Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-10-03

MUCH WEAR
nothing could stay on 1t or was rotten,
crumbling in your fingers. and that
kind of bed will hold nothing.
Therefore Jim had sunk about fifty
prospect holes, got colors under the
grass roots as evidence that pay
should be there and nothing but ashy
waA beneath It
When a man Is alone and thinks
things are wrong optimism comes
down on the run, the shades of pessi-
mism gather fast and furious, more
especially If a man does his own cook
ing and the raw material Is limited. at
that.
The sun had not moved the shadows
three inches before Jim had reached
the conclusion that this world was all
a practical joke Of SO low an order
that no sensible man would even laugh
at It. and he drew q letter from his
pocket in proof thereof. 1t was thin
letter. written on delicate paper In a
delicate hand, and 1t showed much
wear. He read for the thousandtn
time:
Dearest Jim And again I must say
"no" OF course you will not understand,
for which foolish reason like you all the
better but you must try to take my point
Of view. You say that we can be marrieo
on nothing and take our chances.
So we can. old simple heart. but aren't
those chances all against us7 Would you
like TO be forced TO work In some office
for iust enough to live on? You know
vou would not, and you know how you
would suffer In such slavery.
Nevertheless we cannot live on air. ano
I doubt II / would stand transplanting to
the wild life you love better than you 10
4 clerks desk You have that fancy
which gilds the tin cans In the back yard.
I have that unfortunate eye which woulo
multiply their number by three and their
unsightliness by ten. don't want riches.
dear. / only want modest assurances
that I can have enough to live on.
Really Is your way Of doing guaran-
tee of even bread and butter7 In the
garden Of Eden you would be the most
delightful of companions. but In this
world as It Is you will not fight Tor your
own. You would risk your life to save
dog, but you couldn't stay at a continued
grind-I mean II would kill you actually,
physically dead. dead-to save all OF us.
At first I thought that fault IN you. bus
row. being older, having compared you
other men. l see It II merely miss'h
| faculty.
could stick to the desk and woui
| gladly II you would let mo. YET l sou.
L q did q
| he factory fire, which Is still the symoe
| in the town for manly courage and pres
| cnce Of mind.
They talk now Of the way you leugne
and ioked with those poor frightened girl
| v,ho had such good cause to be frightened
and brought them back to sanity with
est l feel that II had the least ator
Of heroism In me would marry you fo
that feat alone and let cold facts go'han1
but. ah. Jim, magnificent az you arc
the grand occasions, they come but se
dom. and in the meantime. Jim. III ieaS
that to your own honesty.
I'm plebeian, Jim. and you're . nopi'
man with a beautiful but emoarrassin
disregard for vulgar necessities.
However. can say this for nyself-ie
surely I may brag a little to my lover
can try to match your splendid physics
bravery by my own moral courage
Il You may rest your soul In peace on OF
roint-if / am not for you. I'm Tor 2
man, no. not 30 much az q half glance
the eye. I wouldn't hold myself q
more straitiy II I were your wife.
You'll be angry at this letter. We'll
stand your anger. ] have caused Il. ar
I'll bear the blame. ! know that We cou
: not be happy without some Visible mss'