Show Howe About I Poorhouse Author Misbehaving A Big Mans Man's Family eo a BU Esa u radical Carden B By ED HOWE nA HAVE VE received an unusual letter I from a man I do not know and who lives In to a distant state tie lie says You once wrote that a t book ook entitled The rhe Autobiography of a Failure might meet public favor I enclose an aD attempt at such luch writing and as al a preliminary tell you my ml qualifications I spent pent ten years yean In an Insane asylum but was never discharged as cured At present I am In a poorhouse and half balt blind In addition to being somewhat some some- somewhat what palsied d and Ind rheumatic I am sixty four years yean old and have hav never nefer married married- Iy illy ly manuscript was typed by another Inmate of the poorhouse where I 1 live Probably no DO editor would consider this writing for publication as II It Is II carelessly written and arranged but I believe any of them would read It It as 81 asI 1 L did Curiously enough this author Is conservative and quotes with approval approval ap apo some of the most noted writers of history who have denounced radical ism lam He lie grumbles rumbles at the rich a good deal but admits the ordinary facts of life ute with considerable Intelligence Altogether I do not believe this man manIs manIs manis Is Insane or ever has been he displays dis dl plays plas Indeed more than average sense In 10 his thinking I think his trouble Is failure to properly mana manage e his mind and his body boM wh which wh Is II the fault o of millions million of other unfortunates I have hav not been blen more Interested In a writer In many years yearl At times he be Is almost brilliant in to his observations nowhere is he vulgar or foolish but frequently commonplace as IS all are outside or Inside In side of poor houses or Insane asylums In the unexpurgated edition of the Memoirs Is I. printed a letter once wrote Apparently the correspondent correspondent correspondent corre corre- had writ written fen that he be was wal handicapped In life lite because of hU hll having been divorced of his hll drinking a I good deal and being known as II an aD atheist atheist- In his reply said I 1 have bave been divorced twice but long after 1 I am as well thought of by my neighbors as al either of the women I divorced and both are good women I t am an atheist but neither has bas that Injured me I have experimented freely free tree freely treely ly with liquor and solved the problem by quitting both drinking and talking about the subject I do not believe you yon state your real problem In writing writing writ writ- ing to me Mine has hal always len keen to better manage my own mind and body and thus gain the respect of ot those with whom I associate In small and great things There is argument as to whether r my preaching Is II sound Mund I wish It to be and to say I am occasionally com com- mended A man thirty five years old recently wrote me mo I have liked your articles for some lome years but the finest most beneficial sermon that ever reached me and my father was a clergyman was printed lately You said The ambition to behave soundly sound sound- ly Iy based on the selfish not noble knowledge that It Is finally the best and easiest way will supply all alt the human service a human can hope for I 1 think I 1 now understand what you have tried so well to make plain to wit that actually It Is II a stubborn fact counting the after costs In conscience conscience con con- science disrupted plans shocked Knocked nerves time lost forever and Injury to others good behavior Is easier than misbehavior I thank you sir for tor help In my weak endeavor to become a better man e e eA A noted Big DIg Man lately appeared at atan atan atan an airport with his wife a son of fourteen fourteen four four- teen leen and a daughter of seventeen The Tho lug DIg Man was rushing from one Important Important Im Im- duty to another and chafing at the delay of forty minutes when a reporter found him The Big DIg Man loved talked freely lie He had enormous ideas very much better than professional writers put Into books and magazines But members of ot his family were tired of his talk Start fanning said the Impudent boy hoy dads turned on the hot bot air The wife and daughter expressed sed almost al aJ most equal Impudence and disapproval al of the Rig Big Mans Man's Ian talk I recall recall re re- call that when a child we VI were all very verI tired of my fathers father's talk we heard It so 10 much and It was always the same But lint we were poor people I had supposed that Big DIg Men talk so wisely that members of their own families families fam tarn listen with a awe aVe Ve and Interest Inherent It seems scents they do not note e e e eWe We are commanded to love loe all 11 alike Including our our enemies but 1 I often sin In end and confess I have bave favorites Some people people peo peo- people annD annoy me so much and unnecessarily unnecessarily I cannot love IOTa them a few others others oth oth- ers era treat me well and I special special- specially I ly like Ilka them And Ane I think rm Im right about It I do not believe benee the com command mane that I 1 love lore my enemies aswell aswell as well as m my friends had any great authority au an- back of it It Every morning 1 I feel fine One and energetic ener ener- eneri getic getie ane and determined to do a lot that day on the Great Book ook I am engaged In writing Hut But after looking over oer the matt mall scribbling a few things of ot no Importance and sod attending to the usual complications that arise In to a life between between be bee tween seven and ten o'clock of a usual morning I 1 am worn out and put It off until tomorrow e I I I 1 hate to tie ne Impo Imposed t d on ane and there thereto is to no use ulle trying to argue me we out of It ItI I should houM have hue a nobler flouter disposition but butI I haven't and am unable to acquire It I i |