The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-07-26
His Secret
By NATHAN HARDY
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

contained Oscar Poland-at least Pc
land was at one time member Of our
group-but as time wore on he was
gradually dropped by all except Alan
Wells and myself This was on ac-
count of the principles. or lack or
principles. he advocated For instance
be asserted that the Spartan cod..-
that the criminality attached to steal
Ing was in getting caught would APP
ply IN most cases today. He de,.iarcd
that be would rob any one il he could
do so without being detected.
When Poland gave US such ideas a.
this at FIRST We laughed al him. telling
him that be 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 lis p"s>inism was but skin
deep. The uuit way we could see tie
proved Ills Theory of general Seiti>nueSS
Was by drs!niH" 10 spend his n'"uey
as we spent ours. When we asked him
what he did with his surplus change
he said that he was keeping ii for his
own use. You fellows" be would
say. don't spend money on each other
because you wish TO. but because you
are afraid of being considered Mean if
you don't Ergo. you are mean. Nev-
ertheless will admit that there may
be some generosity in your case. for
you do spend your money. while |. 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 a man." said
one Of our set to me one day. who aG
mits that he would rob or steal provid-
ed he was sure Of not being cauCht?'
I'm the case of a common thief who
practiced what he preached" replied.
Il would think him an element OF So
ciety that should be so far as possible
eliminated. In the case of Oscar po-
land l should consider that did not
understand him."
Not understand him. Well. 1 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 be has been born
blind to principle the same as another
has been born blind to coiors, lake
my word for it. if Oscar Poland ever
finds an opportunity TO make himself
rich at another's expense hell do it.
They say business is but legaliZed
| robbery"
My opinion Of you is that you re
tinctured with these fai!acicS Your
self"
And so it was that some Of our ;iSSo-
ciates came to show some GOODNESS to
Wells and me. who defended Poland
Alan and l were talking the matter
| over one day. and Alan Remarked that
he wondered what Oscar did with his
money There was certainly 10 evi-
| dence OF bis boarding it. and. as 10
spending it, he was considered TOO mean
to offer q friend cigar That 81 me
evening we We're walking along one OF
the principal streets Of the town when
suddenly Poland appeared ahead OF us.
| may find out something
IF thought for IL moment We should
discover something that would com
promise him | would decline. As it l.
I'm with you"
So we Jagged behind just far enough,
| to keep Oscar in sight. now aud again
lodging behind pair Of steps or Il
| tree to keep him from obser> Ing Us.
| Presently we saw him go INTO Il dry
goods store. When he left the store
be carried bundle under his arm. h
! kept on in his course. We following
His next stop was at Il drug store.
Going to buy aSafetda and take
a dose now and then when no one
sees him. Alan remarked.
| One more stop and we had seen all
Of our quarry's purchases. He en-
tered a toy store.
Il have it," exclaimed Alan Hes
married and running II family with
out the faculty knowing it,"
! "PerhapS You're right" | replied
THE chase is getting interesting"
Oscar left the toy store with more
bundles and. turning of the main shop
I ping street. pursued one IllIt leu lit
a mean portion of the town.
II hope" said Alan. he isn't bring
ing up his children in this location
| Presently Oscar stopped az In" dnoi
Of a little cottage that WAS rottin2
away 1t was opened for him. and hC
| went inside
| Our games blocked" | said.
wait till ne goes away"
So we waited half m hour. when OS
car left the house and StruIlcd uncon
| cernedly down The street. H. had II
| sooner gone beyond recall than We
| knocked AT the door from which 1T
had emerged. 4 pale. woman uTaGeC
It.
We're looking for Oscar Poland.
said Alan. entering without an invita-
ton
Well. it was all out. Several little
children Zone Of them i'll We're there
Another was trying on some new
clothing. and by the sick one ~ ;
table stood I bottle OF medicine.
| We stayed long enough To discover
that this was one of several poor fam
lilies Oscar was caring for. then wen
away. sham.d into a small gift of on
own.
But we never told him or any on,
else we had his secret