Evening star., 1928-12-21
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

a pretty ambition, indeed. Of the three
which have been presented, 1t is the
one least likely of attainment In the
first place, any one with even a tinge
of desire not to hurt others would
shrink from blurting out his real
opinions except when confronting book
agents (who deserve no mercy) and
those who take candy from children
1t is all very well to call the first a
nuisance and the second sneaking
coward, but how will one reply to her
who asks: How do you like my new
dress?" The only possible answer, of
course, Is VERY much. my dear"
There is a mean, however, in which
one would covet the chance to say
firmly and truthfully what one thinks
about things. One is asked opinions
every day by people who are seeking
not opinion but support. Bluffo Jones
brings you a new book. What do you
! think of this?" he asks. He likes it,
and wants you to say you like it, too.
What relief it would be to say
frankly, honestly, and firmly (above all
| firmly: II think it is rotten. l think
it is the worst story I have ever read. I
am tired of these rampant male heroes
CHASING around after beautiful Mexican
Senoritas. am sure Mexican senoritas
are not like that, although I never had
the pleasure of meeting one"
Ruffo Smith, composer, has just fin
ished a new march 1t sounds like
Sousa strained through cheesecloth, if
you get what we mean, which you prob
ably do not. Anyway, it isn't much of
a march. 1t moves along, all right, but
| there Is no tune.
How do you like this new march?"
he asks, with a broad grin. II am
| 00inu tn dedicate it RI 1yo,I
What joy it would be to be able to
say, with malice toward none and
charity for all (compoSers):
please don't. Kindly dedicate it to
some one else. AS a composer, you
know before I do that this march is
not worth the paper it is written on.
will grant you that you have written
it correctly. The bars possess the cor
rect number of notes. No doubt an
average sized brass band could make
a terrific clatter on this portion at
the end Of the first coda. They might
fool the universe into thinking it really
amounted to something. You and
know better, don't we?"
AS for the third secret ambition, tc
live by the sea for at least one year
consecutively. that is purely personal
The next might prefer the mountains
| every UldIl W his CklOICe. LIE SedSIlOIe
is ours. Two weeks at the short is fine
a month is glorious, three months is
heaven, but solid year would be para
disc. indeed. Our ambition calls fol
a cozy cottage, all weather. stripped
fronting the sea. Preferably it shall
be on shore where tidal waves never
come. but where the ordinary waves
flow both grand and glorious, especially
when a nor'easter comes sweeping in
cutting out the beach as If with a
giants cleaver. We have no idea
exactly what giants cleaver looks like
but 1t must be wicked blade. Prefer
ably there shall be an unlimited supply
of cord wood, to heap UP in the big
stone fireplace in the living room
There must be walls lined with book
cases, each case filed with volumes
We have never read. There ought to
be a radio, phonograph and plenty
of good things to eat. Here, by the
sounding sea, one might live with the
sun and the air and the great waters
be bathed in glorious sunsets and drink
deep of the healing salty tang which
is like nothing else on earth. OF our
three secret ambitions. this is the only
one that has any chance of coming
true.