Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, December 28, 1915, Night Extra, Page 15, Image 15

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    'JWHW-n'iu'iiiin.1
.EVEyiyiO- TJEDGER-PniL'APELPIIIA', TUESDAY, DE'CflMBEE 28, 1015.
15
? I
j.
THE MAN WHO SOLD
By GOUVERNEUR MORRIS
aiTEVB.VSON was sun nnve wnen John
Srul fctsnn t" write essays, storlc.o,
toI Pems nn(1 Ira'nas' TI,o "KMlcr
' it t the biff desk facing Hie big
JWroom, to watch. o correct had
rfMiMtto do with the matter. He' wtis
the master of enrthy tlilttRst. where
"J .he mastership thnt Stevenson had
Mf John raul was 01 me spirit. That
B.non was the greatest fighter of the
2inry had already leaked Into the world
Jim his Blek room. And It was well
Lrn that when the doctors gave him
'.in rail), being of a prodigiously tough
Jj, and enterprising digestion, could not
!to emulate his master's grim Strug
Jm with disease, but tho lesson, after
l!i was no richer for tho sick than for
ft, healthy- It Is as hard to sit still and
impose when you want to piny, as to
St up and roll Ink-pots when you aro
kilf b,lml wlth pam nnd w'eakncs"'
John Tan' was 14 years old when he le-Jh-ei
to be a writer, and began his long
hn'Utlon of Stevenson, uui jonn j'ntirs
ill a virtuous Imitation. It was never
"" in . . .....,. tll-lrniiBn,.'- .....1..
hat by a sfady application of Steven
:,.1tl methods and courage to arrlvo
Jom day at style of his own. To sub-
(rtt-mallcr He iuui) turn u. uiuuki in
hose early "lays of his apprenticeship.
,. Kas jtylc that ho was after, even man-in-
wop's, form nnd the co-ordination
It parts. He would swallow a book as
LJ.iilv and almost as (middy as you
biv swallow an oyster, nnd thereafter
Of InnUmeiJlUiU MUIMO ...... ....J, IIMIUKIV-I -
ibis heets of paper would sot down in
Jamtrable imitations of those beauties
wJl aptnesses In which his author seemed
most to excel. He learned to mimic
Ihjderay nnd tilckens with laughalilo
:...-. nnd dlsnatch: the "Ancient
sllttrlner" (a holiday task); less convinc
ingly the elusive iiuwiuuriir; ilia own
rood master Stevenson, I'oo, Urot Ilnrto
ad French do Maupassant,
i An not wish to ndvnnco that .John
TtvVi Imitation possessed more than a
comical npc-llkc qiinllty of his originals.
Ihiy were exercises, llko tho linger work
tlilch your virtuoso must go through
Kith In Ms teens If ever he Is to make
Jlj Instrument slug llko a bird or roar
me a storm.
John Paul was never going to bo a vir
tuoso of letters (n little bird, not of tho
titling kind, often whispered its much
his car), but ho was going to bu a
lively Imitation of one, or die for It. It
might be that only tho most carefully
thosen In the highest places would know
Ik, difference, or even that Tlmo him
itlf, capital tmbiasablo critic, would bo
tie first to mid mm out. i w.u no,
wrote John l'aul In his teens, "tho very
lest that Is In me to do. Who cares If
Ua monument thnt I ahnll erect tumble?
Ji'ot L Tor I shall luivo done a man's
ork In a world that Is often clnmor
insly contented with less."
'Still words for u boy of 17 with an en
terprising digestion.
Alien John I'aul passed his examina
tions for college, ho returned thanks to
Ills great gift for swallowing books mid
remembering them. He hail never stu
iei, except that which for a preter
Mlurally serious and humorless year Di
tto he was pleased to call (to himself
ilone) his "art." Nor did tho broader
iDeal of the collcgo entice him. Ho
Irralloweil a little Greek, a little mathe
matics, a nttio pnuosopny, uoenuso no
wu a natural-born swallower; but, for
tte most part, lie kept steudlly, almost
1 rlrtuously, along the narrow, up-climbing
path of letters which ho had chosen. In
Clus and out bo wrote and ho read.
; The profound disinclination of John
fial for study and tho attending of
daises was presently brought, to tho no
tice of tho dean. Ho scut for John Paul,
tnd, after reading the young man's char
ttter (from Aaron to Xerxes, as J. P.
himself said afterward), with ono of
Uiose swift upward glances for which ho
ni famous, showed a set of tcoth sur
trUlngly whlto and oven to be In tho
oldit of so time-worn a face.
' "I have your word for It," said tho
tan, who still smiled, "that you aro
really working at something."
( "You shall havo proof of It," said John
Fial
k"I ihall bo obliged,"
4 out the dean was not obliged at first.
Indeed, certain dangerous Urea Hashed
from his eyes, when, on returning to his
uodest house, ho found his neat front
kail completely disordered by the pres
ence of three Hour barrels, tilled to tho
brim, with mnnuscrlpts In John Paul's
teat, llleglblo hand. Hut tho dean ran
it of fuel, tho 1 1 res died in his eyes. He
riowed lils teeth, ho smiled, and then
he laughed a in-cut roarlmr Homeric
Uugh, and, dining that night with tho
'emeritus dean of tho law school, ho told
tie story and tho story spread,
la his professors John I'aul detected a
tew 'and gratifying twlnklo of npprecla-
FARMER SMITH'S
GOOD-BY CHRISTMAS, 1915!
I How many times a year does Christmas come? Only onco you say,
and you think it is n very foolish question for mo to nsk, but I am goinsr
InaaV i.A. n..n1 11T1... l..,.i Pltiia4mnQ rlfnru rlnv In tho VGal'?
f Perhaps you think that woulel cost a
tut let mo ask you what you think of this plan: HAVE CHRISTMAS EVhlU
DAY FOR YOURSELF.
I Give yourself something every day.
(", Give yourself Time every day. Give yourself time to get your breakfast,
b go to school, time to learn your lessons, time to go to bed.
f Give yourself time to catch street cars, for there will be another car
ilong in case you mis3 the first one.
I If such a dreadful thing should happen to you that you should have to
ty after school, remember that that time is LOST and you can never
nalce it up.
K .. . i Sit Ji n..AH rtnr nnd 4ViA Itmtl-
f now you sec how easy It is to nave vjiinsunua cvcjr uuj,, , ... ..-..-derful
part of it is that it will cost you nothing, save you something and
Im.W, ..... ,., t ..i PATJMRR SMITH.
,--" jiuu u great ueui luuiiucr.
i Our Postofnce Box
Herman Fingeroth, who is in the
jtlctura gallery today, lived up to his
Jainbow pledge beautifully the other
W He writes, "A poor old lady
topped and fell on the ice and I help
J? Her up. She offered me a nickel,
u- i wouldn't
Me it." Herman
it want to be
Jfttfor being
i""-- AnnEliza-
-WhGrannan.At-ati:
City, says,
ki am g0in& to
U? vy kind to
kSt'uru.Ue SChOOl Herman Fingeroth
fthums." TRnif mof i. i,,1i1f
t ose and Victor Arata, New Market
?t, are very faithful to the post
ipe box. They write very nice let
s' and your editor looks forward to
ipjizabeth Cunningham, Cynwyd,
ITrif i mlIes from most of her
k 1 ,' but she is Sing to brinB thera
L ?oser t0 her by askin them to
T "e Rainbow Club a very good
m, F, Ttthafl. -r ir T!-t-
-mvwi. cvungeuiie juicju;
X
rnme ?, d.ay ,cross""f the campus ho
nndM,.rf0 facn wl,h lhe President.
ThlV ro1f?!,0,: of 'ompamtlvo biology.
nYr,iVVlu?. kncw Jon" ''. wills
rn .i ,le, ,10r' ,tats were not being
th V,'"1! w,nter' nnd, in order to salute
tnnnl.? meni Jo,1t1 Pn"1 btve1 and
.Tin' h " fort',"'!l with his hand, glane-
tho while ("W,lh R0,lt'S cyM nska,'ce")
iJni V081'1"11 ,lftd eyebrows llko
red f H npS,S- ,T,,,1er '"" - Pa"" "
red isb-brown eyes twinkled amazingly.
tM. l'M..lw!nk,0,, nml then suddenly, to
John Paul s horror, for a ilcetlng Instant,
Mm T;. T frsdcnt had winked at
iiim. After that everybody winked. And
.-1 wi19 p'',flsc(, l0 the faculty to some
such effect as this:
tlomnI.Mf. if?ruc?,n(1.uct unbecomltiK a gen
alone " forbid) let John Paul
Ho tasted popularity. And at first It
perplexed him.
B.',',U,S Vcry curious," thought he; "here
... .i no dlfferDnt trm what I was a
month ago, but now everybody scrapes
ncqualntance, and laughs when I speak,
ihcy pass mo for a humorist. They think
I am a tine fellow, and nil because t sent
a lew barrels of selected manuscripts to
nn oldish gentleman with unusually
sound teeth.
However John Pauls popularity came,
i".e I!"3, thnt ,lp ,ln(1 the wherewithal to
noid it, for it stayed. Very many thought
Ho would swallow n book.
very well of him In tho llttlo world under
tho great elms, and there were snmo who
loved him and whom ho loved back.
It.
Whllo John I'aul was at collcgo ho lost
Stevenson nnd found Kipling. The pll
grimngo which ho had planned to make
to Stevenson's homo In tho South Sons,
was oft; and ho went through tho tlrst
great grief of his life. Hta comfort was
certain plain tales from the Indian Hills,
printed in double columns, nnd without
covers. Ho was sitting uncomfortably
when lie opened tho book nnd began to
rend; ho had not moved when ho began
to read some of the stories for tho second
tlmo.
Ho was novor In doubt as to 'heir great
ness. He made his llrst unbU id literary
Judgment nnd knew that It was sound as
a bell. Till that day ho had never seen
Kipling's nnnie. In all his after days it
was as famlllnr to lilm as his own. a
talisman, an Inspiration, a despair. Here
was a man who used old English In the
newest and most bflllant ways, liven
Stevenson sent his I icssages by stage
coach; but the nowcomcr telegraphed,
telephoned, cabled, hellogrnphed and
rocketed. Hotter than this, Ills were tho
messngs of things ns they are: Bpoko
tho wolf In tho Jungle what was In his
heart and the serpent down under the
sea; tho Christian nnd tho pagan each
what was truest and humanest In lilm
hclf without gloss or convention. And
well that there was somo poetry thrown
Into tho bargain, for excepting for
"Chrlstobel" and tho "Ancient Mariner"
and somo of I'oo there had never been
any poetry In John Paul's llfo before.
For tho tlrst time ho had somo Inkling
of tho sort of thing ho would ono day
wish to wrlto himself, namely, tho truth
about things, ugly or beautiful, but tho
truth, "l'ou must," ho thought, "wrlto
ugly for tho sako of ugliness, or beau
tiful for Its sako, but tho two In their
Just mixture us tho truth Itself has them."
Ho began from that period to look down
on fictions which had nny purposes but
that of truth-tclllng; or which wcro
clumsily written. Tho milk and sugar
school of novels, and novels with an idea
of reforming something or other ho held
In Bpecial contempt. "Only tell tho
lot of money and still more bother,
-..... ,
umiurens iuuor, mmiou .iiu..
Farmer Smith, Children's Editor,
Evening Ledger, Philadelphia.
I wish to become a member of
your Rainbow Club and agree to
DO A LITTLE KINDNESS EACH
AND EVERY DAY SPREAD A
LITTLE SUNSHINE ALL ALONG
THE WAY.
Name
Address ., .,
Age .,,,,,.,
School I attend.,,
South 45th street, says, "I am so glad
the great Evening Ledger has such
a nice club for us children, and I think
it has a very pretty name." Thank
you, little Miss Raleigh, for the com
pliment! Do You Know This?
1. 1-2-3--1-5 spells since, 6-2-4-7
spells rice. What does 12-3-4-5-6-7
spell? (Five credits.)
2. Write a poem of four lines about
New Year's Day, (Ten credits.)
3. What is ice? (Five credits.)
- uff ?--
HIMSELF
truth," ho thought; "only let people know
themselves nnd other people, nnd all tho
reforms which the world needs will
transpire automatically." The longr he
lived the surer ho became that tho truth
Is what tho world 'most needs; the un
varnished truth, clearly nnd even Btyllah
ly presented. As for beginning to write
tho truth himself, he could not, slnco he
did not yet know what manner of thing
It might be. Hut ho went about Inquir
ing of this man and thnt, nnd picked Up
a hint hero nnd a hint there.
It was his plan at this tlmo to practice
writing nnd to search for tho truth until
ho was 30. He did not wish to publish
a line until he was rensonnbly sure of
his matter and his manner. His father
was dead and his mother did not bellevo
In young men working In offices unless
they had to. She trusted John Paul and
trusted that he knew what was best for
himself. So, when tho sons of other well-to-do
mothers wero graduated nnd went
downtown nnd learned to chatter about
stocks and bonds (and nothing better,
and some things worse for all the rest
of their lives), she saw with equanimity
her own son depart on n scries of trnvels
which ho thought would bo good for him
and knowlcdgous.
Writing, playing, wondering, Inquiring
nnd llndlng out, he Journed up nnd down
tho world, and almost twice around It;
rushing home for hnppy visits and rush
ing oft again for happier vngnbolidlngs.
And ho rubbed corners with all sorts of
peoplo and things, and came on some
times the better, sometimes the worse,
but always and forever tho more know
ing. In the midst of John Paul's educa
tional heyday, tho most of his mother's
trusteed money was lost, and John Paul
camo scurrying homo to comfort nnd to
earn. Hut Mrs. Paul was a stnunrh
woman. "I don't mind." sho said; "I
have kept a big house for 2S yearn now.
and between you and mo I havo always
hated it. I've enough money left tr keep
me in Europe, nnd enough friends In Eu
rope to keep mo amused. The unpleasant
part of it Is thnt I can't give you nn nl
louanco commonsurato with your way of
living, or your station in life. In fact."
here Mrs. Paul smiled urolly, "I don't
think I can give you any allowitncc at
all."
John Paul burst out laughing, nnd then
ho put his arm around his mother.
"If you can be such a good sport," ho
said, "I've got to be. I'm not ready to
mako a living yet. Hut I will."
So Mis. Paul sailed away for a year
and a day, and John Paul got' him a Job
in a publisher's olllro at $3 a week, Some
times, however, Mrs. Paul sent him a
little money, but that Is a secret.
John Paul's employer wns a man who
could nover quite trust anybody to do
nnytlilng. Theic was consequently nmong
his employes none of that senso of re
sponsibility which schools a man to do
a little better than he knows how. As
far as work went John Paul's position
was a sinecure; but In regard to progress
and development a tragedy.
John Paul belonged to a country club,
from which In the fnlt of his mother's
fortunes ho had forgotten to resign. It
got to be Mny In the publishing house,
and our hero had a sickness upon him
for bluu water and green l.iwns. Hn bad
in his pocket $lii, which a funny paper
had given him In exchange for vera".
If he waited till pay day he would have
$3). Hut it was high Muy. and no neamm
for waiting. Ho took his well-worn derby,
very sweaty uh to tin- sweatband, from
Its Iron hook, anil, without a word to
anybody, marched out of that olllce for
ever. In later years he became very
good friends with his former employer
and ho the world goes.
At tho Country Club John I'aul found
friends, borrowed llanncls and mndo one
of a four at tennis. It wns proposed that
there bo comer bets of $10 on each set.
"What you llko," said John Paul, aloud.
To himself he said, "If wo loao tho llrst
set I can always sprain my ankle."
Hut ho and his partner won that act (a
very close one), and the next nnd tho
next, and ujicn John Paul went up to
shower and chaugo hu was worth 510,
and tho world seemed to him nn encour
aging nnd kindly place.
That night he risked his little all In a
poker game, and won a hundred and
ninety odd dollars. And thereafter for
two years (It was very hard for him to
sell stories at llrst) ho supported himself
by betting and playing gnmes of chnuco
and skill.
III.
Then a curious thing happened. He fell
passionately and despairingly In love,
nnd his luck left him. Hut his stories
were beginning to sell (enough to support
life) nnd ho withdrew gradually and for
ever from tho green baize and tho hotting
ring. And was neither better, I think,
for his expei iences nor worso; only a
little more knowing.
CONTINUED TOMOmtOW.
RAINBOW CLUB
Henry's Holidays
Henry Carson gazed loncsomely
down the snow-draped terrace that
led from tho low wide steps of the
Mills Academy for Boys to tho ice-
covered river beyond. This was his
first year at boarding school. It had
required much
s u v i n g on the
part of his par
ents to send him,
and railroad faro
for tho trip homo
ward at holiday
time was some
thing beyond tho
limits of his
father's income.
So, now, the
v.
fourth day after Christmas, he was
standing on the porch forlornly
dreaming of mother and coasting
parties, and onco in a while glancing
down at the single skater that was
busy tracing fanciful figures on the
ice. This was not the first time that
he had watched the skater. He was a
boy of his own age and he had learned
from one of the teachers that he was
the son of a wealthy family that
lived on the other side of the river.
Henry looked longingly at the house
on the opposite bank and thought of
Suddenly a scream rent the air. In
stinctively his eyes darted to the
skater. The ice had given way!
Horrified, Henry stood motionless
for just one second, then he dashed
down the terrace screaming, "Hold
on to the edge, hold on to the edge!"
By this time only the boy's head was
visible and he was struggling franti
cally to catch hold of the broken ice.
Never thinking of himself, Henry
raced fearlessly out on the ice. Ten
more steps and he would reach the
boy. He gave a low cry.
The head had disappeared under the
water!
(Continued tomorrow.)
h SCRAPPLE c
Local Magnate i renowned for his
out of this gate, my man?
Sentry I should think so, fllr. A
morning.
It Was n Pile, Too
llutz-t hoar that Doe Smith put
you on a diet. What did you object
to giving up tho most?
Nuts His fee.
A Comedy of Error
ti.illy Sketch.
Kit at Tommy I've been winding nt
a bit of wool that was atlcklng out
at tho back of your neck for half
an hour.
Second Tommy You Hilly obs! You'vn
unraveled all tho knitted vest Sister
ijuslo sent me.
Teacher Henry, what Is a hypocrite?
Henry A hypocrite is a kid wot
comes lo school wld a Minllo on his
face. Puget Sound Trail.
Now What Did He Mean?
Punch.
"Don't you think I should look
rather a fool In uniform?"
Well, of course, my dear fellow, tt
Isn't much of a disguise."
AND THE WORST
l J&S'tOsAi? r- ffHP Hl
dSBp
rim WMiWIWmM
fmJlmhlwM) ""if?3
' Wmm MimtMWl
p Ao f ("ptntonrmtic-
' i M '
- Th Pflmlnc Rhow.
bulk, leaving tho barracks) Can I get
cartload o' hay come In by 't this
A German Potentate
lleralilo. MadrM.
"What are you keeping In that great
aafe?"
"A loaf of bread and about two
pounds of potatoes! A veritable treas
ure!" THE FIRST TIME YOU
Bhe I'll nover marry a drunkard.
Ho Not If ho happens to sober up
before tho ceremony? Texas Coyote.
Ships That Pass in the Night
The Night Watchman.
IS YET TO COME
f ... : .. . . .fV ,. . ' -i".-i!-j;i:c
I -SOL. II J
THE PADDED CELL
jit ! Jf$d
it Mrm (f
GO TO DANCING SCHOOL
TAKE THE HINT, GENTLEMEN
JX
KsfJCSGl
Dolly (to other girls) Isn't It funny
always Mrs. It
Clever Kid
0ii!$3
"Mamma, I don't like to play house
with brother Dick."
"Why not. dearie?"
" 'Cause ho buys candy clears, (hen
says ha will play papa, an' I'm
mammal"
A GUILTY CONSCIENCE IS
All right. Sp'tbult I wasn't going
only lookm at It.
l''i-. k. .
5---S i dK-T.y
Different
T 1
-.
"Itobcrt, how many times must I tell
you that gentlemen do not put their
hands In their pockets while walking
with ladles."
"I know It. ma, but I'm only with
you this time."
The Right Idea
In Times of Peace Prepat i for War.
that when Cupid olts his mark lia
Wise Hjtbby
-i--
Wlfo Whut do you think of that
lovely hat In this window?
Husband I think it looks so splen
did In Its present position that tt
would be a downright sin to remova
THE WORST ACCUSER
to pinch the bloomln luntcrn. I was
EsaPHTalllMraan
--'" "nn it w in i t-TrTTTiini btv
i
i
vj
-1
. j 5T -
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