The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-15
ANSWERING THE QUESTION:
Wonder What Red Thinks About!

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permit myself to be drawn into argument and
explanation when 1 answer Mr.. Heilmann s
criticisms of my writing in his recent letter
to R E. McG. But 1 feel irresistibly impelled
to answer MIN and years spent in reading Life
advertisements render me powerless. At that,
Mr.. Heilmann's letter was so courteous and SO
good humored that / feel that my will power
will be but little weakened by this indulgence.
Dealing with my critics less important in
dictments first, let me say that he is correct
when he accuses me of youth. But since, ac-
cordng to the gentleman himself, l am now
much as he was 10 years ago, my conclusion
is that in another decade shall be much as he
is at present. l let the matter go at that and
refrain from worrying.
am accused of being. since I am young,
unoriginal, of copying certain of my favorite
writers. Perhaps the accusation is just. l ask,
however, whether anyone is ever really orig
inal, and if originality is anything more than
copying the right person at the right time.
If my compositions smack of Masters ct al 1
believe that Mr.. Heilmanns letter shows decid-
eddy the influence of Ella and the Amenities of
Book Collecting.
am experimenting with various literary styles
and forms of expression, and it is inevitable
that l should be Influenced by works which
admire and which have played an important
part in forming my ideas.
Further still: Many of my short satires,
such as Midred's Marriage Problems and An
swering the Question, have been dashed off
hurriedly, merely for the fun of the thing
lowed the line of least resistace, that is, the
most convenient and easy model. That should
be apparent in the nature Of the case. Some
of my other compositions, however, my poems
in particular, have been more seriously ap-
preached and are too firmly bound up with per-
sonal experiences for me to take kindly the
charge that they derivative.
The most serious charge against me is /
believe, that l lack experience. Undoubtedly
l am less experienced in many regards than
some Undoubtedly. also, am more expert
of my fellows. Experience is a point upon
which L am touchy, for time after time un-
Justly, as 1 believe. alleged lack thereof has
been thrown in my face as an unforgivable
and irremediable fault
There is a large class of individuals who
gauge experience by the number of states
through which they have Travelled, the number
of hotels in which they have stopped and the
number of their amours. If these be criteria
l am inexperienced and have little prospect of
altering my state, for these are matters for
which | have little talent or taste
But If experience means the degree to which
one is capable of feeling the care with which
one has searched himself and his capacity for
dlgesting what experiences do fall to him. then
believe that am more experienced than tho
average man of my age.
l believe that such experience is spurious
and less important than detached observation
and study Of the human race as it exists, the
learning from what happens to others as well
as from what happens to oneself There is
too little of this cool and almost OIymnian
aloofness from participation in human affairs
too much passion and scatterbrained running
hither. thither and yon in search of physical
sensation. More of the former would, I am
convinced, conduce to more careful reflection
and writing and generally improved national
literature PEN
SPEARMINT patron who signs herself
Brown Ewes" puts this palpitant query to the
Heart and Home editor: HE is going away in
a few days. Should / kiss him in the station .,
NO, dearie kiss him in the smoker
Tut, Tut; Ladies Don't Yell
lIiskllwa Corr, Bureau County Republican
1t does seem though a man SIM
posed to have good sense would NOT Do.
as one farmer did recently He came ~
town driving a tractor and in passing the
home of David Booth he drove from the
road track to the nice grass on the sida
and cut the sod wherever the sharn Iups
hit 1t doesn't show any excess of brains
Some OF the neighboring ladies veIIed
for him to get of of the grass. He didnst
make any friends by his act
CHICAGO had tag day TODAY and tho Chi
cago Post editorially urged all to look for the
tagger and make the box she carries beavv ,;th
coin and bills" Win |
We wish somebody would make onr mai,
box heavy with coin instead of bills. 1-'
R. E MT