Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-19
81 Counting Death 81

r asst week 1 dined with Lord
Evendale, the we'll known Eng
lish multi millionaire, and
Chamus, former chief of detectives, at
the house of a mutual friend. Our
host had imagined that these two
men, the Englishman, with his blase
paradoxes and strange whims, and
the Frenchman, with his memories of
a life rich in daring deeds, might
amuse or at least interest us. Long
before dinner was over the Skin
mishes between these two highly con-
trasting characters had begun and
their conversation was exceedingly
interesting to follow.
You do your fellow men a mighty
poor service" said Lord Evendale, in
tone of contempt when you use
your intelligence and energy to pro-
tect their lives. Life. indeed, is worth
next to nothing"
still, life is the only blessing we
really possess" Chamus replied firm
ly, looking straight into the English
mans eyes, 1.-The only one we really
control. l consider it our duty to live
the time allotted US and to make it as
useful as possible to ourselves and
others"
"Oh, nonsense" exclaimed Lord
Evendale AT any other time per
haps life was worth living, but
nowadays it is not. The progress of
civilization makes it easy for us to
enjoy all the joys of existence, leav-
ing absolutely no room for further
wishes. AS for myself, all the
wishes, that l could get fulfilled
without any exertion whatever, were
so disgusting to me already at the
age of 25 that l turned away from
them and longed only for one thing
death. resolved to die"
Various Ways.
There are different ways of COM
hitting suicide" remarked Chamus,
whom this confession, with its i'm
mense egotism, annoyed. THE only
difficulty is the choice, from poison
to a hempen rope"
81 was religious" the Englishman
went on unaffected, land, besides, my
mother suspected the spleen which
poisoned my life, and made me take
an oath never to commit suicide
] IIldut LIllS Odlu WllllHBlys DtCduSc L
! imagined it would be easy to find
way of being killed without doing
it yourself, but l have found that to
a man in my position 1t is the most
difficult thing in the world. They
had barely begun to suspect my fatal
intentions before host of friends
and relatives began to watch me"
You will pardon me If l refuse
to believe you" said Chamus, even
a lord and a millionaire can man
age as easily as anything to get
killed If he really does want to get
rid of his life. There are a thou
sand chances every day"
/ single lion, crocodile nor even snake.
| At a lake in the heart of the Sou
dan I met a tribe of real savage ma
1 tives, only to have them nurse me
/ back when I got the fever. l went
| to the Transvaal and arrived there
| just as the peace had been signed.
! And now I have returned as safe and
sound as ever, but full Of despair, be-
/ cause l can not find death"
He Did Wrong.
you need not despair" said Cha
mus, cOntemptuously, but If You
really did want to die you did wrong
| in leaving the big cities, where the
/ struggle for existence has made men
! ten times more dangerous than all
/ the wild beasts in the world. That at
/ least is the experience l have had
while hunting human beasts of prey
! for more than twenty years"
The two men had arisen and stood
! looking straight into one anothers
! eyes.
Chamus continued: IF you are
absolutely determined to die without
committing suicide I am able to give
/ you a prescription. At the utmost it
will cost you no more than a couple
| of sous"
will you be kind enough to give it
! to me tO-day?"
with pleasure. What time is It %
"Half-past ten
| Then you have plenty of time.