The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-01-26

some, trannical and terrible. Now
that he feels the approach OF death
he would make his peace with God.
But he has delayed the matter too
long. He didn't realize in youth
and middle life that he was prepar-
ing for old age.
Man is the result of cause and
effect, and the causes are to ii de-
gree i'll our hands. Life is fluid,
and well. has it been called the
stream OF lifc-we are going. flow
ing somewhere.
Strip Ivan OF his robes and
crown and he might be an old farm
or and live in Ebcnezer.
Every town ana village has its
Ivan.
To be an Ivan just turn your
temper loose and practice cruelty ON
any person OF thing within your
reach and the result will be sure
preparation fer a UuCrulous, quar-
rclsome. pickcty, simplify, fussy and
foolish old age. accented with many
outbursts of wrath that are terri
bic III their futility and ineffective
ness.
Babyhood has no monopoly on
the tantrum.
The characters of King Lear and
Ivan the Terrible have much in
common. One might almost be
lievG that the writer of Ivan had
felt the inComplct" oG Lear and
had seen the ubsurdity of making
melOdramatic bid for sympathy in
behalf Of this old man thrust cut by
his daughter.
Lear, the troublesome, Lear 10
whose timber tongue there were
constantly leaping words imprint
able and names OF tar. deserves no
soft pity in our hands. All his liz"
he had been training his three
daughters for exactly the treatment
il, was 10 receive.
All his life Lear had been lubri-
eating he chute that was 90 gil.
him quick ride out into the mid
U.gh; storm.
Oh. how much sharpe ina" "
scrpcut's tooth It's t. hav,
,hanl,lya, child" ia, cries
There is something qui,c as bad
aa q jnanhless child. ana that is "a
thau!,!cas parent an ira,c. ;ra5r.
bic p"rcu; who possesses an under
ground yocabulur, and " disppsi-
;iCH 10 us" IL.
The false note in Lear lies in
giving him Il daughter like Cordcl-
ii, IolstOy'S portrayal rings true
and Ivan the Terrible is what Nc
is without apology. excuse or cN-
PLANTATION. Take il or leave tiff
you do not like plays OF this kind
50 with me to vaudeville.
Mansfield's Ivan was terrible. The
ear is not old i'll ycars-not over
seventy--but you can see that
Death is shifting close upon his
track. Ivan has lost the power to
repose. He cannot listen, weigh
and decide. He has no thought or
consideration for any man or thing.
This is his habit of life.
Glimpses OF Ivan's past are given
I in his jerk confessions. He is the
| most miserable and unhappy of men,
and you behold chat he is reaping
as he has sown.
All his life he has been preparing
for this. Each day has been a pre-
paration for the next. Ivan dies in
a fit of wrath, hurling curses on his
family and his court-dies in a fit
into which he has been purposely
tauntcd by a man who knows that
the outburt is certain to kill the
weakened monarch.
Where does Ivan the Terrible go
when death forecloses the mort
gage.
l know not. But this ] believe.
No confessional can absolve him;
no God forgive him. He has damn
ed himself and he began the work
in youth. He was getting ready all
his life for this old age, and this
old age was getting ready for the
fifth act.
The playwright does not say so,
Mansfield does not say so. but this
is the lesson: Hate is a poison,
wrath is a toxin, sensuality leads to
death, clutching selfishness is a
lighting to the fires of hell. II is
feet
If you are ever absolved you
must absolve yourself for no one
else can.
And the sooner you begin the
letter.