The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-11-28

u want the truth, she declared. u
live by the truth. Nothing less will
do for me-"
My friend was sitting In her home
one day not long ago, when there came
ringing at her bell; and, as her one
servant was away for the afternoon
she herself answered the door. With
out stood an old man with kind eyes
and a cruel mouth---a very old man,
greatly wrinkled. and with a huge pack
on his back
II was sent here by neighbor," he
said, "who told me that had Just the
sort Of wares for which you cared the
most She said she thought | would
find you a generous purchaser
There was a curious accent In the
old mans speech which my friend
could not quite place. II was at once
familiar and unfamiliar, and she could
not tell whether she liked or disliked
e. But she babe him enter. Tor he
was old. and. besides. she thought he
might, indeed. have something that
she wished to buy.
MY wares" he said, "are very an.
Client Il would be difficult to fnd,any.
thing more antique"
Then | hope they are beautiful"
cried my friend, for have no use
for ugly things. no matter what their
history may be II Is only beauty
that can reconcile me to mold and tar
nish and business"
Some are beautiful and some are
grotesque." he said. But ! perceive
By looking about your rooms that you
have a fancy for the grotesque as wen
as the beautiful"
"One is the face. the other the OBJ.
verse of the coin.' said my friend.
But pray show me your wares"
So from his pack the old man with
the kind eyes and the cruel mouth
took many packages, wrapped and
tied with the cunning OF the old races.
4 am Merchant OF Truth" he de-
clared proudly. and these are my
wares. II you permit me | will show
you the contents Of this one, which
tells the truth about your home
oh" sighed the woman eagerly, III
you please,"
When he had undone the curious
wrappings. the old man took forth a
shining sphere OF crystal. and held II
before the woman so that she saw a
thing which the old man described in
this wise;
Your home" he said. rs badly
bull little house. standing In third.
rate suburb OF an ill-ordered city. II
Is much too expensive for the amount
Of comfort IL gives, and even so. Il is
not really yours 1t is mortgaged. and
you must pay interest as well as taxes
II Is never as clean as It should be.
by reason OF the mills aud factories
ncar at hand There Is much incon.
gruity In the furnishing and decora-
tiQn OF the rooms. and In winter some
OF these rooms are chilly and damp.
lp summer you have no garden to
which to retire II is. you percelve. a
poor place"
oh" caid the woman, hoy mis-.
taken you arel | see truly, the things
OF which you speak. but do you not
appreciate that here is the ,dooe al
which bid my friends welcome, And
within Is my Are. burning sweetly ON
the hearth. There is my bed where I
sleep 80 deliciously. there the dear
window at which the dawn looks
In. Here Is my kitchen where cook
the food by which we live. and here is
the table at which we eat It. with talk
and laughter. and even, when we are
so disposed. with song. Everything I'm
this house belongs TO me. NV bus.
band bought these thingn and gave
them to me-except such as are the
gifts OF friends. can walk about the
rooms and Put my hands on this and
on that and tell you the most beautiful
stories imaginable about the friends
who gave me these things. II Is curl
GUS. but know OF no one who has
such friends as |. Really. this place.
which looks so poor as reflected in
that sphere and In your words. stands
TO me for ome--home--home!" She
sighed with happiness.
The cruelty deepened about the old
mans mouth and the kindness glowed
In his eyes.
You mean. he said. shat this com.
mon place is Symbol OF Home. In
this respect. perceive II Is not Truth
which you desire. but the Symbol. II
Ia the possession OF that which makes
you content. But come. perhaps
t.v. arx..fbi,o .....-. a.. .,..... tlt.f..
Here. madam, is the portrait OF your
husband as he is" And he undid an
other wrapping and held up another
sphere.
There she saw Swallowed forth the
figure OF mana man small OF stat.
ure. inefficient In his actions, petulant.
narrow. affectionate. fairly honest,
rather discouraged; a man with no
strong passions. no deep or original
thoughts. no brave sins. no capacity
for great sacrifices. Yot one going
faithfully his quiet way. returning all
ways TO his homo at night, and. In his
pallid fashion loving his wife. though
often forgetting TO tell her 30 by word
or look
you sect cried the Merchant OF
Truth. ~Thls is a very revealing little
trinlEet II will, II looked at often
enough. liberate you from that domes-
tic servitude which You now endure
with maudlin patience. Will you buy
IN"
mo, indeed" cried the woman IN.
dlgnantly THAT man is the only one
who ever kissed me on the lips
remember well the FIRST time he did
80 II was at sunset In beautiful
grove. The golden Hight fell down be-