Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-07-13
CHAPTER XIV

IN one of these trips, I was told
that Newt Kennedy was sick and
wanted to see me. His hands were
on the outside of the covers-those
great hands that had tanned so many
wild mules. But now the joints were
knobby and the flesh wasted away
between them; and his eyes that
had twinkled so many times, were
sunken and hollow.
sat down beside him, deeply af-
fected. After a while the paid wom-
an who was waiting on him left the
room, and he and I were alone to-
gether. The years slipped away;
we were back on adjoining farms. I
spoke OF the captured weasel, but
he had forgotten it.
But he hadn't forgotten breaking
the mules. He laughed-then had to
cough-this giant, this strongest man
In the neighborhood, this man who
got so much fun out of living, this
boyhood hero.
His voice grew weak, for I stayed
too long, living over the old days.
Finally the paid woman came in.
But Newt still had message. eve
had lots of fun, didn't WEI" he whis-
pered, for his voice was about gone.
1--WE did," I said.
It was the last time I ever saw
him. But will remember him all
my life-Newt Kennedy, the man
who taught me to have fun.
Sometimes I ask myself, "What
are the best ideas I've got out of
life?" Sometimes am saddened by
how few they are But, as I
look back, realize that certain ideas
have helped me. am bit shocked
by how few are religious. At least,
religious in the accepted sense.
I think the first helpful idea had
was how deeply absorbed each per-
son is in himself and how important
each person is to himself. I realize
this is almost self-evident, but did
not discover it for long time. And
when did discover it, it opened up
new world of understanding. 1t
made me expect less of people and it
taught me not to be disappointed
when they seemed Indifferent or neg
lectful; even cruel. 1t has helped
me in making and keeping friends,
for when friends have wounded me,
have realized it was because they
were thinking of themselves and not
of me, and l have forgiven them and
made allowances.
I've learned that the way to un-
al - ,,I, al
For have found that I'm little of
every person I've ever known. When
I am prone to condemn another, l
try to stop and say, "Well, if had
been surrounded by the same inf1u-
ences and hedged about by the same
conditions, would have probably
done as he did," I suppose it gets
down to the ability to make allow
ances." And that is what I try to
do. But sometimes find myself fly
ing into person, or into a situa-
ton, as if I hadn't learned anything
at all. It's pretty discouraging.
I've learned how many people suf-
fer from an inferiority complex and
I've learned to deal gently with
them. This is especially true on a
first meeting. When people are cold,
or Indifferent, or aloof, or down.
right inimical, I say to myself, "It's
the old inferiority complex at its
work. I must make allowances. He
may be a pretty good person after
ALL" It's surprising how many are!
I've learned that most people,
away down inside, often feel dismal
ly alone and inadequate and are
haunted by Illustration and the con-
viction that the world is too much
for them. And, realizing this from
reading my own secret heart, I try
to be little more gentle and lit
tie more conSiderate.
I've learned that when two per-
sons meet they at once begin the
process of trying to impress each
other. Each tries to show how i'm
portant he himself is. This comes
out in thousand ways: by sly in
dicationS of how much money he
has, or how much he has Travelled,
or how important his friends are.
watch this in others, with a sort of
knowing smile to myself. Yet, pref
ty soon, catch myself busy at the
old game of trying to impress the
other person.
My passing years have taught me
the folly of trying to change people.
People, it seems to me, are born
with certain traits and predictions
and you can no more change these
traits than you can change the length
of their fingers. 1t seems to me
that you must either accept a per-
son for what he is, or pass him up
entirely. There is no middle ground.
I've learned to be tolerant of other
peoples ideas and beliefs and ways
Of life. Sometimes, later, to my
establishment, I've found myself &C.
cepting the very beliefs I once
thought were crackpot. Then won
der why other people haven't got
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