Evening journal., 1910-08-17
His Secret
Ry NATHAN HARDY
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.


group-but as time wore on be was
gradually dropped by all except Alan
Wells and myself This was on &C.
count of the principles. or lack OF
principles. he advocated For instance.
be 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 II he could
do so without being detected.
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 bis 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 bis theory OF general seltshness
was by declining to spend his money
as we spent ours. When we asked him
what he did with his surplus change
he bald that he was keeping It 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 a man." said
one OF our set to me one day. who al
mits that he would rob or steal provid-
ed be was sure of not being caughtg"
'1n the case of 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 should consider that | did not
understand him."
mot understand him! Well. like
l.
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 it. If Oscar Poland ever
finds an opportunity to make himself
rich at anothers expense he'll do IT,"
They say business Is but iegalized
robbery"
My opinion Of you is that you're
tinctured with these fallacies your
self"
And so it was that some of our asso-
ciates came TO show some GOODNESS TO
Wells and me. who defended Poland,
Alan and | we're talking the matter
over one day. and Alan remarked thai
he wondered what Oscar did with his
money. There was certainly no evi
dence OF his boarding IL. and. as TO
spending II. he was considered too mean
to offer a friend a cigar. That same
evening we were walking along one OF
the principal streets OF the town when
suddenly Poland appeared anead of US
Lets shadow him." said Alan. I'VE
may End out something"
'If 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
20 keep oscar in sight. now and again
lodging behind a pair of steps or a
tree 10 keep him from observing US
Presently we saw him go into n dry
goods store. When he left the store
be carried a bundle under his arm. HC
kept on in his course. we following
His next stop was at a drug store.
"GOing to buy asafetida and take
a dose new and then when no one
sees him." Alan remarked.
One more stop and we had seen al
Of our quarry's purchases. He en-
tered a toy store.
81 have IT," exclaimed Alan. He:
married and running a family with
out the faculty knowing t."
perhaps you're right" I replied
I luz IudSt II StAAiuS luNtttoAluS'
Oscar left the toy store with NOR,
bundles and. turning of the main shop
ping street. pursued one that led into
a mean portion of the town.
"I hope" said Alan. "he isn't bring
ing up bis children in this location"
Presently Oscar stopped at the doc
Of a little cottage that was rottinI
away. It was opened for him. and h'
went inside.
''Our games blocked l said.
'sWait till he goes away"
So we waited half an hour. when Os
car left the house and strolled uncon
cernedly down the street He had n
sooner gone beyond recall than WI
Knocked at the door from which h
had emerged. A pale woman opene,
It.
"we're looking foe Oscar Poland
said Alan. entering without an invita-
ton.
Well. It was all out. Several littl
children Zone OF them I'm were there
Another was trying on some ney
clothing. and by the sick one on
table stood a bottle OF medicine.
We stayed long enough to discove
that this was one OF several poor fam
HES Oscar was caring for. then wen
away. shamed into a small gift OF on