The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-06-16


last before the entrance to the temple
gazing with enraptured awe at its
beauties.
Suddenly, beside him stood a beauti-
full woman holding in her hand a wreath
of laurels. She addressed him, saying,
81 am the Goddess of the Temple of
Fame, what wish you here where your
name is unknOwn?"
"I fain would make it known if you
will but teach me how" he replied.
''Sir; it has been vouchsafed to none
to even cross the threshold until they
have learned to labor. But come, you
have unconsciously spoken the pass
word: Teach Me How. l will do So.
come"
She lead him through the marble por-
tails into large hall, the walls of which
were completely covered with cases
filled with large volumes. "This," said
the Goddess, sis the Hall of Merit: and
in yOnder volumes are inscribed the
names of those who have taken a step
in the right direction; who have made
an honest endeavor, be it never so hum
BILE. Few of them have ever been known
beyond their own little circle, but each
has planted some little golden grain
of truth from which may yet spring a
glorious harvest"
She then lead him into high vaulted
chamber, much smaller than the Hall
of Merit, but far more beautiful. 1t was
filled with rare works of art; and upon
the marble walls were cut many names.
"This, sir, is the Court of Honor.
There upon the walls are cut the
names of those whose lives have been
devoted to the uplifting of humanity
by placing pure and lofty ideals before
it. The name first upon the roll is
that of him who preserved to the world
this painting. 1t is but a copy; the
original was destroyed. He possessed
no creative ability but had great power
for reproduction, and developed to the
fullest extent the talent which he had.
Man calls him but a copyist, but his
name stands first here. And now if
you would see the Scroll of Fame, come"
She lead him through a gilded pas
sage into large rotunda in the center
of which was what can be described
only as temple within a temple.
After ascending flight of broad mar
BILE steps and passing through a portal
of carved ivory they entered a chamber
of such dazzling splendor that it ap-
peared to be lighted alone by the spark
ling of the myriads of jewels set in
walls and ceiling. "Behold the Temple
of Fame" said the Goddess. "There.
set in priceless gems, are the names of
those who have won the laurel wreath.
Behold their works. This piece of
sculptured marble ranks highest; it rep
resents Justice nursing a motherless
babe. Man calls her Charity; for Char
ity is but Justice; and Justice can be
nothing but charitable. If you would
hear the story of him who gave it to
the world, listen. Born into abiect
poverty amid the dikes of Holland and
left fatherless in infancy. At six years
of age tender of geese, at twelve a
day laborer. He was twenty before he
could read. One night he heard his
crippled sister praying to the Stork (the
supposed bringer of all good things to
Dutch children) for doll. They were
so poor that they scarcely had bread,
yet he resolved that her prayer should
not be in vain, so he carved her one
out of block of wood. That was his
first work of art. At fifteen he was
bound to tile maker who worked him
eighteen hours day and fed him upon
the scraps from his table. He lived to
be seventy and never knew the COM
mon comforts of life, but he lived
within, this work was his ideal; and he
never for moment deviated from it.
He put his life-yea, his very soul into
it, giving all, asking nothing in return.
There at the top of the Scroll of Fame
stands his name, and even after this
temple shall have crumbled into dust
his work will live. Through it he is
reaching out today-through the years