Newport daily independent., 1902-05-21

otyA-d pledSanJ passage to you!
 But the illusion of an intangible world was oddly interrupted, before the Philosopher had travelel dozen yards farther, by the sound of fem mine voice close at his elbow
 "Oh, please, can you tell me where I am?''
 The philosopher stopped short.
 Not very clearly, I am afraid he replied.
 "I am lost-and am so frightened daren't novel"
 The voice was far too soft and sil- very to belong to ghost-by no means the vox exigua of Tartarean Shade-and the Philosophers heart was touched by it's plaintiye appeal.
 If can assist you"-7he began.
 She caught his arm impulsively.
 "Oh, don't leave me!'' she cried, in childish panic.
 "On no account" said the Philoso- pher firmly.
 If I could only find hansom!"
 We will look for one,'' he said
 They had instinctively fallen into step together, though they could not see each other. The Philosophers breast swelled with the sense of a protective mission. He became con- scious of a little gloved hand touch ing his own-the impulse by which his fingers closed over it was, under the circumstances, a perfectly natu- ral one. She did not withdraw her hand; the Philosophers gentle-al- most courtly-tones had inspired her parent. That she should not regard it as misplaced, he began at once to discourse to her in a soothing man. ner as they proceeded.
 "There are few things" he re- marked more disconcerting than the moral influence of a fog upon the nerves. We are surrounded even now by numerous people in various stages of agitation. They afford a strik- ing complication of the helpless ness of human beings in the face of any sudden dislocation of normal lldhul COliQlilOIiSs OOISi0Ci II II Oi- manity were destined to exist always in such a fog! How would it affect the trend of human progress?"
 A tall figure bumped into the Phil osopher at this juncture and swung him around to an angle.
 "Thus!" he continued, placidly. Humanity would be perpetually working at tangent. Advance would be crablike-for a time; but at length human beings would, by a natural principle of habituation adapt themselves to the new condi- tions of their existence-and, doubt not, triumph over them. In such a case a sudden burst of sunlight, of clarified air, would affect them with as singular a consternation as at present is produced upon their senses by this fog. Let us regard it rather as typical Of that state of mental at mosphere through which the human mind must forever be groping to- ward the light, in search of truth We can rely but upon the lamp of philosophy for our guidance. Philos- ophy rejects the disturbing infiu- ence-"
 Are you, then, a philosopher, sir ?" she broke in, little timidly.
 q am," said the Philosopher, proudly. "It has always been my aim to triumph over the accidents of chance. A fog, for instance, does not in any way affect the equilibrium of my mental serenity. Philosophy in such climate as this especially is the state of mind to which it should be the object of every ra- tional person to attain. What matter whether one walks on the pavement or the road? Philosophy scorns the distinction. We cannot see the road, but we know it is there-philosophy rests satisfied with the fact"
 She gave a little cry, and stumbled forward.
 "ohl Whats that? tripped over something"
 The Philosopher drew her back to an upright position.
 "It was probably a dog. You should not permit yourself to be startled-you should not indulge the emotions; all the emotions-fear, joy, surprise, anger, love-are de- structive of the philosophical attitude of mind"
 Love, too?" she asked, with a pleasing naivete.
 Love especially" he answered. philosophy and love cannot exist to- gether. Love is in it's very essence antagonistic to the first principles of philosophy. It rests more often than not upon no rational basis what aver A lover cannot by any con