The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-06-22
CONSOLATION NOT
THEIR LINE
Trying to Comfort a SorrowinR
Friend.

phases OF mentality, SAID new
Yorker. 81 would like to be able to
trace the operations of the mind
when 1t Is so confoundedly perverse
that 1t turns into the very channels
that you are seeking to avoid
Let me give you an instance. One
night last week eight men met in the
library of the home of a friend who
had just met with a great bereave.
ment. We had no concerted agree.
ment as to how we were to divert his
mind, but each one, | think, meant
to get as far from the track of trouble
as possible.
Every man in the circle of con
ISOLATION was a man of travel and
observation. Three of the party had
been around the globe three times.
Soon after we were assembled one
of the circle began to relate an ex-
perience of the day before. He had
been in a train wreck. Before he
realized It, / think, he was telling OF
death scenes he had Witnessed.
Before he finished he saw his mis-.
take and switched. He was doing
finely when the man at the end of the
table broke in with a that reminds
me- and before he had concluded he
was unreeling an experience he had
on the west coast of Africa when the
ship on which he was passenger
foundered.
HE stopped suddenly in the re.
cital OF the worst part of the story,
but not before he had told OF the cap
sizing of lfeboat. Every one in
that boat was lost
Immediately, to break the effect,
a recently returned traveller men.
toned that while he was in China
few weeks before, he had met one
known to all present
What was he doing In ChinaT
asked another.
"The. man to whom the question
was put replied: He was there with
his family. He was travelling for the
benefit of his daughters health.
|. She is beautiful girl followed.
Quite favorlte in large circle
Yes, she was. The saddest
funeral ever attended was hers. She
died the day before she was to sail
for home.
The lul' in the conversation was
painful. Our friend who had just suf-
fered the loss bowed his head. In
stantly another of the party, who had
up to that moment been silent, said
81 closed a deal to-day for a new
house, into which ] expect to move
as soon as few changes have been
made
This turned the talk into the real
estate channel. We were doing we'll
Values in various parts of the city
became the topic. Right in the midst
of II some one asked:
Did you sell your place to good
advantage?'
Financially yes, ! sold however,
reluctantly But after my sons long
sickness there, followed by his death,
all of us felt as II we never could
remain in the place where we had our
first SORROW
Another lull. Another shadow.
Another groan in the chair occupied
by our friend.
by the way broke in another
Of the little circle, 4 met Judge
Blank this afternoon. You all know
him
Every one present exclaimed at
once: Very we'll. Fine character
Splendid type
"'Hope he is doing well since his
rnt,tpn fn nVaott,a gatd
T He is going to California and
may conclude to remain permanently
TOO bad to lose such a man
This sentiment was echoed by all
present
"'But since he lost his wife, sis
ter and a brother-all within six
months-he is broken hearted man.
and wants TO get into a new country
"Well. that revived the shadows.
They simply had a walk around in
the room. Every man acted as II he
was afraid to open his mouth.
Some one in the room picked up
copy of Longfellow and opened It.
The talk turned to Longfellow. His
centenary was broached,
Read us one of his poems, said
some one, who thought that this was
the safe way out.
~ will read you my favorlte and
he began; There Is a reaper, whose
name Is Death
"He closed the book as II he had
received a shock. We were silent.
Just then fire engine dashed
through the street The FIRE was
around the corner. We all went to
the scene. Thsn we walked TO g
garage near by, hired car and took