The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-03-15
Howe About:
Poorhouse Author
Misbehaving
A Big Mans Family
e. Bell syndicate. ssrvics
By ED HOWE


you once wrote that book entitled
The Autobiography of Failure
might meet public favor. | enclose an
attempt at such writing, and, az a
preliminary. tell you my qualifications
I spent ten years In an insane asylum,
but was never discharged as cured.
At present l am In poorhouse. and
half blind. In addition to being some
what palsIed and rheumatic. am
sixty-four years old, and have never
married My manuscript was typed
by another inmate OF the poorhouse
where live"
Probably no editor would consider
this writing for publication. as 1t Is
careaessfy written and arranged, but
believe any of them would read 1t, as
did Curiously enough. this author
10 conservative, and quotes with ap-
proval some of the most noted writer's
of history who have denounced radical
Ism. He grumbles at the rich good
deal, but admits the ordinary facts of
life with considerable intelligence
Altogether. | do not believe this man
Ii insane. or ever has been: he dis
plays. indeed, more than average sense
In his thinking. think his trouble Ia
failure to properly manage his mind
and his body. which ID the fault Of
millions OF other unfortunates. have
not been more interested in q writer
in many years. At times he Is almost
brilliant In his observations: nowhere
Is he vulgar or foolish. but frequently
commonplace. as all are outside or In
side OF poor houses or insane asylums.
In the unexpurgated edition OF the
Memoirs Is printed letter Silerius
once wrote Apparently the CORE
spondent had written that he was
handicapped In life because OF his
having been divorced, OF his drinking
I good deal. and being known as an
atheist. In his reply Silerius said:
II have been divorced twice, but, long
after am as we'll thought OF by my
neighhors as either OF the women
divorced: and both are good women.
| am an atheist, but neither has that
injured me. have experimental free
~ with liquor, and solved the problem
by quitting both drinking and talking
about the subject. | do not believe
you state your real problem In writ
ing TO me. Mine has always been to
better manage my own mind and
body. and thus gain the respect OF
those with whom | associate In small
and great things"
There Ia argument as to whether my
preaching is sound. wish 1t to be,
and to say am occasionally COM
mended. A man thirty-ive years old
recently wrote me: Il have liked your
articles for some years, but the finest,
most beneficial sermon that ever
reached me land my father was q
clergyman was printed lately. You
said. The ambition to behave. sound
ly based on the selfish mot noble)
knowledge that 1t Is finally the best
and easiest way. will supply all the
human service human can hope for
| think | now understand what
you have tried so we'll to make plain.
to-wit: that actually II is stubborn
fact. counting the after costs In con.
science. disrupted plans, shocked
nerves, time lost forever. and injury
to others. good behavior In easier than
mlshehayior. thank you. sir, for
help in my weak endeavor to become
q better man."
A noted Big Man lately appeared al
an airport with his wife. son OF four
teen and daughter OF seventeen The
Big Man was rushing from one i'm
portant duty to another, and chafng
at the delay OF forty minutes, when
reporter found him. The Big Man
loved publicity, and talked freely. He
had enormous ideas, very much better
than professional writer's put Into
books and magazines But members
OF his family were tired OF his talk
"Start tanning said the lmpudent
boy; "dads turned on the hot air"
The wife and daughter. expressed al
most equal impudence and disapproy.
al OF the Big Mans talk. re-
call that. when child. we were all
very fired OF my fathers talk. we
heard II so much. and II was always
the same. Hut we were poor people;
| had supposed that Big Men talk 50
wisely that members Of their own fam
lilies listen with awe and interest II
seems they do not
We are commanded to love all alike,
Including our enemies, but often sin,
and confess have favorItes. Some pe0
pie annoy me so much and unneces
sarily | cannot love them few 9th
ers treat me well. and ! special
ly like them. And | think I'm
right about II; do not believe the
command thHt tuve my enemies as
well as my friends had any great au
thority back Of IT,
Every morning | feel fine and ener
getIc and determined to do q LOT that
day on the Great Book | am engaged
Dt,& nft