The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16

bow. But Tanner hadn't an,
curiosity. Same as me and the faucet
ne stood of respectful.
"'Biddle,' he says, I'VE reflected
much on these subjects. The righ'
test of truth Is value. For instance,
he says. in my own case I find fire..
quently that my thoughts become
congested. as It were. tied up. I car
not proceed. I am in agony. I con.
suit the %ancients.
"'What do they advise? I read in
Porphyrius Nitor. "know, II thy soul
is locked. the key thereto is a swift
sacrifice" Now, what does Porphy-
RUS Nitor mean by "a swift sacrifice?
! ask. Observe what occurs.
"In the closet there projects up
ward, against the wall, the stump Of a
lead water pipe. Perhaps some former
occupant, perceiving that water did
not rise to this floor, sawed off, or
dismembered, the pipe in vanity of
investigation. Perhaps so. 1t is no
matter. / had observed the phenome-
non.
lone day in despair I pace tho
room. I raise my eyes. They rest
on the closet and the water pipe. At
the same moment my finger in my
vest pocket comes in contact with a
coin, a.ten cent piece, a dime. Divine
coincidence! l remember the words
of Porphyrius Nitor, when the soul
is locked make haste to sacrifice" I
rush to the water pipe. I drop the coin
down the water pipe.
Observe! Immediately / am re-
lieved. Notice that a dime will go in,
a nickel will not. I keep a drawer
full Of these coins. I practise this
method. Usually 1t succeeds in the
end. Do I know how? The ancients
say a god is propitiated; the moderns
say. perhaps. thought suggestion,
thought clotttJ like the blood. a sud-
den emotion dissolving the clot. What
matter?
1.-THE theory Of the ancients seems
obscurer in form. but profounder in
content. In either case the process
is this: First a state Of distress. then
a violent rushing at the water pipe.
an impulsive gift. and behold! the
relief within. the dewy freshness Of
the spirit.
ais 1t not enough? The ancients
say. "Profane not the secret %arcana.'
Are they not right? Life brings us
results. The test Of truth is not in
origin. but value
81 wonder where them dimes go to-
/ says meditative.
land that. too he says, lis a spec
ulation Of interest. Another point has
occurred to me. Why not a coin
thrown with the same Illuminating
impulse through the window? Would
it not have the advantage in ethics
of benefit to the chance passer, the
general public?'
"'Well. maybe l says. And yet,
no! Not by any means! That is.
looking at it on all sides. 1t don't
seem to me likely to do as WELL
~ suppose you are right. No. it
wouldn't. One would be apt to look
out Of the window after it,
"Sure to- / says.
"'For this matter of Isis. my cat,'
he says. I wonder. l dream. l look into
her eyes. I mediate. She m and
goes in her own still. mysterious way.
She brings me food as the raven to
Elijah-a sandwich out Of the un-
known. figs OF no origin. She feeds
my body and soul a, the same time.
Shall l penetrate, disturb, perhaps
put an end to her subtle ministra-
tons? Do you advise it?'
Not me. I didn't advise II. Seemed
to me eating shopgirls' lunches would
not be morally the same as drawing
graft from the city water works, or
from Tanners offerings for relief of
congestion. same as a priest behind the
altar might have done when Memphis
was Metropolis and temples was ten
derloin. Morals has got more kinks
than an apple pairing.
Nor didn't make out but what the
faucet, when acting liberal. was as
agreeable to me after I'd heard it a
the outlet of Tanners pious oblations
as when I took it to be splitting mys-
ter!es. Likely not. / want long
enough at it afterward to say. ] went
off with the circus.
Morals! Well. I knew a mar that
made a good living selling friendly
mirrors He fitted you with a con-
genial mirror, same as a tailor with
clothes. II your face was too short
or long or lop sided or button nosed
or aged or whatever was the matter
with II. he'd size it up and bring you
a mirror that moderated trouble and
padded and smoothed you out and
looked at YOU with charity and allow