The San Francisco call., 1904-02-15

RT CHARLES FREDERIC GOScs D. ~.
(Author OF s'The Redemption OF David Corson,
Etc)
tcopyrirht. 1904. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
There is always danger OF castigat-
ing an innocent party when one be-
comes a social critic. The pupils
Of one Of the head masters of
Eton declared, upon their words
OF honor" that he found a row
OF boys standing in his study one
morning, and, without a moments hes
itation. began TO thrash them with his
cane. They were too terrified 10 re-
monstrate until he had gone half way
down the line. when one OF them pluck
ed up courage enough TO falter out:
Please, sir, we're not up for punish
ment; we are the confirmation class"
Most OF the men upon whom the
blows I am about TO administer will
fall may prove to be domestic mod
els" but I must strike out with the
hope OF hitting a guilty one among the
innocent now and then.
There is a vicious circle in the rea-
soning OF the modern business man. i
want to make a happy home" he says.
"snd so must conduct a successful bust
nEEc. DuL OLAEL ~ CDll4uCA a SUI
cessful business must give myself to
Il body and soul" But by sacrificing
himself TO his business he renders him
self incapable OF making home.
And he does IL in this way: The best
energies OF his heart and mind are alb
sOrbed TO such a degree in the conduct
II some great commercial enterprise
that he has nothing to contribute TO do
mestic life when he comes home at
night like a squeezed orange.
The energies Of men are not like those
- a river. The water that turns the
wheel OF a factory is just as able to
arn that OF grist mill a quarter Of a
nile farther down the stream. But the
man who has poured out the last drop
Il his strength on the wheel Of his bust
ress simply goes home empty to his
family.
Among the most pitiful spectacles in
this world, put that OF the haggard,
exhausted man Of affairs sitting help
less and useless in the circle about the
fireside. II he is not so nervous and
fretful as TO forbid all merriment, he is
so used UP that he cannot enjoy il. II
he realizes his condition he decOrates
his face with smile. But it is at best
no better than a petrifaction. His
mind is not on the scene or the subject
His thoughts are down at the shop OF
the store. He scarcely hears the chill
dren when they speak.
Later in the evening his wife NAV
try 10 engage his attention upon some
problem Of the domestic life. Billy has
not been behaving well at school, OF
Mary is begging 10 take music lessons
or Bridget has just given notice." OF
most likely gone of without as much
as saying gOOd-by.
She does her best, poor woman, but
even while she is talking she knows by
the look Of his eye that his mind is
wandering.
PitifuI. isn't it2 What are we sgoine
10 DO about il? It's getting worte al
the time. There is so l.uch truth in
what the man says about the exac.
tiOns Of business that we cannot helT
pitying him. To succeed Cor even not
10 faiD a man must keep strained uT
like fddlestring. His competitor
are after him with a knife and toma.
hawk, day and night. II they would
only be reasonable-he could. Bui
they won't The whole pack are a:
mad as March hares, There seems L
be no middle way to-day A mar
must either get rich" or ''go broke.
and that in a mighty short hurry. H,
must either march at the head of th'
procession or get out OF the ranks en-.
tirely.
Nevertheless-the dilemma remains
This man must give more Tine TO his
home or he won't have any. Whai
he has now isn't a home. It's only
house. II he has to sacrifice one thing
y the other he had better sacrifice th'
business 10 the home than the hom'
20 the business. And IL he says, How
can you have a home without bust
ness2" the answer is, "A simpler hOml
with a less exacting business"
More love. more peace, more Of th'
bliss OF the freside is what this ag'
needs. Not more fine clothes and bob
tailed horses and long tailed gowns.