Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-09-30

sidered as entirely confidential. You
may be at east on that point"
The stranger hesitated moment,
and took out his watch. Presently he
looked up and nodded
II will do it," he said. ITS two
hours till Bob Hilson is due, SO my
story will help pass the time. Besides,
it's the kind of thing that begins to
weigh on one and call for utterance.
Not that am beginning to become
conscience-smitten, for that is not the
case. | merely feel that have an un-
usual story which | would like to tell
somebody, and you will serve better
than another. What your opinion will
be when l have finished | won't at
tempt to say. Perhaps you will feel
that you have criminal before you;
that will be wholly matter of view.
For my part, | believe myself entirely
justifiable in all my actions. But will
give you the story.
William Morley, Bob Hilson and
first met at college. We were class
mates, all engaged in the same sort of
work and after the first term had
rooms together. Philosophy, in all its
phases and aspects, formed our COM
mon meeting ground. We read and dis
cussed the theories on life, death, i'm
mortality, religion, and kindred sub
jects advanced by the greatest phil
osophers of both ancient and modern
times, and out of this heterogeneous
and conflicting mass we picked those
principles the practical application of
which later had such great influence
on our lives. During the same period
we read Herbert Spencer and Robert
lngersoll, and the writings of many of
the greatest modern free-thinkers. AS
we read we assimilated and thought
for ourselves, until at the time of our
graduation our opinions had reached a
clearness and solidity, and had at
tanned an individuality of their own.
That mans first duty is to himself, and
the development of the individual as
opposed to society were but minor
points in our creed. The greater ques-
tions OF life, death. religion in it's vari-
GUS forms, and the immortality of the
soul we had settled, as it seems to me.
in the only logical and sensible way
possible. However, | am not telling
you this to convert you to atheism, al
though 1t is belief you must come to
if you ever really study the question.
This is only brief outline of the life
philosopsy my two friends and | had
become settled on at the time of our
graduation, but perhaps these few
words will make clearer to you what is
to follow.
Neither of the three of us was
wealthy, and that fact caused our
greatest and bitterest disappointment.
Had one possessed money the others
would have shared it. AS it was, we
were all forced to forego the pleasures
that, had they been ours, would have
meant the best part of life to us. This
lack of means became such a cross
that we used to discuss the widest
plans for the gaining of wealth. But
nothing ever came of our schemes, and
when we left college our chances of
becoming rich were as small as ever.
The night after graduation we gath.
cred in our common study. Each of us
was dissatisfied, not one knew what he
would do out in the world, and life
seemed, all considered, but a sorry
thing. After some discussion we de-
cided to have reunion at the end of
five years. In the meantime we were
to hold no communication with each
other. Each was to carry on his own
work, and If one proved successful we
would all enjoy what we were pleased
to call his good luck. With that agree
ment, and New York chosen as a meet
ing place, we separated
II went to Chicago and first tried
newspaper work. But didn't succeed.
Day and night toiled and with it all /
could only keep up bare existence. /
grew bitter against the world in those
years, and many times l was on the
point of suicide. With my views On
death l had no fear of the act: it was
only the thought of our reunion that
kept me at the slavery.
by extra effort and close economy
| got together enough money to buy a
ticket to New York, and when the day
iNAOuhu ilC III lIdl city. Morley
had been there all the while. and Hill
son came in the following day from
Washington.
After we had exchanged greetings
and looked each other over there was
little to say The story of each was ap-
parent without words Plans were pro-
posed, but one after another they were
rejected. Finally Morley, who had not
spoken for some time, rose and began
to pace the room. Hilson and | ceased
talking and waited. 1t was an old trick
of Morley's and 1t invariably meant
that he had something unusual in
mind. After time he stopped and
faced us.
81 don't know how 1t has been with
you two he began, but I'll tell you
how things have gone with me. l have
made complete failure in life. | am
poorer than when | left college. and |
have no leisure, no pleasure, nothing
that makes life worth living. | would