The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-11-12
EheIemofrat-S Star
THE ARMLESS EDITOR.
National Printer-Journalist.

difficulties that we are compelled Il
MEETS one that we too well learned
for our own good and the comforts OF
our friends, and especially Of those
Immediately dependent upon or con
nected with us. A brave heart car
win away under The most discUuragine
circumstances. The following account
of heroic endcavor related in the Gin
cinnati Enquirer has a world OF value
and inspiration To all who are inclined
To yield to adversely, whether they be
editors or the followers OF other call
ings in life. Where will, strength,
courage, perseverance. virtue and
good habits exist, there Is Il way, as
blind men and those who are deaf and
crippled frequently show, to the shame
OF the indolcnt, slothful, IMPROVE
dent, or Indifferent:
"Aaron Smith, the talented editor OF
the Mount Pleasant Texas Timcs-Rc-
view, is in many respects the most
remarkable editor yer mounted the
tripod. He was born without arms,
and is still minus those useful, not to
say necessary, appendages. Scoresa nd
hundreds OF men lost both their arms
in battle and regularly draw big pen
sions from the government because
sucb a terrible misfortune Is supposed
TO totally unfit them for making a liv-
Ing. Mr.. Smith, although greatly in
cOpyenienced by the absence OF arms,
never for a moment considered the
idea OF r%enouncing cherished ambi-
tious and becoming Il burden ON his
relatives. Instead he set boldly to
work TO carve out his own destiny, and
now, at the age OF 20 years, is rccog-
nized as one of the rising young jour
nalists of the West, with Il long vista
OF alluring possibilities stretched out
before him.
"Hc is the owner OF his paper, and
has made it a valuable property by
the conscientious work that lie has
bestowed upon its editorial and news
columns and the wisdom with which
lie has managed Its finances. Mr..
Smith is well known throughout Tex
rs, but, strange to say, little has been
said regarding him in the great East
crn dailies and the no less great dai'
lies of the Middle West. lie is n of
the most unique and interesting fig
ures among the public men Of Texas
UNIQUE from the fact OF his dcformity
and the further fact that he has never
made capital OF it that he might draw
attention, to himself; interesting, be-
cause hc Is bright, scholarly, broad
minded, and a genial, whole-souled
fellow. His life has been Il struggle
to overcome the obstacles that Tate
placed In the way OF his advancement.
but he has gloriously triumphed over
difficulties that lowered mountains
high and would have appalled, most
men. The disadvantages under which
an armless man labors will be, to some
extent, appreciated after one suffers
his arms to be securely piniOned for a
half hour and attempts, while thus
hampcred, to make any Roadway at
writing, eating, or a thousand and one
commonplace things in the perform
ance of which hands ordinarily assist.
'The experiment will prove to the
satisfaction OF any one who tries II
that life to such a nan Is no joke.
Aaron Smith has set an example
which ought to be full Of inspiration to
all young men who are fully equipped
with good, strong arms, sound bodies
and healthy ambitions, for II one SO
bcset with h%indrances as he ac-
complish so much, how much easier
ought it to be for a normally developed
young man to reach the goal OF his
ambitions?
aaron Smith was born in Miller
county, Ark, July, %, 1868. His faith
er, who followed the vocation OF car
riage-makcr, had ten children, all but
Aaron being supplied with arms. His
parents supposed, when the armless
little stranger made his advent, that
he would be entirely helpless all his
lifc, but the little fellow soon proved
that he would be fully able to look out
for himself. He began to feed him.
self with his feet as 10 as he was
old enough to be given solid foods, and
he would amuse himself and the whole
family by holding the rattlebox be.
tween his tiny pink toes and shaking
1t with a will, and enjoying his play
just the same as other babies do. lie
could pick up pins with his toes,
comb his hair, and do a multiplicity Of
things that were indeed wonderful.
AS lie grew older 1t became apparent
that he was going to get as much fun
out OF life as healthy boys generally
do,
"When just a boy his father moved
to Cass county, Texas. Aaron finish
ed the High School there, and would
have taken a university cours but for
the fact that the family finances
we're running low about that time.
1t was In Cass county that he met
and fell In love with the pretty Car.
ric Sweet, the daughter OF a promi-
nent Methodist minister, and when
he went to Mount Pleasant In 1888
and began the study OF law he still
carried the image Of Miss Sweet in
his heart. lie was admitted to the
har NJ tim avo nf twenty. and his suc.