The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-26
Old CbIry's Baby
It's Father Is "
It's mother Is y.


came. in the night Of st. Patricks ami
versary, a son. That is why Dutch hIlLi
has an air of being in a festival That
is why the cars that pass in front OF
No. ISL Academy street, in that district
Of Long Island City, make their bells
tinkle joyously Their bells tinkle and
Thirty comes out of doors waving his
hand in amiabIe salutations. He is seven
ty-seven years Of age, straight as an ar
row, slim, elegant, alert. He smiles and
his teeth. white as those Of a young wolf
catch the light. He takes of his hat and
his hair has iron gray tints that are fas-
chatting Every one knows him, every
one has known him for years and years.
His wife is twenty-five. but no one would
nave thought that there Is a difference
Of fifty-fve years in the ages Of the cou-
pie who marched up the aisle of the
French church in West Twenty-thicd
street 10 be married on Washington s
birthday last year Miss Margaret O'Con-
nor was youthful. Mr. Thiry was only
serious That is not his habit Usually
he is simply, impulsively youthful. He
explained why yesterday. He said
1T is true that my neighbors were
children when I was old. But I have
seen them become white-haired. bald and
infirm around me under the weight Of
worry about nothing and of lack Of exer-
else. ! have not worried and I have work
ed in my vineyards like a peasant On,
when I came here, in 1876. I was an old
man. stopped. My shoulders were
round. I know only old books, coins and
engravings then.
Il am a Belgian. 7 was a clerk in the
ministry of public works at Brussels.
had no other recreation than 10 collect
masterpieces Of Durer, Aldegrever and
the other ancient wood engravers.
knew no other exercise than TO 90 from
shop to shop in search Of scarcities in
books, prints and coins.
Il fell i'll and the state minister said:
Thirty, you need a change of air. Here is
money enough for all expenses that you
may incur in three months Of travel
was young, but weak and feeble and old
you would not have given a dollar for my
prospects Of living a decade. That was
"a 1856. I was thirty-four years of age
4 landed in New York, and, the next
day, I attended an auction sale of books,
engravings and coins. I bought almost
everything. at prices that would make
you open your eyes in amazement nova
days. Nobody cared about Durer, Aide
grever and the rest. Their works went
a-begging. I bought. bought. bought.
Everybody was thinking Of the war that
was impending for the Union. l knew that
art would survive everything. I opened a
book shop at the corner of Centre and
Canal streets, resolved to buy all the
beautiful things that might be offered to
me. They came in abundance. I sold
them to wealthy foreigners at a great
profit. I went to the Hotel Drouot. in
Paris. in 1874. with library Of early print
Ed books that was a fortune.
AT the Hotel Drouot, you know, is the
great auction mart of The artistic in the
world. The expert Pillet was astounded
at my discoveries. Two years later I
could retire from business. 1 liked this
place. I had come here on hunting and
fishing excursions with my sons. I bought
lands and built this house.
Il was very old. ! said to myself that
Il was wrong to be old at fifty-four. I
would return to nature I knew nothing
Of it. I titled the soil ! planted the fifty
eight varieties OF grapes that you may see
here. I worked like slave on a planta-
ton for the mere JOY Of working. I did
not need money. / did not want TO make
any I wanted 10 work. work work with
my arms and hands and every muscle in
ne.
You see the result. I am younger than
was in 1856, and I am seventy-seven
years OF age Ny house is the home of
sayety. ! have the rest of the sage and
the joy Of the innocent
John H Thirty was commissioner Of
schools for Long Island City in 1855. He
had written several pamphlets on subjects
Of finance and on questions Of economics.
lie had taken a vivid interest in the public
school system. It seemed TO him TO he
Ia king in a quality O fthe public schools Of
Belgium. France and Germany. The
children were not taught here as they
were taught there. 10 be thrifty. He went
from school to school preaching the new
doctrine He wrote long treauseS that
were published in the educational maya
zines. He devised circulars of appeal,
bank books. statistical charts. He spent
his money eNtravs gantly. He expected no
return other than the success of his work.
lie was rewarded at the worlds fair in
Chicago with a gold medal and q certii-
cate of excellence in individual effort for
public education.
In 1885 he could show that there were
J pa banks in the United States receiving
deposits from 80 schools Tor 25.e-2 pupils
amounting 10 500 S37.S2. He could show
that ne had gained nothing by this result
except the pleasure Of attaining an end
that ne deemed wise. and Of spending 10
attain il great part OF his income.
He Is a member of twenty learned So
cieties. He is IN correspondence with ed
ucational men and methods everywhere
That is his vanity. But the child who
came into the world in the night Of s..
Patrick's anniversary has displaced that
vanity for while Nj Thirty thinks now
o. his glory as a father. BY his first wife
he has two sons VINO ara forty-wo and
forty-three years Of age. They have sons
who are twenty-five and twenty-one years
q age.
NJ. Thiry's second wife fell IL love with
MS work before she met him. Sae was
g teacher in the puhlic schools in Long
Island City. and profoundly interested in
the statistics. which il was her duty 70
send 10 him If the pupils savings. he
was charmed by her diligence in furnish
ing them. When they met they loved each
other FOR themselves. When they were
Married no one thought Of the union OF
clG age and youth.
Mr. and Mrs. Th.ry are happy. In their
on sunday when the air l.
warm. the laughter Of the children i
mingled with the melodies Of song birds.
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