The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-04-21

possible, However, / am not telling
you this to convert you to atheism, al.
though 1t is a belief you must come to
II you ever really study the question.
This is only brief outline OF the life
philosopsy my two friends and had
become settled on at the time OF our
graduation, but perhaps these few
words will make clearer to you what is
to follow.
Neither of the three Of us was
wealthy, and that fact caused our
greatest and bitterest disappointment.
Had one possessed money the others
would have shared It. As it was, we
were all forced to forego the pleasures
that, had they been ours. would have
meant the best part of life TO us. This
lack of means became such a cross
that we used to discuss the widest
plans for the gaining of wealth. But
nothing ever came of our schemes, and
when we left college our chances of
becoming rich were as small as ever,
The night after graduation we gath.
cred in our common study, Each of us
was dissatisfied, not one knew what he
would do out in the world, and life
seemed, all considered, but sorry
thing After some discussion we de-
cided to have a reunion at the end of
five years. In the meantime we were
to hold no communication with each
other Each was to carry on his own
work, and if one proved successful we
would all enjoy what we were pleased
to call his good luck. With that agree
ment, and New York chosen as a meet.
ing place, we separated.
Il went to Chicago and first tried
newspaper work. But didn't succeed.
Day and night toiled and with it all |
could only keep up bare existence.
grew bitter against the world in those
years, and many times | was on the
point of suicide. With my views on
death l had no fear of the act: it was
only the thought of our reunion that
kept me at the slavery.
by extra effort and close economy
| got together enough money to buy
ticket to New York, and when the day
arriveditfound me in that city. Morley
had been there all the while, and Hill
son came in the following day from
Washington
After we had exchanged greetings
and looked each other over there was
little to say. The story of each was ap-
parent without words. Plans were pro
posed, but one after another they were
rejected. Finally Morley, who had not
spoken for some time, rose and began
to pace the room Hilson and ceased
talking and waited. 1t was an old trick
of Morley's and it invariably meant
that he had something unusual in
mind. After a time he stopped and
faced u.s.
d" I don't know how it has been with
you two,' he began, but III tell you
how things have gone with me. have
made a complete failure in life. | am
poorer than when left college, and |
have no leisure, no pleasure, nothing
that makes life worth living. / would
have stopped it long ago with an ounce
of poison, but / waited for this re-
union l thought one of you might
succeed, and in that case knew there
would be an end of hardship for the
others. But you see yoU have both
turned out much as have And ina
CINE you have both thought of the
same solution and have only deferred
it for this reunion. Am | right?
"Hilson and ] nodded together. Nor
ley went on;
$50 we are together on that. I'm
less we can have some of its comforts
and pleasures life means nothing to
us. Death is preferable, and with our
views we do not fear to die. | have a
plan by which two of us can get some
pleasure out of what remains of life,
while the third will merely do what we
shall all do otherwise. My plan is this.
We shall choose by chance one from
our number, who will have his life in.
sured for fifty thousand dollars. We
shall all together pay the premium on
this policy for one year, and at the end
Of the year the insured man will COM
init suicide, The two living will then
divide the fifty thousand dollars equal
ly between them, OF course you un-
derstand why year is necessary; the
company would contest payment for