Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-01-12
Sticking to the Point.

A FRIEND of mine, who was in business,
and in need of clerk, advertised, but out
OF the whole number of those who pre-
sented themselves only one shut the door
tight as he went out of the office. This
one was Immediately called back and en-
ployed.
A little while afterward another friend,
successful lawyer, advertised as follows;
WANTED.-A young man to work in an attor-
ney's Office, and also to read law at his leisure
Apply to John Smith, 1s Dunlap street, B.
1t was the conviction of ray friend that
what is most desired in lawyer is GER
tain cool judgment, which holds on to the
main point in a given case, and allows no
side issues to warp the mind from its an
chored position. have often heard him
say. In the end, the lawyer who, having
hit the nail on the head, keeps driving it
in until it is countersunk in the conviction
of both judge and jury, is the leader who
succeeds best at the bar of justice. l al
ways select for my students such young
men as have this quality, and almost in
variably find it lodged in minds that are
inclined to stick to the point"
On the day following the publication of
the above notice, Mr. Smith had in the
forenoon dozen applicants in person. He
bade them wait his pleasure then when
they were all seated around him, he ad
dressed them as follows:
Before we proceed to business, my
young friends, wish to tell you story"
Of course no one objected to this.
"On Deacon Whites barn." began Mr.
S., there perched one evening an OWL
The Deacon was slightly superstitious,
and not fancying the hooting of the lugu-
brious visitant, he took his gun, stole out
softly, got within good range, leveled his
gun at the ominous intruder, and fired.
Now, the barn was old and full of chinks
and holes, and it being very dry time,
the treacherous wadding Immediately set
fire to the hay inside, and in an instant the
entire fabric was in flames
90 dearl dear!" cried the deacon, chow
can release all my COWS, oxen and year
lings, and my sheep and horses, in season
tc save them ?" for the wind was high, and,
as it always happens, it increased In fresh
ness as the fire gained in fury.
"Help! helpl" he shouted.
did the folks hear him in the house ?"
asked Alfred. q shall call the applicants
by their Christian names)
'Not directly" said Mr.. Smith. 'The
deacon lost no time in getting out the cat
tie. He found them frantic with terror
and unmanageable. While engaged in
loosing stout young bull, the latter sud
denly turned his horns and pierced him.
I'm gored! I'm goredl 7 he exclaimed, in
agony, just as his terror-stricken wife came
to the rescue"
''Did he die?''
''He was injured seriously" resumed Mr..
Smith. "Feeling faint he was obliged to
go and lie down. The woman ran for a
doctor When she returned, the piteous
believing of the tortured and dying cattle
fell on her ears. The thrilling thought
quickly struck her, was her husband pos
sibly in the burning ruins? Had he ven
tured beyond his strength again, and fallen
helpless victim?"
go, my husband! my husbandl'"
"Did he answer?" inquired Charley,
with anxious face.
"Was he in the fire ?" asked David
There was no reply" continued Mr.
Smith, save from the cracking timbers
and means of the doomed animals. Pres
emily she heard the voice of her only son
among the flames"
"'Help! help!' he cried.
The mothers heart was ready to break
She fastened to rescue her darling boy"
Did she save him?" asked Edwin.
90, hope she didn't get burned her
SELF" said Frank.
''Please tell us, sir, whether they were
burned to death" pleaded Grant.
"Well,' resumed Mr.. Smith, "the poor
deacon died of his wounds"
Too bad" said Henry. "He was a
brave man."
And his son was badly burned"
90, awfuli' exclaimed Isaac.
And the widows clothes caught fire,
but, luckily, one of the neighbors (there
were none living very near) arrived at the
of iIIcf in, fn Nv
tinguish the flames"
"Good good!'' exclaimed James. "He
threw the buffalo in the wagon over her. /
suppose?"
You are right" said Mr. Smith "And
he released one of the best horses"
"Was he burned at all! asked Karl.
"Only a little scorched," said Mr.. Smith
And so the narrator went on until he
had depicted the consequences in detail OF
the sad event. Then he paused. His audi
ence was silent-their sympathies had been
deeply touched. Each one seemed silently
pitying the poor, afflicted family. But one
boy sat unmoved through the whole story
and said nothing. And now that the mar
rative was finished, and pause had come
he deliberately looked into Mr.. Smiths
face in straightforward manner, and
asked:
This was the youth that stuck to the
point, and the one that the lawyer selected
from the twelve. The story had simply
been manufactured for effect
A Legend of Alexander the Great.
Translated from the Tradition of the Eastern
Story-telier.]
No hero except Solomon, perhaps, has
SO many wonderful adventures credited to
him by the professional story teller in the
East as Alexander the Great One o
these, which I am told is also to be found
in the literature of the Hebrews, is moi
only entertaining, but possesses some deer
and graceful morals. The legend runs
thus:
During the improbable march O.
Alexander in India he came to a lovely
oasis, watered by clear running stream
The great King stretched his weary limb.
on its banks. and ordered from the scanty
stock of provisions a few dried salteG
fishes for his repast. Clear water, served
in a golden goblet, replaced the choice
Lesbian in which the great King so Otter
indulged. But how astonished was the
conqueror when an unaccountably deliciou.
odor and Taste pervaded the water from
this running streaml
"Surely," said Alexander, "a river Sc
full of rich properties must take its rise il
happy land. Let us explore its sources.
After fatiguing journey on foot in ques
of the head waters of the stream, the Kin.
at last came to what seemed an immens
enclosure, the walls of which were O
great height. He was reassured by fndin.
pair of colossal gates right before him
Knocking loudly at the postern he de
manded entrance. A voice from the in
terror answered, "Thou cans't not ente
here; this is Paradise, and the gates ar
the gates of the Lord"
"I am" answered Alexander, proudly