The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-02-15

Twenty years OF CONTINUOUS residence
IN the same community has . tendency
TO create enpui in the old settler, but it
10 not without its recompeuse in afford
ing material for comparisons sud con-
illusions. Many people have lived and
died and been forgotten in Lincoln a. in
other places. Others have lived and
died and have not been forgotten and
will not be because they we're men OF
unueual force and character. Their
phrases, their way OF doing business,
their precedents judicial and financial
have impressed themselves on their con.
temporsries, who in turn influence the
younger men. They will pass It on to
the third and fourth generation and it
will not be effaced even then. Some
times pioneers do not realize the endur-
ing character OF the stamp they put on
q new place or they might be more care
full to make the die worthy Of eternity.
The faces stamped on Lincoln's coin ex-
press, without exception. ability, integ :
rity, courage with line here and there
Of crudeness or OF undisciplined strength.
There were three men, especially whose
influence cannot be estimated because
it extends in 90 many directions as well
- because those who yielded to it did
90 quite unconscious Of the source Of
that pervading energy. These three
masters Of the mint were Judge o. p.
Mason, Mr.. John R. Clark and Mr..
Msrquett. They shaped business
methods and policy and local institu-
tons their own way That it was per-
manent the years that have passed
since Mr.. Clarkis and Judge Mason's
death have shown. They live in tradi-
dition and in the things they shaped.
built, applied and planned.
The idioeyncrasies OF small men do not
do much harm because nobody thinks
II worth while 70 copy them. Great men
are no qseerer than nonentities. Little,
silly people are laughed at when they
do odd things. The ways. goou and
bad. Of influential people are copied.
Geniuses are accused Of many things
they do not deserve. The commonest
remark on meeting great musician,
artist, statesman or author lie that he is
just like anybody else. Which means
that he has filed of from his character
the rough edges that less important
people allow to remain t. make other
folks uncomfortable. But occasionally
q man OF note has not the time. or does
not see the importance OF casting of
everything that is likely to impede HE
progress on the road his bleeding feet
will have to tread. Then the little
people come and look at him and all
they zee is an excrescence here and
there that has nothing to do with the
mans real greatness. Such q man was
Judge Mason. He never trimmed his
speech or altered his course in order
that the little might understand. When
he was misunderstood il hurt him, but
he showed only glee. Abruptness. de-
fiance OF man and of the elements. irrev-
erence and Q careless dress are some of
the characteristics, among many. others
Of real value. to be found in the Mason
school. 1t is not sign Of superiority to
refuse to rield to benign influence.
1t 10 imbecile to initiate not that which
has given distinction to a model but
that which is an accident and Of small
importance. 1t seems to me that the
young lawyers who walk the legal path