The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

and besides they knew that I had ~
watch and no immediate prospect os
obtaining one. But / felt thar -
ever got separate waist, God wouId
provide watch. Nothing that / can
think of now, not the possession oF
perfect health, unlimited millions ana
the love of all the world, brings me in
imagination such a clear title to han-
plness as the thought of that seDarata
waist nfteen years ago. Now 1 know,
that should not be perfectly bannv
in all probability, whatever had. Irrs'
| dition, experience, superstition, all as
sure me that there would be a fly in
the ointment. But then, consuroed
with longing for that doubtful additjo1
to my wardrobe. convinced that to
possess it was to be entirely and ster
nally content, unable to see ANYTIME,
but stupid tyranny in the ultima ti,1no
| that forbid i'll tell you 1 endured
misery unspeakable. 1t seemed So
cruel, with my life's happiness so AL
most in my grasp, to keep it from me
1 have wanted many things in latAr
years-amethyst crosses, baby-grands
selected saddle horses. l doubt ~
when my hair is white I shall remem-
Der very well which of them 1 want
7, ed the most. But ask me to-day what
L
pig-tails, and 1 will tell you directIvS
| the Little Brown Table.
l wanted it for one solid, silent
year. 1t was small and square and
very low, with two small drawers with
knobs. In shape it was a dachshund
of a table, and I can see TODAY the
litter of pink stones and shells that
someone had put away in it. Oh, how
1 wanted it! I used to squat for half
hours adoringly in front of it, dream
ing of what life would be if il wera
mine. Why? 1 don't know. Why does
one want anything? 1 had a passion
for it, simply. I used to think how
gladly would lump everything 1 own
ed and buy that little brown table with
it. A life naked of all else would he
rich and full with that table. / womb
have been cast ashore on a desert ISL
| and immediately-if ! might furnish II
with the table.
They never knew. think thew
might have given it to me, if they had.
They only said, Don't scratch that
little table, now. Why don't you go
out doors and play something?" They
were probably thinking what a. hannv
care free thing a child was, with moth
ing to do but sit and look at a little
table.
Now, of course, matters are differ
that, 1 either get it directly, on the
ground that the strain of wanting il ia
cheaper in the end; or I say to myself
that it isn't half so nice as it looks
hard to live up to, a white elephant,
and that, anyway, as soon as l get it
1 shall be tired of it and want some
thing else as badly. The general fact
that, in one way or another, sooner or
later, an able and determined person
can get just about what he wants in
this world, is SOLDERING in itself, Re-
sponsibility ballasts one
But a child has no general facts to
comfort him and no responsibility to
save his self-respect. His limitations
slap him in the face twenty times a
day. They are so senseIess, the things
he cannot do. They are so cruelty al
Turing, the things he cannot have He
cannot say, "Ah, well next year at
this time, it will be all the same. I'll
have another chance probably" Only
experience gives that perspective.
And honestly, you know, 1t is pre-
cisely that fierce capacity for instant
desire. that insistent blind determine
ton that forgets the old interest in
the flush of the new, that living poised
| in the constant present, that makes
what we call genius akin in every age
and country 1t is called hard work"
and taking pains" in the maxims, but
| JOu nH'Q hllOW tHdJ THESE, LnOuRn
very good things, with never make a
genius in this or any other world.
Do you realize that we treat gem
| fuses just as we treat children? That
we spoil them and scold them and
| adore them and break their hearts
and misunderstood them generally
and can't get along without them, in
precisely the same fashion? We are
always wondering why, with all their
ineStirla BILE blessings thew aren't
happy We never quite understand
that, though they have intense specific
pleasures, they inevitably forget these
in the alternating pains that seem to
them as eternal as their at-that-mo-
ment unhappy lives. And we, grown
up and evenly balanced, sigh, "Ah,
you don't know how happy you are!
Enjoy it while you can. Favorites of
the gods. *s ."
But now that 1 have explained it to
you, you will recollect that the favor
ties of the Colds held rather precarious