The Nome daily nugget., 1935-11-28
Howe About:
Poorhouse Author Misbehaving
 A Big Mans Family
By ED HOWE
c. Bell syndicsts-wNU Service.

hnu Nito HNtS III n ulsldHl Sldte. iif says: You once wrote that a book entitled The Autobiography of a Failure might meet public favor. enclose an attempt at such writing, and, as A preliminary, tell you my qualifications. 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 somewhat pal sled and rheumatic. 1 am sixty four years old and have never mar rled. My manuscript was typed by another inmate of the poorhouse where | live"
 Probably no editor would consid CT this writing for publication. as II is carelessly written and ar ranged, but I believe any of them would read 1t. as 1 did Cautiously enough, this author Is conservative, and quotes with approval some of the most noted writers of history who have denounced radCallsm. He grumhles at the rich good deal, but admits the ordinary facts of life with considerable intelligence.
 Altogether, I do not believe this man Is Insane, or ever has been; he displays, indeed, more than aver age sense In his thinking. think his trouble Is failure to properly manage his mind and his body, which Is the fault of millions of other unfortunates. I have not been more interested In writer in many years. At times he Is almost brill liant in his observations; nowhere is he vulgar or foolish, but frequent lv commonplace, as all are outside or inside of poor houses or Insane asylums.
 In the unexpurgated edition of the Memoirs Is printed letter Sllerius once wrote. Apparently the correspondent had written that he was handicapped in life because of his having been divorced, of his drinking good deal, and being known as an atheist. In his reply, Silerius said: "I have been divorced twice, but, long after l am as well thought of by my neighbors, as either of the women I divorced and both are good women. am an atheist, but neither has that injured me. I have experimented freely with liquor, and solved the problem of quitting both drinking and talking about the subject. I do not believe you state your real problem in writ ing to me. Mine has always been 10 better manage my own mind and body, and thus gain the respect of those with whom I associate In small and great things
 There is argument as to whether my preaching is sound. I wish it to be, and to say I am occasionally commended A man thirty-fye years old recently wrote me 'l have liked your articles for some years, but the finest, the most beneficial ser mon that ever reached me (and my father was clergyman) was print ed lately. You said: The ambi- tion to behave, soundly based on the selfish (not noble) knowledge that it Is finally the best and easiest way, will supply all the human service a human can hope for l think I now understand what you have tried so well to make plain. to-wit: that actually it is a stub born fact counting the after costs in conscience, disrupted plans, shocked nerves, time lost forever, and injury to others, good behavior Is easier than misbehavior. l thank you. sir, for help in my weak endeavor to become better man."
 A noted Big Man lately appeared at an airport with his wife, a son of fourteen and a daughter of sev- enteen. The Big Man was rushing from one important duty to another. and chafing 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 profes- slonal writers put into books and magazines. But members of his family were tired of his talk. Start fannng," said the impudent boy: dads turned on the hot air" The wife and daughter expressed almost equal impudence and disapproval of the Big Mans talk. re call that, when a child. we were all very tired of my fathers talk, we heard it so much, and it was always the same. But we were poor peo- pie; l had supposed that Big Men talk so wisely that members of their own families listen with awe and interest. It seems they do not.
 We are commanded to love all alike, including our enemies, but I | often sin, and confess I have ia. | vorites Some people annoy me % much and unnecessarily cannot | love them; few others treat me well, and I specially like them. ..