her if she applied this beautiful principle throughout her life: Why, yes.' she said I am fatalist. There is no use in attempting to reorganize the universe. All things are predes- tined
 II thought so we'll of this that I determined to regulate my life. as far as I could, to conform to the idea.
 The analytical young woman paused. The EngliShman slipped his tea slow ly. then asked
 And how long have you held to the plan:' ..
 T visited my friend yesterday said the young woman, and spent the night with her. Yesterday l was | a fatalist. To-day l am scoffer. just | one of the plain. everyday worrisome ones again. In the first place looked up fatalism in the dictionary. to see | just what it was that she believed in | and that I was going to believe m. This is what 1 learned. Here. l will show it to you." and the young Wo- man brought the book and read :
 .Fatalism-The doctrine that every event is so predetermined that it must l inevitably take place; especially the doctrine that human volition is decld- cd by antecedent causes acting by ne- cessity.
 We had spent a very pleasant meal time. and just before leaving the din ing room Mrs Blank placed the de canters in the sideboard and turned the key. I know her so we'll that l felt privileged to look my inquiry. She explained that the hired girls weak ness was wine. This gave my new system it's first shock. Thought l. If it is destined that the hired girl IS to drink wine. she will have duplicate key and get it anyway But l said nothing. Later in the evening Mrs Blank went over the apartment col lecting the cats. She had three. When they were all gathered she put them | in the kitchen and shut the door. eX- plaining that she feared if left to roam they might overturn q valuable vase in the Darlor. Again my system was shocked. According to fatalism' if that vase were doomed it had to go anyway and contining the cats wouldn't save it. Before retiring Mrs Blank put an extra lock on the front door. telling me there had been sc many robberies in the neighborhood she deemed the precaution necessary After this I simply rejected the entire 1 system. But I didn't tell her anything about it. She still thinks she IS a | fntI1jCt'' v