Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-06-07
Foolish George Hogden.

|
say.
Foolish George is favored pat
ron of the Passumsic River Railroad.
He rides back and forth whenever
he pleases. If he takes fancy to
ride from Newport to White River
Junction, he steps aboard the train.
He can take the best seat in the car
if he chooses. No conductor pre-
sumes to demand any fare of him.
If he wishes to take the next train
back to st. Johnsbury, or any other
station, he does it without money
and without price.
Foolish George has a great COM
mand of language,-such as it is
and good many ideas if he only
knew how to sort them and make
them hang together. Sometimes
he is great political orator, and
''stumps" for himself as presiden-
tial candidate Then again he ap-
pears in the role of a musician.
For the occasion he is anything
that he happens to imagine himself
People who have the leisure for
such things love to call upon him
for a speech, always promising him
a few pennies for his performance.
Then George will mount box,
or whatever happens to be nearest,
and pour out his strange eloquence,
while the crowd laugh and applaud.
His speeches are sure to amuse them
every time, for amid the medley of
his words there will often flash out
a droll conceit, and sometimes just
"A hint of a bright idea that the wis
est of them might be proud of.
Two or three pennies will pro-
duce song from poor George, as
easily as speech, and his singing
is quite as good fun for the crowd
as his oratory. Nothing gratifes
the thoughtless better than to
''patronize" those who are inferior
to them. All, the inferiority may
not be so certain after all.
1t is not always safe to say which
is wiser, the fool who amuses or the
fool who laughs. A friend of mine
who had been far away came to
visit me. had not seen him for
years.
One day he strolled into the viii
lage to while away the time. An
hour afterwards found him with
a knot of men and boys listening
to Foolish George, who stood on
the steps of a building, making a
speech for Grant"
George was in good spirits and won
frequent bursts of applause. 1t
was great entertainment for the
thoughtless company. When | ap-
preached my friend, he was laugh
ing and clapping as heartily as the
rest. Turning to me he said:
! Here, if you wish to see a speci-
men of perfect felicity, look at that
fellow. He illustrates Pope's line
exactly, Where ignorance is bliss,
It's folly to- be wise"
did not laugh, nor even smile,
in return. | showed no sign of be-
ing amused, but ! took his arm,
and we walked away together.
When we were out of sight of the
crowd, we sat down in the shade.
"Now what was there to laugh
at in the exhibition you just wit
messed 2" | asked. seriously.
Everything" replied my friend.
He is SO foolish and funny, and
his assurance was so happy and
perfect. Nobody could help laugh
ing"
"Pephaps some could not. But
| never laugh at him or anything
he does"
"Well, really, | do not see how
you can help it."
"Do you think the tender master
would have laughed at Foolish
George? Pope's line, which you
just quoted, is neat way of telling
us to let well enough alone, but
it cannot apply to poor George, for
his ignorance is not a thing he
could held if he tried. He is fool
by misfortune. They-who practice
upon him, and will not let him alone,
are greater fools, and of different
kind"
My friend looked up in some sur
prise at my earnestness. "Well, it
did not occur to me to look at it
in that way" said he.
with all our intellect, refine
ment and culture" continued,
"Follish George is, In a sense, our
superior. ! can never laugh at
him. When / stand before him,
it is with awe and reverence, rather
than amusement. | know not how
he came to be what he is, but his
infirmity is sacred in my eyes. |
am too thankful for the blessing
of my full reason to ridicule those
who are deprived of that gift.
Foolish George Hogden is not only
an object of pity, but he is a hero
worthy of our highest admiration.
'Let me tell you story. One
spring day, years ago, an express
train left White River Junction
for st. Johnsbury, with a hundred
passengers. Most of these had
made the same trip many times,
and probably not one of them had
any thought of danger ahead.
"The day was pleasant, and every
thing seemed in fine condition. All |
looked for quick and prosperous
journey. They sped on-past Nor
wich, past Thetford, past Piedmont,
past Wells River, past Ryegate,
past Barnet. A few miles more