The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-24
THE SECRET IGNORANCE

long list of initials after his name ana a
long. white beard. His work in philoiogy
is to this day spoken of with great re-
spect His studies in Elizabethan htera-
ture were profound. and his clear and
authoritative essays on the subject nave
Just been collected from the learned re-
views and republished. The Athena
cum speaks very well of them.
Doctor" he said to his medical at
tendant. 'am I dying?"
.-Nonsenser' said the doctor, irritably.
you've got quite good chance OF pull
ing through all right if you do what
you're told and don't worry And you've
been worrying.
How do you know that?'
Never mind 1t must be so; your mind
is not at ease"
NO" said the professor wearily; far
from it; very far from it
We'll" said the doctor cheerfully, you
must get over that. 1t can not be a
money matter"
NO" said the professor. my affairs
sre in order. leave enough behind me;
Jane is amply provided for.
''Of course, if it is in any way con-
nected with religion"
The professor smiled with tired superb
ority '.The few generalities which serve
me for religion-all that my reason per-
mits NE to accept-are not enough to
trouble me. And yet 1 own that it is by
my conscience that / am tortured. There
has been something hidden in my life"
II am not curious" said the doctor
''but If you think it would ease your
mind to speak of It I should strongly
recommend you TO do So Could you not
talk to your wife about it?"
The professor shook his head. mo,
no. he said. lit is one of the things
one of the many. many things-that Jane
could never by any possible chance un-
derstand. Perhaps. just at the last, I may
tell you. You will regard it as a Sc
cret?"
''There is no need to put such a ques-
tfon to a doctor. You may depend upon
me absolutely"
"Am I dying?' he asked again the next
morning.
''No, no." said the doctor, as he put
down his thermometer. But you're not
properly
NO" said the professor. I've slept
very little. How can L sleep with this
burden on my mind?"
The doctor shrugged his shoulders and
said nothing.
Come said the professor quickly, 'I
will tell you. The door is locked?" The
doctor turned the key and returned to
the bedside.
once" said the professor. 81 knew
woman"
It's always a woman" thought the
doctor to himself.
"A woman of the highest character-a
good mother, an excellent manager of
household. She gave away the prizes
at a girls school. l was there and saw
her. In conversation something aroused
my suspicious and I said, DO you know
the name of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer?' She said she did, but she did
not tell the name, and she blushed GRIM
SON
We'll, WELL said the doctor impa-
tiently. what has all this got to do
with it"
Her case is mine, except that mine is
much worse. There are a certain number
of things which everybody is supposed
body really knows of them. and that more
time is spent in trying to hide the ig-
norance than would he needed to acquire
the Information. But my own case is
black, indeed I am esteemed to be a
man of learning. a volume written by me
Is great event in the world of scholar
ship. / have been presented with the
honary degree of great university. and
was on that occasion complimented at
considerable length in a Latin Grafton,
Dead Sea Fruit
Come" said the doctor. Ignorance of
come little thing which everyone is sup
posed to know can not he regarded as an
unpardbnable crime. There is nothing to
worry about"
You do not know how black my case
is Listen His voice sank to a hoarse
whisper Il do not know-I never have
known for more than a moment at a
time-h how to spell the word seize -
But. really" said the doctor, zone
learns that kind of thing in the nur-
sery."
Some do said the professor. 1 never
did. l never could For the last thirty
years I have never even looked the word
=
knowledge will not stop. Two minutes
after I have seen IT l have forgotten it:
and /, sir. am a professor of languages.
AS / look back all my life seems to have
been filled with mean, cunning and dis
graceful subterfuges TO avoid spelling the
word seize. ! have written other words
when seize was the word ] really want
ed. Ny bitterest experience was with
Jane. / was explaining to her one day
that she did not understand anything
about anything and that it would be
good thing if she were better educated
She was writing a letter at the time. and
perhaps not paying sufficient attention to
what / was saying. At any rate she
looked up from her letter suddenly and
said. How do you spell seized George"
What did YOU do? Get out of the room
in a fit of coushing?"
mo; she might have suspected. told
her. 1 told her definitely and firmly. and
IL is extremely probable that / told her
wrong. l knew that the people who re-
ceived the letter would he too delicate to
speak of the mistake. But it is not the
way TO treat a Wife
His wife was with him when he died a
Few days later. He was only partially
conscious. His last words to her were.
Its either sci or size Barry Pain
In The Sphere
STRIKES IN RUSSIA.