The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-02-01

deep reflection May be vas to ce-c-
monious," he admitted presently,
Nov what are you snicKering at.
That is at least better THAI being too
touchingly grateful. AS il, poor in
firm worm that you are, no one ever
did you kindness"
l know what Jason means. He
means what call the "sick voice"
That languid utterance, that pathetic
cuaver. And the extra benevoien,
compassionate tone of the visitor j.
as Objectionable as the whine of the
visited. have a worthy friend who
possibly owes to long invalidhood her
trick of pulling out the pathetic stop
She annoys me more than Tunkintel'
by her note of commiseration to where
there is nothing to commiserate When
she says in her die-away manner:
"How terribly hard it must be for you
to stand this hot weather. dear"
anewer with all the energetic delight |
can summon "Oh, l revel in it, Isn't
it perfectly delicious!" That discon-
certs her some.
When father has sick spell he is
very easily frightened about himself
Mr.. Romney, from next door comes in
and sympathizes with him; sits on the
ground and tells sad stories of the
death of kings, as it were. He has al
ways known some one with precisely
fathers complaint.
Seems as if your trouble was the
same as Julius Morgan's: he had just
that queer kind of pain. Right there,
isn't it? Yes: exactly where Morgan's
hurt him. Didn't see a doctor at once:
didn't think much Of it at first, you
know Doctor asked how long he'd
had it: looked grave; didn't say much
though. Of course the doctor knew
from the beginning that he couldn't
do anything. Sent Julius to bed. Well
sir! in three days he was dead.'
What perversity impels we'll peopls
to tell dire tales to the sick, and sick
people to compare symptoms with one
another? Nothing can be worse thar
the condolences that go on in hospi-
tails when convelascents get together
unless it is the experiences a trained
nurse unfolds at times. without realiZ
ing that what is to her an interesting
scientific fact, is to her lis eHers {
been through some operation ane
talked OF nothing else all the rest OF
her life. This was the mos import
ant, the most dramatic episode of her
mortal career, and she gave you its
full details at breakfast, luncheon and
dinner.
That is where Christian Science is
wise. 1t doesn't allow that kind Of
atmosphere about its devotees. II
doesn't admit the possibility of illness
and that goes long way towards a
cure.
"Oh. if you are going to talk CHI; is
tan Science" said Jason, getting to
his feet, as if to move on. There is
no denying that Jason is man of pre-
JUDGES. l think Clarissa signalled tc
him that he might be treading on Mrs.
Gushcr's toes. for he dropped back,
saying, Would that they could cast
that element out of literature. From
Sunday school heroes that die and go
to heaven up to Tolstoy. After reading
Ivan Hitch felt as though had gone
| through dissolution"
"Oh. and Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
| agreed Cla-issa. And now-weu.
daresay Mrs. Wharton has some suffi-
cling artistic reason for the horrors she
has been taking us through but"
| From this on we talked book talk
Jason really is clever at turning the
| conversation when he chcos cs.-Fronl
| the House Beautiful.