The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-11
FATAL MOONGA2ING.


a tragedy is frequently of sort that Is
particularly deplorablo because Of It's utter
lack Of reason. Some things are irremedabe.
but they are far fewer than those to whom
they happen 20 think at the time. When a life
goes smash over some OF the rare ineFita-
bilites. there is sort Of justification In the
issue. Not so. where the climax comes as q
bit OF petulant Impotence In such instances
the waste in some way seems to overshadow
the catastrophe
or such are ali those 9everish brainstorms
of youth. where love or its counterfeit takes 20
potentially happy young lives are snuffed cut
for the sake of what may be no mora than n
nervous indigestion, or such are all those
murders and suicides where men and women,
unable TO live together IN peace. Kill one
another out of what can only be described
as piuue, OF such are all embezzlements for
infstuation or display, and hundred other
similar foliies that go to mako up the daily
record OF crime and temporary insanity. In
erary such tnstsrce. the deed done could AS
well as not have been postponed II post
poned, in ninety-nine cases out OF q hundred
II would never have been done. In practically
every instance tho psychology Of the matter
Is that of an enlarged eooi Could there be
a sort OF National instruction in the relative
Iinsignincance of the individual there might
be considerable lowering of the death rate
from violent causes
For supreme folly. however commend us 20
the New Orleans youth who wrote a play. sent
Il TO New York. and killed himself when It
came back. Had this impetuous genius taken
the trouble TO cruise about the newspaper Of
fees, ne would, have found men in plenty who
had been In his peculiar deep waters and had
survived with very fair imitation OF cheer
70 mess. Had he taken the trouble to invite
the confidence OF almost any high school Sradu-
ate since graduated in life Insurance, or whole>
sale grocerying. or numerous other. gainful
professions he would have discovered that
the world In full of busted geniuses turned
into useful and productive citizens. Espe-
cially in the matter of plays there is scarcely
La cub reporter who has not produced his
masterpiece Some newspaper plants and
magazines will not employ anyone who has
not already worked his play OFF his chest. II
every budding Shakespeare nipped by the
frost OF rejection az his manuscript should
forthwith scatter the brains tho world refuses
over the nice bedspread In the ballroom the
boarding houses would be- shambes.
This is the commencement season, and
Spring is left but little way behind TO all
our young friends who feel bubbllug OF poesy
as OF bromo-seltzer in their midst. who are
harborlng new plots and dreaming novel sitna-
tions, we recommend an effort to tud an Eek
preston TO relieve their systems then,
to go out 70 work. or. better still. to play.
For the possible one or two for whom the flu
ture may hold authors night, or who will
sofne TINS ngure among the best sellers TX en-
they will find ultimate success through road
filled with reflections All the rest Is moon
gazing. What counts ia life, and life is ex-
pressed IN work instead OF IN rhapsody. Who
ever quits, physically mentally, at the first
ripping of the gauze of sentiment stops the
game before he has fairly discovered what 1t
is all about. or how little chance he has TO
beat IT."