The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-12-31

How much moro simple and agreeable life would
be if humankind were not constructed as to pre-
clude absolute classification! Most of us have q
fondness for order and regularity which impels MS
attempt to label and pigeonhoe everything with
which we come in contact, and when We have per-
son ticketed good bad and then discover that he
is neither and both are constrained to undergo
an almost painful readJustment of ideas Dr. Jekyll
and Mr.. Hyde of the book is much less complex
than his prototype in real life. He obgngly under
goes physical metamorphosis when he INDUCES his
immoral tendencies and in his divagations assumes
form that is reliable danger signal. But in real
life he is circumspect. There are no physical
signs to tell what mans character may be- physiog-
nomists and palmsts to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. He may be of fine presence and address, speak
ing with the tongues of men and of angels and still
be villain; or he may be repulsve to the eye and
Objectionable to the finer sensbiities and yet at
bottom be thoroughly honest and upright
There's Blair Of st. Louis and Moody Merrill
of Boston. for example. Phe former spent SO much
Of his time denounoing boodlers and dishonest bust
ness methods that got into the habit of consider
ing him the model citizen, but it transpired that
bezzing trust funds his specially; Merrill, on
the other hand, were accustomed to damn He
lived in Boston and embezzled and was denounced
by everybody; but he got away from his creditors
went to New Mexico and turned out to be pretty
decent sort of fellow honest and even philanthrop-
ic Such things are disconcerting and should be
forbidden by statute
Deep down in the heart of most Of us there is a
lingering belief that all-wse and inscrutable
Providence does actually place physical sign on
moral delinquent as soon as he is found out. We
don't admit this belief, but still we cherish it. We
show it, but don't speak it. Let's take the case of
man who has lived in community all his life
and who knows everybody within a radius of ten
miles of the city hall, all of whom he meets and
greets at least each month As long as he
doesn't do anything wrong, as long as he1isn't
found out he is not object of interest to any OF
u.s. but let him steal something, or hit somebody
over the head, and we'll rough it to get sight of him
in the street. and when he goes to his trial. all his
fellow townsmen will crowd the court room and cor
rdors to gaze at him; and when we find that he
hasn't materially altered since he was plain Bill OF
John goaway hurt and surprised and return again
tomorrow and see if he hasn't changed during the
night. Visitors passing through prison sometimes
panied to discover that the inmates just plain
and not hairy gorllas. The appearance Of same
irritating emphasize the fact that there
is moral difference states garb the prisoner in
zebra clothes and ont his hair off short. This pro-
duces the desired effect.
In truth, no man is good and none bad. Some
are better than others; who good today may
be bad tomorrow some who were bad yesterday are
good today, and all are potentially gods and devils
It is not pleasant to have to admit it, but you can't
judge anyone by his looks, and when you form your
opinion of him by his actions you must be prepared
to modify it at any moment But as for classified
tion-that Is impossible.
ApRoPos of G. SIS jeremiads against poets and
and poetry, 998 has sent The MIRROR the following
quotations from the writings of Charles Foll.n
Palmer which may be read with profit by most per-
sons: