Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-27


MS n great idea" said the Book
keeper. Il wish had some peoples
troubles instead OF my own"
That's just IT," asserted the stenog-
Tspher. what ails us IL that each one OF
us has got the particular kind of trouble
that gets him or her on the raw. That's
why u hurts 20.
Now. yesterday met a rich old
woman who was a bundle OF bones and
nerves and dyspepsia wrapped up in silk
and lace and diamonds. And she told me
how foolish | was to worry over being
poor and shabby and how happy she
would be In a 39-cent shiTtwaist II only
she could tuck away a good feed under II.
And all the time she was talking l
was doping out what time I would be
having II had money TO burn. as she
had and nothing TO worry me but a few
nerves and a little unpleasantness IN my
Fathskeller."
Were all heroic when II comes to
bearing other peoples misfortunes," OBJ
served the Bookkeeper.
That's just IT," sand the stenographer.
I'VE never look at anyone else without
thinking wnet noble example OF pa
thence and Christian fortitude under af-
Fiction We could give II we had nothing
TO bear but the measly little troubles
that they are making such a howl over.
''Or course. we're putting up the same
sort OF a scream about our own particu-
lar assortment OF aggravations. but that's
because our troubles are the very sort OF
troubles that trouble Us most.
Now. why shouldn't people be able TO
trade off the sorrow they can't bear for
the one that they wouldn't mind bearingf
Suppose you could swap off your katzen-
TANNER headache. for example. for nice
attack of the govt that II would be an
actual pleasure to nurse"
1T would be all TO the good" sighed
the Rookkeeper.
Sure" replied the stenosrapher, ANA
just take our most common trouble, mat
rlmony. for instance. Half OF the women
IN the world are perfqetly miserable be-
cause they are married. and tibet other
half are utterly wrstched because they
are not
Wouldn't Il b perfectly lovely n the
woman who Is shedding great gobs Of
tears over her husband WAC IL playing
poker half the night with the boys could
exchange her sorrow over her husband
for the heart hunger OF the old maid
anybody to worry overf
Then there IL the blIshted genius 10
male, with a good husband. and home.
and children. who IL afflicted with acute
nelancholia because she has missed the
career.
Isn't II a pity she can't trade OFF
her yearning for fame for the longings
Tor a home of the lonely woman who
q bonnet II she wanted to. but who would
swap off trunk full OF press notices
for a husband who really loved her. ana
who would rather hear little child
calling her mother than TO get the glad
hand from ciaque led by the head
usheri''
Il read In the paper the other day."
naid the Bookkoeper, about a young
man who had barrels OF money. good
health. and good prospects. but who
killed himself because some jammy little
oirl lifted him.
Yes. replied the stenographer, and
pet when called the attention Of a man
who was walking the floor because he
had backed the wrong side OF the stock
market TO that story he said that the
young man was a fool. and that there
were plenty OF girls. and the only thing
that Justified a man In hiking out over
the suicide route was the loss OF money
AN might have been well II only one
man could have exchanged his broken
heart for the other ones busted bank
account"
4 don't believe people would exchange
their troubles II they could" said the
Bookkeeper. reflectively. tt'
Maybe not" agreed the stenographer.
sbut n they wouldn't. they ought to quit
complaining about them"