The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-10-28
Copyright. 1901. by Upton sinelair)
CHAPTER x-(cOntinued),


would have told me of his poverty and
ohscurity, and of how l must give ZIP
my social career"
Il think differently perhaps" Mr..
Howard said. because l have lived
so much alone. / have come to know
that happiness is thing of ones own
heart and not of eXternals. the ques-
lions / should ask about a marriage
would not be OF wealth and position.
If YOU really wish 10 seek the precious
things OF the soul, l should think you
would be very glad 10 prove il by
some sacrifice; and / know that two
hearts are brought closer, and all the
memories Of life made dearer, by some
such trial IN the early days. People
sneer at love in a cottage. but / am
sure that love that could wish To live
anywhere else is not love. And as 20
the social career. a person who has
once come TO know the life OF the
heart soon ceases 10 care for any kind
OF life that is heartless; a social ca
rcer IS certainly that. and in compar-
is0n very vulgar indeed
Helen looked a little puzzled. and
repeated the word vulgar" inqutr-
ingly Mr.. Howard smiled.
THAT IS the word / always use when
am talking about high life." he said.
laughing. You may hurl the words
selfish and worldly at II all you
please. and never reach a vital spot;
hut the word vulgar goes straight TO
the heart
You must explain TO me why II is
that" said Helen, with so much ser
iousness that the other could not help
smiling again.
Perhaps / cannot make any one
else see the thing as I do" was his
reply. And yet II seems very simple
When man lives a while IN his own
soul, he becomes aware OF the exist
ence OF a certain spiritual fact which
gives life all its dignity and meaning.
he learns that this sacred thing de-
mands 20 be sought for. and worship
ed; and that the man who honors IL
and seeks II is to be hailed as gentle
man and aristoerat, and that he who
does not honor II and seek IL Is vulgar.
though he be heir 70 a hundred eRrls,
and leader OF all society, and lord OF
millions, Every day that one lives
In this presence that I speak Of lac
discovers a little more how sacred
thing is true nobility. and how imper-
men for the wealth they win, or for
the ribbons they wear. or for any
thing else IN the world. / fancy that
you, II you came once 10 love your
friend. would md il very easy 70 do
without the admiration of those who
30 to make up society. They would
come to seem 10 YOU very trivial and
cmutv people. and afterward. perhaps.
even very cruel and base
Mr.. Howard stopped. but then see
ing that Helen was gazing AZ him IN
quirinEIy once more he added, grave
ly: lone could he well content 20 let
vair people strut their little hour and
bee as wonderful as they chose If It
were not for the painful fact that they
are eating the bread of honest men,
ANA that millions are tOiling and
starving i'm order that they may have
ease and luxury. That IS such very
dreadful thing 10 know that some
times one can think of nothing else,
and il drives him quite mad
The girl sat very still after that,
trembling little i'm her heart finally
she asked, her voice shaking slightly,
MI. Howard, what can one do about
such things
they must always be; but at least
one can keep his own life earnest and
true. A woman who felt such things
very keeuIy might be an inspiration
10 "a man who was called upon to bat
ne with seIhshness and evil"
You are thinking Of Arthur once
rloree' asked the girl.
Yes" answered the other, with a
slight smile. 1T would be a happy
memory for me. 10 know that l had
been able to give YOU such an ideal
some Of these days, you see, l am
boping that we shall again have
po,-t With a conviction and voice. so
thar men may know that sympathy
and love are things as real as money.
I am quite sure there never was
nation So ridiculOusly sodden as our
own lust al present: all of our maXims
and ways of life are as If we were
the queer little Nibelung creatures
that dig for treasure in the bowels
of the earth. and see no farther than
the ends Of their shovelsi We live in
the CITY of God. and spend all our
time scraping the gold of the pave
ments. Your uncle told me this morn
ing that he did not see why boy
sboutd go 10 college when he can get
a higher salary if he spends the four
years in business. ! md that there
is nothing 10 do but 10 run away and
live alone if one wants really to be
Heve that man Is spiritual nature,
with an infinite possibility of wonder
and love, and that the one business Of
life is TO develop that nature by con-
tact with things about him, and that
every act of narrow selhshness ne
commits is veil which he ties about
his own eyes. and that when he has
tied enough OF them, not all the pearl
and gold OF the gorgeous East can
make him less a Bitiahie wretch.
Mr.. Howard stopped again and smH-
ed slightly. Helen sat gazing thought
fully ahead thinking about his way OF
looking at life, and how very strange
her own actions seemed I'm the light
OF H. Suddenly, however, because
throughout all the conversation
there had been another thought in her
consciousness, she glanced ahead and
urged the horse even faster. She saw
far in the distance the houses of the
place to which she was bound. and
she said nothing more. her companion
also becoming silent as he perceived
her agitation