The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-07-22
His Secret
BY NATHAN HARDY
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

II AesNNlAllNN- III
When | was at the university the
set Of students to which l belonged
contained Oscar Poland-at least Pc.
land was at one time a member Of our
eroup-but rs time wore on he was
gradually dropped by all except Alan
Wells and myself This was on ac.
count of the principles. or lack of
principles. he advocated. For instance,
he asserted that the Spartan code
that the criminality attached to steal
ing was in getting caught-would APP
ply in most cases today, He declared
that he would rob any one if he could
do so without being detected. d.
When Poland gave us such ideas as
this at FIRST we laughed at him. telling
him that he didn't believe what he
said. But pessimists are never popular,
and one by one his friends dropped
away from him. AS have said. Wells
and | stuck to him, feeling all the
while that his pessimism was but skin
deep. The only way we could see he
proved his theory Of general seldshness
was by declining to spend his money
as we spent ours. When we asked him
what he did with his surplus change
he said that he was keeping 1t for his
own use. You fellows" he would
say, don't spend money on each other
because you wish TO, but because you
are afraid Of being considered mean II
you don't. Ergo. you are mean. New
ertheless | will admit that there may
be some generosity in your case, for
you do spend your money. while l, who
do not spend mine, show myself to be
absolutely mean and SELFISH
This would start anew arguments
that had already been worn thread
bare, and at the end of every argu-
ment Poland would lose another
friend.
"What do you think of man." said
one Of our set to me one day, who ad-
mits that he would rob or steal provid-
ed he was sure OF not being caught"
an the case OF a common thief who
practlced what he preached | replied.
II would think him an element of So
ciety that should be so far as possible
eliminated. In the case OF Oscar Po-
land | should consider that | did not
understand him"
"Not understand him. Well. like
that. The more fool you If you should
leave funds within his grasp that he
could take without being detected.
| tell you the man who declares such
ideas shows that he has been born
blind to principle the same as another
has been born blind TO colors. Take
my word for II. II Oscar Poland ever
finds an opportunity to make himself
rich at another's expense he'll do it,"
"They say business is but legalized
robbery"
my opinion Of you is that you're
tlnctured with these fallacies your
self"
And so ii was that some Of our asso-
ciates came TO show some GOODNESS to
Wells and me. who defended Poland.
Alan and | were talking the matter
over one day. and Alan remarked that
he wondered what Oscar did with his
money. There was certainly no evil
dence of his boarding Il. and. as TO
! spending Il. he was considered too mean
to offcr n friend a cigar. That same
evening we were walking along one OF
the principal streets Of the town when
suddenly Poland appeared ahead Of us
Lets shadow him" said Alan. I'VE
may find out something"
"lf thought for moment we should
discover something that would com
promise him would decline. As It is
I'm with you"
So we Jagged behind Just far enough
TO keep oscar In sight. now and again
lodging behind pair Of steps or q
tree TO keep him from observing us
Presently we saw him 20 into a dry
goods store When he left the store
he carried a bundle under his arm. lie
kept on In his course. we following
His next stop was at drug store.
Going TO buy asafetida and TAX,
a dose now and then when no on,
sees him" Alan remarked.
One more stop and we had seen al
Of our quarry's PURCHASES. He en-
tered a toy store.
Il have IT," exclaimed Alan. "He',
married and running n family with
out the faculty knowing IT,"
Perhaps you're right replied
"The chase Is getting interesting"
Oscar left the toy store with NOR
bundles and. turning or the main shon
ping street. pursued one that led int
n mean portion OF the town.
II hope" said Alan. "he isn't bring
ing up his children In this location"
Presently Oscar stopped at the doc
OF little cottage that was rottin
away. II was opened FOR him. and b
t, went inside.
sour games blocked" said.
"Wait till he goes away"
So we waited half an hour, when O'
car left the house and strolled uncor
eernedly down the street He had n
sooner gone beyond recall than W
| knocked at the door from which h