Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07

separate waist, God would provide q watch.
Nothing that can think Of now, not the
Possession Of perfect health unlimited MIL
lions, and the love of all the world brings
me in imagination such a clear title to hap
piness as the thought of that separate
waist fifteen years ago. Now 1 know that
: should not be perfectly happy. in all prob
ability. whatever / had. Tradition, expert
ence, superstition, all assure me that there
would be fly in the ointment. But then,
consumed with longing for that doubtful
addition to my wardrobe, convinced that to
possess 1t was to be entirely and eternaIly
content, unable to see anything but stupid
tyranny In the ultfmatum that forbid i'll
tell you L endured misery unspeakable 1t
seemed SO cruel. with my ltfe's happiness
SO almost IN my grasp. to keep it from me-
amethyst crosses, Backgrounds. selected
saddle horses. doubt if when my hair Ia
white shall remember very well which of
them | wanted most. But ask me today
what l wanted most when I wore stubby
pig-tails. and I will tell You directly-the
Little Brown Table
l wanted it for one solid. silent year. It
was small and square and very low. with
Two small drawers with knobs. In shape It
was dachshund of a table and I can see
To-Day the litter Of pink stones and shells
That someone had put away in it. Oh, how
wanted 1t! used to squat for half hours
auoringiy In front of 1t, dreaming of what
life would be if 1t were mine. Why? don't
Know Why does one want anything? I
mad passion for 1t. simply. I used to think
now gladly I would lump everything else 1
owned and buy that little brown table with
II. A life naked of all else would be rich
and full with that table. 1 would have been
cast ashore on desert island Immediately
IL might furnish 1t with the table.
have given 1t to me If they had. They only
said: Don't scratch that little table, now.
w ny don't you go out doors and play some
thing! They were probably thinking what
a MN Py~n1 ut
nothing to do but to sit and look at little
table.
Now, of course, matters are different. II
l want a thing so much as that. I either
get 1t directly. on the ground that the strain
OF wanting 1T Is bad for my nerves, and
that It Is cheaper in the end; or say to
myself that 1t isn't half 50 nice as 1t looks.
nard to live up to. white elephant. and
that. anyway. as soon as / get 1t shall
be tired OF 1t and want something else as
badly. The general fact that, in one way or
another. sooner or alter an able and deter
mined person can get just about what he
wants in this world, is SOLDERING in itself.
Responsibility ballasts one.
But a child has no general facts to COM
fort him and no responsibility to save his
the face twenty times a day. They are
so senseless. the things he cannot do. They
are so cruelty alluring, the things he can
not have. He cannot say, "Ah, well, next
year at eillS tiHe, II VIII De all pn6 same.
TIL have another chance probably" Only
experience gives that perspective
And honestly, you know, 1t is precisely
that fierce capacity for instant desire,
that insistent blind determination that for
gets 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
naxims but you and I know that these,
though very good things. will never make
genius in this or any other world.
Do you realize that we treat geniuses
just as we treat children? That we spoil
them scold them and adore them and break
their hearts and misunderstood them gen.
orally and can't get along without them.
In precisely the same fashion? We are
always wondering why, with all their
inestimable blessings. they 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-moment unhappy lives. And we,
grown up and evenly balanced, sigh, "Ah,
you don't know how happy you arel Enjoy
1t while you can. Favorites Of the gods -
But now that have explained it to you,
you will recollect that the favorites Of the
gods held rather precarious positions.