Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-09-17

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/If/\-f(,TI III tial that man
Lf4ES %NS&,s-hl should be popular
NJ >Es~%tssy than that he should
80 u ~ - he competent. SO.
at least. thought
Mr. Van Burcn Crofutt-a young man
who felt. from the hour he cast his
first vote, call 10 60 up higher. and
take "A prominent seat among the
rulers OF tho land.
Mr. Crofutt was a reader OF human
nature, with a strong faith IL policy,
and no idea OF principle. He vas
crafty rather than wise. aud saw no
difference between notoriety aud
fame.
To-be-sure. be had some grounds
for his belief; for he saw the promi-
nent officials in his county selected,
not with an eve 10 personal fitness,
but because they were popular with
the people.
Mr. Crofutt deliberated on his
future, and, TO achieve success. de
cided 10 60 TO work systematically. in
order 70 make himself popular. This
Is how he reasoned:
A popular man must be a man OF
the people, and, 10 be q man Of the
people, one must never sink below the
average, nor rise above the majority;
so it is equally dangerous TO be q
drunkard or 4 scholar The popular
man should neither be n sloven nor "A
fop in dress. nor a boor or courher IN
manner. He should know the people
not only the voters, but their wives
and children, their hopes and fears,
their success or Sll-fOrtune: and he
should ever comment on the things
nearest TO the heart of the man he is
addressing. To be popular. one .ould
be active Tor the friends he hopes some
day 10 use, but never positive, so as 2,
rouse the opposition against him. 4
friend in the camp of the foe Is a pill
lar OF strength to the popular man"
This, and much more IN the same
vein showed that Mr.. Crofutt went to
work with a plan.
He had temper, but he kept il TO
himself; and if he had any individual
views on government, religion or edu
cation, he never permitted them 70 In.
terfere with his agreeing, in his very
indefinite way, with the views Of PEG
pie Numerically opposite.
He cultivated a memory for names
and carried a memorandum book, il
which each night he noted down tn,
name of every new acquaintance h'
had met during the day. and ever,
circumstance connected with the intro
duction.
Therefore, he was continually com
plimenting people who had forgotte1
him, and showing his interest in then
by a curious knowledge OF thei
names, as well as the names of thei
friends, and other matters that prove,
he must have retained the mos
pleasant remembrance of them.
He complimented the temperate
men by quietly wishing them success
aud publicly attending their lecture
and open meetings, but at the sam
time he took care TO keep in with TN
liquor dealers and men addicted TO III
flowing bowl by an occasional mild in
diligence, TO prove he was a believe
in the virtues of modeI ate drink.
All this tended to make Mr.. Va
Buren, Crofutt very popular. but
was not many years after his frs
vote was cast that he discovered b
was still withou. the pale, and, b,
ycnd his captivating manners, had 4
tie that bound him to men by the Ell
dearing name Of brother.
He belonged to no society bande
for special purpose, and TO no or6s
united by mysterious ties for the pc
petration of mystic ceremonies and II
deepening of the channels of fratern
love.
Mr.. Crofntt was a member Of {.
bar, a nominal lawyer with a sma
patrimony that rendered him compar,
lively independent OF fees; but IL