The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-11-05
DAN FOGG'S LETTER.
Mr.. Fogg Discourses on Monu.
ments and Disappointed AM
bition-A Cat Episode.

bition-A Cat Episode.
Mr.. Editor: often wonder what
kind of a monument will be put at my
grave to show my Importance in the
world. will it be plain slab or tall
shaft with statuary and bas-relief all
around, and with goddess of liberty,
an angel, cherub or something on
top Of it?
II | accomplish all l desire to- my
monument will be a monstrous pile of
beautiful masonry. But present indi.
cations are that any old stone will do.
always feel for the fellow with just
small slab, or often no slab at all,
and will do my best TO decorate our
family lot with something nice with
good interesting reading on it. | would
like an inscription on my tomb about
being elected to congress or the presi-
dency. or being hero, or something of
that kind but there are no encourag-
ing indications yet.
A great many men are now working
writing Major Mckinley and Mr.. Bryan
are the most conspicuous. One of them
will get something real pretty in this
line, and. the towns they live in appre-
ciate the fact. Canton would like a
monument to stand above the trees aud
glisten across the rich farms of Stark
county, and Lincoln, Neb., is desirous
of something more stupendous than
l., nd Of OIL ~
politicians see visions of tall shafts
with statuary.
Mr.. Hanna, for example, is ambitious
to have something that can be seen
clear across Lake Erie. If he and
were buried side by side, just now as
things stand, would cut a very small
figure in that part of the cemetery,
and would feel downcast.
know | can never be perfectly COM
Portable after death without a large
monument, the biggest in my end OF
the cemetery. And nothing will graf
ify me more than to have my admirers
keep the grass all tramped off around
it, But if they don't, will not raise
a kick and make fool of myself.
When we are freshmen in college we
design great monuments, which our
fancy places at our own graves When
we are old the prospects of tall mar
BILE shaft with statuary are not so good.
very few men at 60 see the same
visions of monumental splendor that
that they saw at 10. Mine at 28 is not
near so good as it was at l6, though
still hope to merit something that will
stick up above the sage bushes.
once expected to occupy the presiden'
tial chair; but am not so sure of II
now. There will be others willing tc
save me the responsibility.
Some people put up their own monu
ments. That is a good idea If one feels
that he has more money than respect OF
his friends. Such people stand higher
in the cemetery than anywhere else.
know a man who has put up his
own monument. 1t is not family
mausoleum, but huge granite monu
ment, with the mans name blazing al
| him across the plains, and not a bone
near it. Whenever he has a pain he looks
at that beautiful pile of granite and is
| cheered.
There's nothing better TO make a
man cheerful than to see his own mon
ument with his name on it. When | get
sick brighten up my visions of white
marble, and black, silver mounted
caskets; besides, I'm always pleased tc
have some of my long faced friends
come in and tell me about all the peo
pie they knew who died with the same
disease, These things tend TO kill the
disease, and divert ones mind from
earthly things.
In this community when a man start!
out for drive in the evening, he says
to his wife; MARY, dear, have you any
cats to spare ?" Mary says, " Yes
darling, few" Then Mary pourl
milk into the pan and goes "Kitty-kit
ty-kitty-kitty" Cats of various sizeI
and compilations respond to the call
and John and Mary scoop them into ;
bag. Then John puts the bag in tn,
buggy and starts off for drive.
When he arrives opposite the home o
a man of opposite politics or of differ
ent religious denomination, he acci
dentally opens the bag, the cats spill
out and he fails to catch them.
In this way / am often reminded tina
my political and religious conviction
differ from those of some one, thougl
seldom learn who.
This generous spirit prevails anon
farmers who raise cats surreptitiousl
to themselves.
Once | bagged a batch of youthful
cats and took them where | though
they would be appreciated. On my wa
met the gentleman of the place, bu
said nothing about my intended gift
believing the virtue of giving to be 4
the giver's silence. We both drov
fast.
That night there was a tremendou
cataclasm of cats in our yard, whic
was not pleasant to listen to- / say
TO myself, "What does it mean ?"
The next morning the oneriest lookin
lot of strange cats that ever raided
cupboard decorated our premises. TIL
other fellow and l had fought due
without knowing it.