Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-08
''OnIy
SUPPOSE
nv FORTUNB FREE.


We are all of us looking forward crea-
lures. But there are times when we are
moro particularly keen on It. The present
is one OF suck times Men and women are
never more energetic in imagining the
future than when it is uncertain.
But, my dear Fortune" lady walled
TO me recently. "only suppose" Then
she went on supposing. She foresaw an
immense number OF things that might"
happen. How did know they wouldn't?
didn't ! couldn't guarantee that those
things she supposed might not occur; but
they were fearfully improbable.
Then why ever do you say 1t is fool
ish for me to worry about such things?"
lshe exclaimed Indignantly, nodding her
head at me vigorously Il like to look
at things all around. Fortune. and face
them"
But my dear madam" expostulated.
,.now can you possibly face things all
round? Facing thing means looking
Il squarely in the front; and II you face
one thing how can you possibly do that
and at the same time face things at the
sides of you, not TO speak Of things at
your back? That's just what you're try
ing TO do. You're really facing nothing.
You're just whizzing round and round
like a -"
Just pulled up In tirne-with a severe
attack OF coughing She was most un-
sympathetic. Didn't tnke the slightest
notice OF my cold
There are some people" she said, with
an awful accent on the "some'-Of
course she meant me" who darent
look facts in the face"
It is a wonderful thing how the only
suppose" person, who anticipates all
kinds of dismal things, pats him OF her
self on the back as a person Of remark
ably heroic mould for doing 30. They call
It preparing for the worst"
Sir Walter Besant knew a man of that
kind. In the coolest manner possible he
would suggest the possibility of some
thing dreadful happening. He quite rec
(ognized that It was ION the cards" But
was he tlmid2 Mol Not a bit OF It! He
\was dining with Sir Walter one day and
one of the dishes was pheasant.
What's that7' he asked anxiously as
NJ surveyed the birds "Pheasants? De
e1iciousl BY the way, did you read in the
newspaper a week or two back about
those people who were poisoned through
eating pheasants? Thank your
He surveyed his piece OF the birc
gloonnily, lowering over IT with his knife
and fork before falling to.
TT was rather interesting case" he
went on. When they made a post
mortem--ohl forgot to tell you two OF
the pheasant eaters died in spite Of al
efforts of two doctors to save them
they discovered symptoms that made II
clear the birds had eaten some deadly
poisonous berries"
Sir walter expressed his regret he had
not provided less dangerous DISH
'oh, don't apologize, my dear fellow
don't say q word" exclaimed the other
What does It. nnatter?. don't know any
food one can eat without danger. All ons
can do IL to insure ones life. make ones
WILL. and. trust to- luck ,ss2A,i ps ss-,
He ate the pheasant heroically like q
man facing death with each mouthful-
He had an awful attack OF indigestion
afterwards.
I'm their anxiety to be ready for any
thing that may befall. how many folks
worry themselves over improbable posi-
bilities," said Sir Audrey Clark. the great
physician.
improbable, possibilities are really the
chief worries Of q large number OF folk
They really can't be ready for all OF
them. When they recognize that they
feel utterly helpless Max Adler knew
lady OF that kind. She was going to be
married to a young fellow who was gen.
orally regarded as "the catch Of the
!, neighborhood." She got him. Now moth
R<pg so excites one OF these nervous foil
to- terribly anxious anticipatlons as 9
piece of unexpected good fortune Surely
It can't be trueT' and that kind Of thing
So, having got him. She sat down t
consider every possibility that it reall,
wasn't true. People noticed she received
their congratulations with very sub
dued JOY. What was worrying the young
lady was this:
Men are. deceivers OF course. Wha'
faults might he have that she had moi
diseovefed7
The appearance of health is often mos
misleading. He looked strong. but colo-
is often due to apoplectic tendencies
Wealth is often most iilusory. Goodness
knows what may happen to the wises
investment.
Suppose he was a secret drunkard?
Suppose he went mad?
She suppose an enormous number .o
other things, but she married him. Every
one of her terrible suppositlons turned
out false. They were happy ever after
He never went mad. The only thing
she had never suspected him of wer'
his being a good deal better than he ha'
seemed.