The Meeker herald., 1906-01-13

E2u) TO hear, but 1 saw him color
up, ne took no notice of me, when i
left the club just behind him, till l
touched him on the arm.
You heard what l said about your
book?" remarked.
YES" he said. Il heard. I knew
you hadn't seen me, SO you needn' t
apologize"
NO" said. 81 didn't see you. but
wasn't going to apologize. 1t is a
bad book" l looked at him, but he
would not look ut me.
"Its true to life" he asserted.
"And what has that TO do with t."
asked There's poison, but you
needn't give 1t to people"
People needn't take my poison nm
less they like. Apparently they do.
It's run to $4,000 already"
II am sorry you are poisoning so
many"
''It isn't my fault il life is poisonous.
didn't make 1t what it is"
You're helping to make it what it
will be. People can't touch pitch. or
read it, without the usual conse-
quences"
you've no right to call it that" he
protested. There's nothing coarse or
repulsive in the book"
THAT'S why condemn 1t! Vice that
looks like vice only appeals to the
vicious. Vice that looks like virtue
contaminates the virtuous."
Il didn't invent the yirtuous looking
vices; only described them as found
them
You didn't describe them as vices"
preaching isn't my business - or
yours
'Photogrnphing vices in fancy cos
tunes is the devils business" told
him. 1.-The things that you force upon
peoples notice wouldn't enter the mind
of good man--if there is such per-
son. Anyhow, there are good women.
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 their eyes. Would
your mother"
Grafton" he interrupted.
Good women are the same in all
generations. Well take one of the
present day. Would your Wife"
He grasped my arm roughly.
Il won't discuss my wife," he said
sharply.
I'm not discussing your wife. I'm
discussing you. l was fond of your
father, Brand, and I've known you
Siurp liftIn r1, tn,
coats. You used to play with the dogs
head on my stick. suppose didn't
know you all the time. / never sus-
pected you had it in you TO write as
you do, or that you would if you could
You can write. There's no doubt
about it. The less excuse for wasting
your powers on these men and wom-
en- stories.'
II shall be grateful IL you can dis
cover third sex to write about" he
observed.
Men and women are good 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. | don't say You
can give MS all good. They wouldn't
be real men and women if you did. but
take the writer's privilege and give
us something just n little better than
poor humanity"
II can't make humanity what it
isn't"
You can avoid making 1t worse"
'There's no harm in the book" he in
sisted doggedly.
MY boy, there is. Don't take my
word. I'm an old man; old enough
for sin to be saltless. / haven't been a
saint, either but I've been an honest
sinner. ! never passed off wrong for
right even TO myself. Ask one of your
own generation. Ask laid my hand
on his shoulder--''ask your wife il she
would like to have written that book .
He stopped walking and made II
queer little gulp i'll his throat. His
wife was bold card TO play against
him. for she was q colorless little per
son-some one had called her "the lit
tie gray woman'-and. l knew of no
reason why he should value her opin-
ion, except that lie had married her.
As she couldn't have won him by her
looks or external attractions. credited
her with some charm of character.
my wife is proud of my books" lie
said. after he had wiped his face with
his handkerchief.
You're wife is proud of you. She
takes your hooks or trust--blind trust.
t you put her instinct as woman to
the test - her instinct as a good
woman"
Il won't discuss her. / say He
raised his voce angriiy. You can say
what you like about me-
Then l say that you are doing the
hpyirR dirty ,ynrl. Tn, ap pIJ ,it;,a,,