Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-08-14
COntentment.
IVllW)lWllyW!Ji,l llN,Q Observation-Disclosures.
BY S. RitETT ROMAN.
I AM COMMENTED with my lot. And
). RHET'T ROMAN.
DcOSOS0SOco<

AM COMMENTED with my lot. And
lew men OF my acquaintance can. with
truthfulncss. make IL similar state
mcnt.
To be satisfied with what one has.
whether a Observation-Disclosures existence
or n in which trufiies abound, Is the
essence Of philosophy. the height Of
wisdom, and the only basis of content
ment.
Well. | flatter myself | have reached
that sublime pinnacle of perfect salts
faction, with conditions, as fate and my
" determined efforts have made
them. and no outside element can
henceiOrth disturb them or me.
The time was hen the ardor and
iInpctuositieS of youth led me intO
SHARES and pitfalls in plenty. when am
billions b"cioned and | followed, and
when, like Mare Antony, | believed the
world could well be Ost for the slow
smile of certain lips and the glance n
eyes as deeply blue, as iaihoinless and
Mysterious as some land-lockcd noun
tain lake.
But now, ! know ii, and know II
thoroughly. There are no surprises
ahead OF IG". where men and women
are concerned. can afford to smile
over The 'ruditir3 and absurditics of
the time when | had enthusiasms and
"A belief in worth, goodness, disintcr-
~eStedncSS and other mythical virtues,
n long sine" ceased cnyyin% Arthur
hig firaGiIa divinity IN. tnpnu, with
blue eyes, my once Cleopatra, the same
who threw m" over for a better parii,
she thought, which was a miscalcula-
ton ON her part, because to-day | am
"A very much wcalthier man than Ar
thur, ihannG To some copper mines in
Colorado. Whcr" was the harm? The
aim in life Tor all is riches.
TO reach TO contenlment all "A man
has to do is 10 attend strictly to his
business, do a little specializing by way
of diversion. and push his interests
further aired.
And If ruraily inclined as | am. with
an inherited taste Tor landed estate,
gotten from forbcars who were lords
Of much domain, he will find that life
a be made very satisfactory by buy
Ing Il plac" like This one. and that a
man can do without those feverish and
~exacting affections called family ties,
which, thank God, | propose TO CON
tinuc TO ignore.
was idly jOttinc down the above
random thoughts last evening with IA
delighted appreciation Of my freedom
from cumbersome burdens, when IA dis
patch was handed me by Thomas.
Did | say n man can order his own
fate and maintain II. within what
boundaries, and on what lines his incli-
nations prompt"
Well, ! vas mistaken. II seems there
Is a fatality uhc pioua call it a Wise
Providence which takes pleasure IN
stepping in and ordering differently,
and with diabolical malice tn thrust up
IN YOU the moral obligations Of an old
time Friendship, compassion for the
helpless and other prOinptings Of a like
nature, until you are a helpless puppet
and must needs dance when the strings
are pulled.
OF conr8e | was sorry To hear OF Ar
thurs death.
never had any feeling but n OF
contempt Tor his character, he was al
ways dOublc-facrd. and "a plausible
young sneak, but we were boys tOgeth-
er, and the very fact of my always
bearing the brunt and shielding him
when 4 reckoning came TO us for our
various and frequent ~escapades. made
me fond of the handsome little fellow.
although God knows he was selfish
and heartless enough.
have often wondered by what ;or-
tuons methods he got between Aline
and me.