The Detroit times., 1914-05-07
The Ambition of
Mark Truitt
BY
Henry Russell Miller
Copyright 1913.
Tie BObbS-Merrtil Cs-


dead. that very morning young man
in the mills had announced an i'm
portant invention that was 10 have
been Truths magnum opus and upon
which his sterile brain had labored
In vain, in seHl-he could ne longer
dream. and for reward he had the
! dry fact Of triumph he could not
sense and the prospect OF an empty
| useless, discontinued future.
He was critic, you see; but not
OF himself The world was out OF
4 Joint
Passers-by were diverted from their
own cares by the sight OF a we'll
dressed man stamping his cane on
| the pavement and mutterlng aloud,
"An evil fate pursues me. Other men
do as | do. desire as ! desire and find
content. Why can't be contented-
and happy?"
He did indeed, but as did other
men OF his day and world. There
was nothing in his time TO direct his
criticism upon himself Not yet had
western Peter the Hermit come
preaching his crusade, or a Richard
Yea-and Nay, OF theatric dash and
yigor, to give the movement form
and substance: 20 teach the crowd
the trick OF scrutiniZing their neigh
bors and a few to examine them
selves. IL was time when hand.
full dealt in the lives and needs and
happiness OF the many and covered
the ugly traffic, not in romance, but
with unconscious hypocrisy. An occa-
sional preacher taught love, decency,
unseltishness, but he was paid for that
and no one gave ear. The exploiters
grew fat and resurrected an ancient
theory 10 prove that their power and
their profits were divinely appointed.
When, swollen with vanity, they en-
gagged in spectacular philanthropy.
giving with their left hands OF what
their right had taken; a seryile world
fell TO its knees to receive the tin
seled gifts, humbly sensible a its un-
worthiness. IL. was a greedy age, an.
.unthinking agefa sIrlgg arr, above all
an age OF self. crowned, giorined,, art
rewarded.
Little wonder. then--so much are
we creatures or fashion-that. when
desire was turning 20 ashes in his
mouth, Mark Truitt sought no fault
in himself. but impeached life.
A thousand faces streamed past
him, unrecognized and unrecognizing.
Then. at corner where two currents
damned each other, appeared one
that seemed oddly familiar. 1t was
OF an undistinguished LONELINESS,
pasty pale, morose, matching well
the general shabbiness OF its owner.
At first Mark. confused by the dirty
brown beard. did not recognize him.
The man had no doubts. At sight
of Mark an evil glitter sprang into
the sullen eyes.
"You"
by the hate that had lived through
fifteen years Mark placed him.
Piotr Andzrejzski!"
Peter Anderson" the man correct.
ed him
That's a good American name. I'd
forgotten you had preference" Mark
smiled and held out a friendly hand.
"How are you, Peter Anderson"
The hand was ignored. When Peter
Anderson sneered, his LONELINESS be-
came almost grotesque.
Since you're so interested, / man.
age TO keep alive"
How do you manage it?"
I'm a compositor on the Outcry--
when there's any money for an is
sue"
The Outcry?"
you'll hear OF IL yet It's the
paper OF our cause
Mark knew OF but one cause that
employed the capital Socialism,
suppose" lie smiled indulgently. 81
hope it's in funds sufficiently often"
IL look It, don't To-
The answer was so obvious that
Mark avoided Il. How" he asked
hastily, lis Romano"
"He breathes and sleeps and eats
But he's dead"
as that Socialist parable? I'm
not Socialist, so you'll have TO ex.
plain"
"His minds gone 1t began TO go
soon after you stole his Job. But
probably you've forgotten that. too"
II have no recollection" said Mark
coldly. "of any such occurrence"
With a curt nod. he passed on.
He had gone but a few steps when
he halted and looked back. Peter, un-
mindful OF elbowing pedestrians. was
still at the corner glazing at him. IL
came 90 Mark as OF a piece with the
failure OF dreams, that OF his beauti-
full youth, when men loved him SO cas-