Produced by Al Haines. LURES OF LIFE BY JOSEPH LUCAS AUTHOR OF "OUR VILLA IN ITALY" T. FISHER UNWIN, LTD. ADELPHI TERRACE, LONDON First published . . . . January, 1919. Second Impression . . . . June, 1919. *CONTENTS* CHAPTER I. THE LURE OF LIFE’S AFTERGLOW II. THE LURE OF HAPPINESS III. THE LURE OF SELF-DENIAL IV. THE LURE OF MAGIC WORDS V. THE LURE OF AN OLD TUSCAN GARDEN VI. THE LURE OF THE MONTELUPO PLATE VII. THE LURE OF PLUCK VIII. THE LURE OF OLD FURNITURE IX. THE LURE OF PERSONALITY X. THE LURE OF NICE PEOPLE XI. THE LURE OF THE NEW DEMOCRACY XII. JESUS CHRIST THE LURE OF THE AGES XIII. THE LURE OF THE LIVING WORD XIV. THE LURE OF THE EUCHARIST *LURES OF LIFE* *I* *THE LURE OF LIFE’S AFTERGLOW* A friend put me in remembrance that I had a birthday recently. Birthday emotion with an old man is an extinct crater. When I was young a coming birthday set my pulse throbbing to mad music weeks beforehand; it filled me with delightful anticipations. Romance gathered round the happy event. Our thoughts tripped capriciously along the primrose paths of the future. I felt myself preordained to greatness. The hoarded treasure held in bond for me was surely there awaiting delivery, and Time the magician’s wand would wave its largesse into my outstretched eager hands, and, clothed in honour, I should ride prosperously all the days of my life. To the youngster starting on the grand tour of life, the journey is a splendid venture. The cup held to the lips overflows with rich, ripe, sparkling liquor; every draught of it is nectar, exhilarating the spirits, expanding the experience, and discoursing music on every chord of the harp of a thousand strings. It is superb doing, riding life on a flowing tide when the warm south wind blows, and the air is redolent with aromatic spices, when driftwood floats from distant climes, and shore-birds sail in the central blue signalling that the Land of Heart’s Desire will soon be reached. Truly youth takes life with a zest of its own.