The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-10-16

upon more tnan one oeca slrn to' foe
soIdty OF his structures. TN gu.Gur'
realized definitely the seriousness 0i
MS -ruclfXiOn He sat suffer ana
sitter in his char. and the VEINS II
his nose grew deeper and deeper III
hue He saw clearly that he would
never understand American women
lie had committed an outrageous blum
der He instead Ct Dominating HaG
been dominated by three iaultuudiug
old women; and, without being aware
Of the fact had looked at things from
their point Of view most inconCeiv
able blunder He would tot allow that
he was being sWayed less by the adniS.
sion of his objectionable rudeness on
board than b. the Immediate kn0Wl-
edge that Elsa was known to the Brit
ish officials sister, titled lady Who
stood exceedingly high at court
Miss Chetwood," he said lowering
his voice for her ears only
Elsa turned. but with the expression
that signlfied that her attention was
engaged elsewhere
Yes?"
Il am an old man. am siXty-two:
and most of these siNty-twO | have
lived roughly: but am not too old to
realize that | have made a fool OF my
self -
Interest began to fiji Eisa'S eyes
It has been said, he went Oh keep,
ing the key, that | am nan of cOur.
age, but find that need a good deal
OF that just now have been rude to
You. and without warrant. and offer
YOU my humble apologies He fun
bled with his cravat as if 1t had sud,
denly frightened VIII you acccpt?"
Instantly" Elsa understood the
quality OF courage that had stirred the
colonel. But ruthlessly: Il should,
however, like your point OF view in re-
gard to what you consider my con
duct"
Is i necessary?'
Il believe it would be better for my
understanding if you made a full con
fession.' She. did not mean to be re-
lentless, Int her curiosity was too
strong not to press her advantage
We'll. then, over here as elsewhere
in the world there are standards by
which we judge persons who come I'M
der our notice =
Agreed individuality is not gen
orally understandable
BY the mediocre. you might have
added That's The difficulty with ind
yiduality; it refuses to be harnesse..
by mediocrity and mediocritE holds
The whip-hand. always. represent
the mediocre"
On, never" said Elsa animatedly,
"Mediocrity is always without cOur-
age"
You are wrong it has the courage
Of its convictions"
Rather is it not stubbornness, will
full refusal to recognize things as they
are?''
He countcred the question with an
other 'Supposing we were all indl.
viduals, IN the sense you mean? Sup
posing each of us did exactly as he
pleased? Can you honestly imagine
more confusing place than this world
would be? The Manchurian pony is
a wild little beast, an individual If
ever there was one; but man tames
him and puts to use his energies And
so it is with human individuality. We
of the mediocre tame and harness and
make it useful to the general welfare
of humanity. And when we encounter
the untamable, in order to safeguard
ourselves. we must turn it back into
the wilderness, an outlaw. Indeed.
might call individuality an element,
like fire and water and air"
But who conquer fire and water
and air?" Elsa demanded. believing
she had him pocketed.
"Mediocrity, through the individual
of this or that being Humanity in the
bulk is mediocre And odd as it seems
individuality (which is another word
for genius) believes it leads med
ocrity But it cannot be made to TN
derstand that mediocrity ordains the
leadership.
Then you contend that in the hands
of the stupid lies the balance of
power"
Let US not say stupid, rather the
administrative. the practical and the
plodding. The stubbornest person in
the world is one with an idea"
DO you honestly insist that you are
mediocre?'
NO" thoughtfully. Il am one OF
those stubborn men with ideas
merely insist that | prefer to accept
the tenets of medocrity for my own
peace and the peace of others
Elsa forgot those about her. forgo,
her intended humiliation of the man
at her side He denied that he was an