The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-07-07

crossed the room to where the Rev.
! Mr.. Price stood talking with Miss
| Marsh-with whom had not had more
| than two or three minutes cOnyerSa-
ton, and that of formal sort, immedl-
ately on my arrival-but he adroitly
placed his tall. broad figure so as to
exclude her from my view, at the same
time showing her with much appar-
ent interest some jewel he held in his
hand, so that my purpose was for the
present defeated.
"Come here. Ernest" my uncle called
out; and l at once went to where he
was sitting with Mr.. Rosenberg and
Mr.. Dennis O'Connor, the three ap-
parently being engaged in some close
argument. What do you think we
were talking about?"
Cant say" replied; "some matter
of business. no doubt
"Now there you are wrong. 1t is
only on rare occasions we speak or
business out of the street, mean
| Wall street. No; we were discussing
Shakespeare-wh whether any one OF MS
plays is so much better than the rest
as to entitle it to be considered his
masterpiece; and if so, what partlcu-
lar play deserves such distinction
"You must remember" said Mr.. Ros-
enberg, that know Shakespeare only
in Schlegel's translation"
"And that have not read line OF
Shakespeare for about twenty one
years." added uncle Sam.
Hamlet is his finest play" I ven.
tured to observe.
Good; that is what 1 said" quoth
Mr.. Rosenberg triumphantly.
"Well, / don't think So" said uncle
Sam energetically, land am inclined
to accept Hamlet's definition of him
self, that he was a dull, muddy-mettled
rascal who didn't know his own mind,
or who had very little mind to know.
The whole play is nothing more than
an ingenious sermon against the lazy
habit of taking an afternoon nap, with
interesting examples Of the evils which
arose out of a particular instance"
"You have seen Hamlet per-
formed?" inquired, astonished at my
uncle's extraordinary opinion.
"Oh, yes, several times; by Irving
in London, Barnay in Berlin and Booth
in New York. And some years ago
l saw il performed by company OF
strolling players in mining town in
Colorado. The performance was given
in barn, and in the interval between
the first and second acts Hamlet and
Ophella danced to a jig-like melody
played on tin whistle by the King.
while Polonius and the Queen sold
whisky to the audience"
How horrible" l exclaimed, with
Hndisguised disgust. 1T would posi-
lively make me i'll to see the finest
production of human genius presented
in such fashion"
do you regard Hamlet as the finest
production of human genius?" asked
uncle Sam.
Undoubtedly. And for the second
best production of human genius l
should turn to another play by the
same hand"
well, I'm glad to find you've the
courage of your opinions; sometimes
I've felt disposed to kick you for your
invariable agreement with my re-
marks. Now think 'Timon Of Athens
Shakespeare's greatest play"
".Timon of Athensr why, it is not
much read, and seldom or never per-
formed. Surely you are jesting, un-
Gle. Why do you prefer it?"
Because it teaches a lesson which
many men spend the greater part Of
their lives in learning, and not a few
fail to learn at ALL"
What lesson is that, Mr.. Truman?"
inquired Mr.. Dennis O'Connor.
That no matter how great have been
the services OF a man to his country,
no matter how exceptional and varied
his ability, if he be without money the
world is either actively against him
or, what is worse, ignores him utterly.
In 'Timon of Athens Shakespeare
shows that Notwithstanding the multi
plicity Of creeds professed by men
the world over, money is the idol wOr-
SHIPPED by the vast majority Of man.
kind: and that, too, with devotion
unknown in the tabernacles Of the
hypocrites. Let him who doubts my
assertion study the faces Of the people
in an audience and the traders in a
bourse, and, having compared them,
note which set betrays most earnest.
ness of purpose
You observe other things besides
prices current, Mr.. Truman" re-
marked Mr.. Rosenberg.
Too exclusive devotion to art is
not conducive to success in it. I con-
slider all that passes before me-" re-
joined uncle Sam.
IF that is so, your protege, Arice,
will never become an American" said