Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-11-13
A Preacher Among the People.
THE SOVEREIGN OF THE UNITED

-
THE SOVEREIGN OF THE UNITED
STATES.
1t was election day morning and
knowing that the sovereign OF the
United States would appear in public
on that day, went out to see him.
Just as / stepped out of the house l
saw him leisurely walking down the
street, his top coat thrown carelessly
across his arm, his hands thrust deep
into his pockets and his brow knit in
thought.
1t was only a minute, however, un-
til / came upon him in his shirt
sleeves, paint brush in hand and hard
at work, adding to the value and beau
ty of one Of the buildings in the town.
A few steps further on and I saw him
standing on a corner, earnestly dis
cussing the issues of the day. stop
ped for moment and listened to him
with much interest, and then turning
to go away, CHANGED to look through
window near by, and saw him sit
ting at desk surrounded by law
books and papers, his thoughtful ex-
preston indicating that he was trying
to solve some difficult question rela-
I've to justice between man and man.
AS l was marveling at the quick
Transformation, l heard my name
spoken, and on looking around saw
him riding bicycle and complacently
smoking a cigar.
"A marvellous sovereign is this that
rules the United States," I said to my
self, and walked on.
The next time / saw him he had a
medicine case in his hand and was
hurrying to the beu side of some one
who was in need of medical aid.
Then almost instaneously he con-
fronted me as a teacher who, spec
tacled and laden with books filled with
ancient and modern lore, was going to
the school house to instruct the young.
l could hardly believe my own senses
when l looked again; but was not
mistaken. There he was, that SOW
ereign of the United States, plying a
whip vigorously and swearing fur
iously at an intractable horse. This,
however, was only for a moment.
I ne horse submitted, moved on quiet
ly and the swearing ceased. A num-
Der Of dull heavy thuds follow
ing each other in quick success
sion attracted my attention, and on
was surprised to see the sovereign
standing beside chopping block,
wearing white apron and welding
heavy meat ak with right good will.
l mad scarcely taken a step when he
arose before me with broom in his
hand and began sweeping the street.
Somewhat amazed at he manifold ap-
pearance and qualifications of this
most interesting Of all sovereigns, I
walked on simply to come upon him
again wearing the uniform Of a SOL
dier and relating interesting exper-
fences incident to recent war. 1
was still thinking Of him as a soldier
when l saw him hammer in hand,
hurry out of store and begin opening
heavy boxes which l soon discovered
were filled with goods that he was
about to offer for sale. Wishing him
success in his mercantile venture,
crossed the street and found him run
ming daily newspaper and deeply alb
sorDed in the work necessary thereto |
l only stopped long enough to note that
his was facile pen then hurried on.
When / saw him next he was deliv-
ering groceries to the people Of the
town. was just saying to myself
that did not believe there was an
other sovereign in all the world equal
to him in splendid resources and gen.
iality, when ] saw him coming down
the street drunk. attended by two po- /
licemen who were taking him to Jail.
confess that observation shook the
faithNI was about to declare, just lit |
tie, but it dad not destroy &. The
quick transformations I had already
noted reassured me concerning him.
Just as l expected, it was only a
until saw him again. clothed
in his right mind, occupying the very
responsible place of locomotive en-
gineer. 1t was source Of noble in
spiration to look upon him there, |
brake in hand, resolved
ITO do the utmost that brave man cou d.
And die, II needful, as brave man should
Looking after him as his engine pass
ed down the road, / saw him only a |
moment later, appear on a platform
near by and not as engineer, but as
a miller, skilled in the art of making |
-four. l stepped hurriedly across the
track, whereupon l met him again, that
time with photographers outfit in
his hands, and hurrying to the sub !