Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-05-16
GOING AWAY.

rates
Mr. Green rubbed his eyes. Socrates,
of course. But | thought you belonged
to a different age
Would you then say that a man be
longed to the age, and the age did not
rather belong to the man? That which
perplexed YOU was rather that seem as
one returning from the dead, and here
indeed is Il I5ystcry that my damon does
not permit me to speak OF, 50 as to eX-
plain it fully. Let us speak of yourself
and of that which you are about to do,
50 that we may see whether it be wise
or whether il will appear on examina-
ton to be in any way impious or I'M
fitting
We're off to the sea tomorrow. In,
taking my wife and the kids there for Il
month. That's all right, amt it,"
You answer as / had expected. For |
have put this question to many men this
morning, and the greater part of them
are going away. Even that policeman,
though he said that he was not going
away, added that he wished that he WERE
calling the power of goodness to witness
as is meet for a policeman. But whcth-
er this going away, and this desire to so
away. are all right, that we shall now
inquire. and it may be | shall learn some
thing from you. Tell me, then, firstly.
why do you go away
We'll, man can't work all the year
round. His health wouldn't stand it.
always take my month, and I'm always
the y, tier for it,
"lhcre indeed you give me the reason
why a man should at times cease 10
work And we will not now inquire
whether in this respect you speak justly.
for that does not now concern Us. But
you give me no reason why you go away.
therefore repeat the question"
Its pretty well the same thing, amt
it?''
surely there are those who remain in
London and do not go away, but yet
avoid work of every kind
oh, yes. Lots of them
Then if we are agreed that to avoid
work and to go away are not the same
thing, and if we are able to believe you
when you say that you only wish to
avoid work, then | ask again, why do
you so awayE'
You must have a change of air, you
know"
Tell me, now, when you seek a change
is it change for the better or for the
worse that you require?"
Clearly, for the better"
Then | must understand that the air
of London is bad and fatal to life, and
then l am indeed perpleXed why any man
should choose to live for eleven months
of the year in bad air, and in good air for
one month only"
The air of London's all right but the
ozone, you know, coming off the sea,
bucks you up"
Again, l am troubled to know what
it is that you would say. For il the
air of London be all right, then any
change from the absolute all right must
be a change for the worse"
"Rut it's not only the mir SOprD tPS
There's decided change of scene, and of
the way of living, and we like this"
Here my friend, you speak not of one
thing, but of two. And of the change of
scene, [ would say that the wise man
would seek first the best possible scene
and having found it would never go
away. and would regard going away as
a foolish action and even impious. For
if he goes away he shows an inSOlence
and discomfort with the gift Of the gods.
even when he is aware thar this gift is
the best possible for him. And as to the
change in the way Of life, you say moth
ing to show me that this is in itself
desirable; but of that, since the day is
short, we will not speak at length. | will
only bid you to notice that one may
change the way Of life without going
away. Here are many ways of life:
you do not live as the policeman. neither
does the policeman live as Lord kitch-
ener. If it is the life of hotels and
lodgings that you require, these things
are to be found in London. and without
any going away whatever"
There's the sea-" said Mr.. Green, des-
pcrately. II enjoy that
But | say that You cannot enjoy the
sea. for then You would spend the great
er part of the year there. so ordering
your life that 1his would become possible
to you. 1t is reasonable II think that n
a man enjoys that place most where he
spends most time"
And then my wife likes it
'"rhen let her go th;ther; | always did
that. But you yourself, seeing that there
is no Just reason why you should go
away. and that great expense is thereby
incurred. will
"Awfully sorry said Mr. Green, "hut
I've promised to meet 4 man AT the club"
As he walked away, he added, medita-
lively to himself:
Now l know why they killed him. -
Barry Pain in Black and White