The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-16
Editorial Page Of The Detroit Times

| have never quite ceased to be hurt
IN some measure. When | meet some
new person and have my gloves on
they are usually kind enough To seem
frankly pleased with me-and then'
sooner or later, they see my hanus
and the pleasure is gone for both OF
MS.
I think that my schooldays were
the most painful ones OF my HE. lot
children are very cruel 10 one an
other I'm the open expression OF their
emotions | do not mean by TINS l
dislike children; for, on the contrary
/ an, more strongly drawn TO them
than | am 10 grown.ups, The wounds
that children infiict are Involuntary
on.y grown animals hurt for the pleas,
ure of hurting.
Nevertheless. il was very hard lot
me 10 see healthy boys OF my own
age. few OF whom would shrink from
holding a cold toad In their naked
hands. shrink back from my touch as
~ IL were a contagion. | could peat
any enc of the boys that met AT any
sport or feat OF strength that ne
might choose To suggest, yet | hau
never friend in all my years OF
schooling. Nor was the school proud
of me or my strength, for such was
my dislike OF drawing any more AT
tention TO myself than the ordinary
events OF life made necessary thal l
refused TO take part In any pubic
contests. or 20 represent my scnooi
IN any athletic games with any other'
Al college was a good deal more
happy. for the average college man
avoids expression OF surprise as re-
ligiously as IL acceptance OF the I'M
expected or bizarre We're part OF MS
Greco OF life. Still made no frienos'
have thought since that perhaps
IL was partly my own fault, that
may have been too sensitive, TOO re
lnctant 10 burden others with the
weight OF my own misfortune. 80 l
went nv own way alone, reading a
great deal of my time away, and not
particularly excelling in any Dranch
of nv regular studies except perhaps
In physics and psychology
The death of my parents came u
few weeks after my graduation, ana
spent the next year in Strengthening
ont my fathers somewhat tangled al
fairs. TO find at the end OF my LABOR
that when all the family debts had
beeu Maid there was little left TO di-
vide between my brother and myseil'
enough, perhaps. 10 make bare nv
ing income for one man. MY Iathe'
left no will. more because he mated 10
think of how he ought 10 distribute
his money between son he loved
and one he did not than from any ether
roagon. I think. So | took $500, which
seemed TO me sufficient then with the
world before me, and set out TO hnu
the Mace | thought the world must
hold for me. The rest of our lnherl-
lance I left TO my brother He was
not strong. but was handsome, at
tractlve fellow. with an Unborn love
Of luxury. AS he had no training nor
desire for work he certainly needed
what fortune there was more than II
was possible that ever could.
Yet now, as sat bordering my
affairs on a bench in Washington
SQUARE. I almost wished that. We had
arranged to have my share at least
$500 larger. AS IL was. the arrange
ment was final. and my last though
would be 10 go back upon 1t, or TO ap
peal for aid which | knew must De q
drain upon the far from satisfactory
income OF my brother.
II was one OF the brilliant mornings
so common to the last days of May
IN New York, and the Square was
alive with children. They fiutterec
EVERYWHERE, dainty, occupied. entranc
ing. The benches were filled WITT
nurses and mothers, with here anc
there an old gentleman taking the
sun. or some private. like myself, IL
the great army of the unemployed.
The old gentleman in the seat next
me had been doing for the better
part OF an hour. Finally he awok'
WITH q start md looked at his watch
He drew himself up as If the hour hat
at last arrived when he must set him
self to work upon his multitudinoui
affairs. smiled in sympathy will
his waking shrug.
"Half-past eleven, sir" said he. I'm
deed, | must be going. Would yol
care to glance over the morning pa
per. sir?" And he handed me th'
days Herald that he had been nou
ding over. stamped his left leg tenta
lively, squared his shoulders with In
slstent vigor, and limped away In thu
direction OF Fifth-ave.
| looked after him feeling mucl
heartened by the old-fashioned grace
Of his friendly courtesy, and spreat
his paper out tenderly upon my knees
1t vas the first gift of friendship that
as far as l could remember, had eve
been offered to me by any hand othe
than my mothers.
There was little news. There ha'
been a tenement fire on Hester-st
Mrs. Someone had given a rattle
notable coaching party, and some Oh
scure millionaire on upper Fifth-aVe
had died after FIVE years of mild in
sanity. I was glad that he had go
his release, and turned from habit Il
the employment column. There wa
nothing there but the same old cat
alogue of wants that experience ha'
tudght me TO look upon as hopeless
Then, having nothing better TO do,
81 ~