The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27

men | have known whose fortunes in life
have changed in all kinds of ways since
hrst knew them, the obscure men who
have won ren0wn, the hard-up men who
have grown rich, the lubbers who have be-
come experts, the cheap reporters who have
become chief editors, the small-potato
players who have become theatrical
stars, the counter-iumpers who have be-
come leaders III business or commerce, the
billiards who have become scholars, the
ward politicians who have become states
men, the pett.foggers who have become
luminarles of the bench, the manuscript
peddlar5 who have become illustrious
authors, the greenhorns who have exalted
their horns, or the black sheep whose
wool has changed color. I could not tell
OF the unpromising young chaps who have
turned out well, or of the promising sprigs
who have withered before the time of ripe
age, or OF the many others who have
turned out 10 be so very different from
what had been expected" We all know
that nature and life are full OF surprises,
and well it is for Us that they are.
Among my acquaintance here about
twenty years ago was an undistinguished
lawyer about 80 years old, fellow worker
of mine in business which afforded him
slight income beyond that derived from
his legal Practice. Few of those who
knew him at that time could have forecast
his career from then till now, his advance
ment in his profession ana 10 the bench,
and the other changes that took place
in his life, until he attained his present
distinction in this public service. I refer
TO the efficient secretary of the navy, Ben
jamin Z. Tracy.
Well do | remember the time when,
through a mutual friend. formed the &C.
quaintance of young. free-spirited, aspir-
ing and tawny-baired sculptor who had
come to New York from mis- native town of
Urbana, in Ohio. He had opened a studio
and it was fine one; he was ready for Or
ders, and they were not long in coming TO
him: it was evident from his work and
words that he had the artistic genius,
broad and clear, and time has justified the
evidence. He had yet to win the fame
which now belongs TO him and which is
not confined to his native land. In the
Central park there are two of his master
pieces, The Indian Hunter" and Shakes
peare." In other parts Of the city and Of
brooklyn are his Washington" Gree
ley" 'Beecher" and other works, while
TO be seen in Boston, Washington City,
Gettysburg, Hartford, Newport and else
where. The aspiring sculptor OF 1851. J..
Q. s Ward. has become the masterful
sculpt tor Of 1891.
In the years Of the war | made the &C
duaintance of young German in New
York, who had been doing some newspaper
reporting, who, if remember rightly, sent
some letters from the army Of the Potomac
to the New York Times, OF which l was
then the managing editor. He atterward
did similar work, during several years, for
other papers, and went abroad as corre-
spondent, staying in Europe till he vas over
30 years Old. 1t is safe TO say that nobody
then sas in him the makings Of the man
who. after 1870. began those gigantic
operations a. a railroad promoter, con
structor and tinancier with which bis name
has been associated. / refer 10 Henry Vii
/ lard. He has had yicIssitades OF fortune
( durlng the past twenty years, and know
not neither he Is up or down 81 this time {;
! bat he is still III the prime 81 he, sud may
vet do something worthy Of MS mind. II
i OF but little account that the name Of the
+ young German reporter Of Other times Is rs
well known in London and Berlin as IN
I New YORK and San Francisco; Il - more