New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-27

not able to make up her own mind! Aren't we
men curious creaturesp
a T last came the day when the Great Idea, rolling
OIL the press by thousands, bore to waiting world
the four alternate conclusions to its serial. had not
been excited since that prehistoric hour when my
first manuscript was published with my attached
OF the three contributions by my friends one which
recognized from its style as Hardings made Agatha
organize and support society for the maintenance of
free hoStclricS for travellers in countries unknown
scarcely known the rest of the world that women
who accompanied their globctrottng husbands against
their preference should not be compelled to suffer
needless discomfort.
a second, which bore unmiStakablc marks of Bcrkc-
ley's handwork made the adorable heroine found a
charitable order for the relief of victims of untoward
circumstances, after peculiar fashion. For instance,
persons formerly wellto-do but of fallen fortunes
enabled to hide their condition from prying neigh
bors by going abroad for indefinite period and trav
cling in out-of-thc-way parts, where they would be
not to meet anyone they had ever seen before;
progressive children of old fogy parents were to be
given the means to wander about the globe, out Of
reach Of mails and kilograms and thus avoid daily
family friction till the old folks had caught up with
their advanced philosophers. Agatha was, of course,
to be the Mother Superior of the order; and rccog
nizcd familiar artistic touch in the description of her
official garb in form and color slfuy designed to set
off Mrs. JaSon'S personal charms
DcxtcrS essay was just characteristic. 1t showed
how Agatha established salon under the title of the
Home of Honesty. Here travellers and explorers were
to meet and exchange their experiences with the sole
proviso that everyone should while under this roof tell
the plain unvarnshcd truth to what he had and
heard and suffered regardless of any claims nc might
have made to learned societies, any books he might
have published. BY award of valuable prizes for
the most startling confessions, membership in the salon
became the great ambition of everyone who could spare
the time and money to rummage in remote hauntS.
Not the least remarkable feature of this group OF
solutions was the personality of the heroine it Shonc
through them all She the same Agatha who had
figured throughout the serial; yet she something
more The earlier chapters had made her deeply inter
cSting: the conclusions raised her to divinity.
DURING the ensuing month voting coupons poured
into the office of the Great Idea with every mail,
by the bagul almost 1t seemed as if the whole Amcrl-
can public struggling with the question that SO
puzzled Agatha We were not allowed to see this lit
erature till late in the month"; but inferred, from
the bothered look in CalvnS eyes and his dclphc
responses to our queries and comments that something
out of the ordinary had happened When at last we
were called to another conference at the club he laid
before us huge folio full of the coupons.
"Oh, we don't care to count the vote, SAID Dexter
impatcntly. well trust you that far Only tell us
who's won the prize
"Nobodv" answered Calvin, looking at us sombcrly.
We gave voice to a roaring protest.
no Gentlemen" he rcaffrmcd, "you may examine
these ballots and you will find not single vote Tor
either of the four conclusions published. Most OF
them however do express the voters own notions as TO
how the story should have ended Here's typical one
He handed me coupon. across which was written:
Your endngs are stupid The girl ought to marry some
good man who will take Of her. and let the money
go the devil.
Another he passed to me ran:
That was a good story down to the last; but-oh' my!
how il peters out them Why does she let that dead tyran
keen her in slavery! | vote to give her a new deal.