River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-02-10
Or. Crane ASKS A question.

- ~ eetaN faRfhS - $50 S-A'~AAt
IF YOU had "A million dollars ask
ed Dr.. Frank Crane, with sententious
emphasis, as he opened his leccure at
the Congregational church Monday
dollars, what would you do with it?a
And he smiled at his audience with a
serene aud com Portable reserve, before
offering his wise speculations as to
what one really would do with it. IF
you had strength" he went on, "such
strength as the genii Of your story
books were blessed with. so that you
could 90 out by the sunny roadside.
poke your shoulder against the unof-
Tending school house and topple itoyer
like handbook and see the teacher and
the school children scampering out of
it like ants-if you had such strength
as David had, what would you do with
it?' And if you had knowledge and
beauty, he inquired further, what
would you do with these. And finally
here he struck the real theme of his
discourse-if you had youth, what
would you do with youth.
In saying this much, which is here
set down only in the barest outline
but in the original was clothed with
the draperies Of native elegance and
warmed with a glow of sensitive
humor, the speaker scarcely changed
the poise Of his body or SO much as
offered the slightest gesture, save in
the natural infections Of voice and a
certain kindly direction Of the
countenance. His words were effective
because they were weighted with
thought. They were clustered about
with good suggestions and gentle re-
minders They brought you tidings
Of youth and tidings Of things yet to
come. They were not drummed over
you like hail. but fell upon you like
summer rain and with as secure a
sense Of being welcomed. For the
reserve Of the speaker was like the
reserve Of granite; it took you close to
nature ana always suggested power.
He spoke Largely in tiguratiye Ian
guage. leaving much to be OWNED
and not insulting your intelligence
with an explanation Of things that
could better be implied. His speech
was even homely, with the LONELINESS
Of penny-royal in the meadow or mint
along the roadside. 1t always gave
YOU Il distinct picture, as when he
spoke Of man, like an old cow in a
woodland pasture, browsing along the
by-ways and outer edges Of library,
or told Of the irreprcssible Tommy
going to market. All through his
address lie was calm, hearty and gem
tlemanly. He combined the scholar
" graccs of a man who ha~ known the
great educational centers. with the
quaint personal force Of a man born
human
Youth" said he is the time Of life
when we sink our wells deep into the
heart Of things; throughout the rest
of life we are simply pumping the
living waters out of these wells, I
Youth is also the time Of action and
creation. Age can tell very we'll how
to do a thing; youth must do it. The
literary creations Of Rudvard kiplng
are, he declared a more promising
sign Of the dawning greatness of the
Anglo Saxon race than the works Of
Herbert Spencer. This is SO, not
because Kipling can compare with
Spencer in intellectual greatness, but
because it is vastly more to the good
of the race to create than to criticiSe.
The verses of James WhitComb Riley
he found enjoyable and good, because
they were simple, and favored with
youth aud the bloom Of the country
side. He knew they weren poetry-an
''uppety'' paper IN the East had said
as much; still he liked them, and the
children liked them, which was
enough.
One should use his youth sincerely;
he should be man and not baby.
BE child-like but not childish, manly
but not mannish. Childishness in
grown people is manifested in com
planning, in sulkiuess. In teasing and
in resentment. To be manly is to be
reserved, gentle rational; TO cover a
bleeding heart with blithe exterior.
To be gentleman, in short, is to be
like Christ, the Prince Of gentlemen.
This, in rambling fragmentary
way. indicates the tone and trend Of
the address. 1t was in many respects
the best lecture ever given ia town,
and afforded immense satisfaction to
the houseful of people in attendance.
In DR. Crane, the League found not
only an admirable lecturer but man
after its own heart.