Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-12-06

I'D novel. He pretended not
Cs5ll NEsgl to hear, but Isaw him color
up. ne took no notice of me, when
left the club Just behind him, till
touched him on the arm.
You heard what l said about your
book:' I remarked.
Yes" he said. Il heard. knew
you hadn't seen me-. so you needn't
APOLOGIZE"
NO" L said. Il didn't see you. but
| wasn't going to apologize. 1t is Il
bad book I looked at him, but lie
would not look at me.
Its true to life" he asserted.
"And what has that to do With it?' |
asked. There's poison, but you
needn't give il to people,
People needn't take my poison I'M
less they like. Apparently they do.
It's run to $4,000 already"
4 am sorry you are poisoning SO
many"
at isn't my fault if life is poisonous.
l didn't make it what it is"
"Yo-re helping to make it what it
will be. People can't touch pitch. or
read it, without the usual conse-
quences."
you've nc right to call it that" he
protested. There's nothing coarse OF
repulsivc in the book"
That's why | condemn it. Vice that
looks like vice only appeals to the
vicious. Vice that looks like virtue
communicates the virtuouS."
Il didn't invent the %virtuous looking
vices; only described them as l found
them
You didn't describe them as vices"
"Preaching isn't my business or
yours
"Photographing vices in fancy cos
tunes is the devils business" l told
him. The things hat you force upon
peoples notice wouldn't enter the mind
of a good man-if there is such Il per
sol Anyhow. there are good wonen
and they don't suspect that problems
like those in Your book exist
"They can't help seeing them unless
they shut their eyes"
Then they shut thei- eyes. Would
your MOTHER
My mother belonged to 4 past gen
Grafton" he Interrupted.
Good women are the same in all
generations. Wen take ore OF the
present day. Would Your wife,
He srasped my arm roughly.
Il wont discuss my wife" he said
sharply.
I'm not discussing your wife. I'm
discussing YOU. l was fond OF your
since You were 4 little chap in petit
coats. You used to play With the dogs
head Oh my stick. l suppose l didn't
know you all the time. | never sus-
pected you had it in you to write rs
You do, or that you would if you could.
You a write. There's no doubt
about it. The less excuse for wasting
your powers on these men and Wom-
en- stories"
Il shall be grateful if you can dis
cover a third sex to write about" he
observed.
+IVl anu NOLlSll axe SOOu enough
to write about, if you write about the
good in them. You only give us the
bad-Adam and Ewes legacy that man
hood and womanhood have fought
against since Eden. 1 don't say you
can give us all good. They wouldn't
DE real men and women if you did, but
take the writer's privilege, and give
us something just a little better than
poor humanity"
Il can't make hnaianity what 1t
isn't"
You can avoid making it worse"
"There's no harm in the book be in
sisted doggedly.
My boy. there is. Don't take my
word. I'm an old man; old enough
for sin to be saltless. l haven't been a
saint, either, but I've been IN honest
sinner. l neve passed Off wrong for
right. even 10 myself. Ask one of your
own generation. Ask"-I laid my hand
on his shouldcr-'ask your wife if she
would likb to have written that book"
He stopped walking and made Il
queer little gulp in his throat. His
wife was L bold card to play against
him, for she was a colorless little per-
son-some one had called her "the lit
tie gray woman'--and | knew of 10
reason why he should value her opin-
ion. except that he had married her.
Els she couldn't have won him by her
looks or external attractions. 1 credited
her with some charm of character.
My wife is proud of my books" he
said, after he had wiped his face with
his handkerchief.
You're wife is proud of you. She
takes your books on trust-blind trust.
Ii You put her instinct as a woman to
the test - her instinct as a good
II won't discuss her. l say" HI
raised his voice angrily. "You can say
what you like about me-"
Then I say that you are doing the
devils dirty work. I'm an old either