New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-24
AJACK OF TWELVE TRADES

pie were going by in holiday mood; Italian
maid rs barehoadcd. with gay kerchiefs knotted
about their nccks. young American girls III
charming hats and with bright Innings to the
skirts Of their gowns. happy children skipping
and dancing now and then one Of the latter be
Ing held up by kind papa FOR sight of our
Lady Of the Harbor standing just across on her
island
\ boy approached carrying wooden box
H. lifted the cover There was a rustling OF
wings and two Ii- ms huttcred out wheel
ing about "a they rose and then setting of III
swift flight while below the picturesque ST.
Enoiiuae. the young American ctizcncsses. the
harry little children and all the other rcopI" as
well eazcd upward. motioness with interest
An old man sat on the bench beside me. He
was an intcr sting little figure. with snow white
hair and beard, cl.ar blu. eyes and a fresh color
In his checks. our mutual witnessing of TN"
pretty incident just mentioned caused Us to drift
into conversation, and pres nt.y W. had wan
dcrtd from the subjects Of carries pigeons ana
the beautiful May weather 90 that of the mar
veilous structure upon which We found our
selves tho old man explaining it's construction
with such marked intelligence and familiarity
that asked If he built BRIDGES.
Il have helped bald them" be- answered, land
kind. but come one got ahead Of me with a sim
liar one, and mine was pat aside
lie sat musing for Il little. and then told me
that he had been that afternoon to visit his
daughters grave. that he panscs growing ON it
were in bioo. and the rose tree buddcd, that
the grave had no hcadstane. as hc never had
felt able to buy one. that there had been two
daughters. Faith and Hope 10y name. born on a
Christmas Day. and tLat when they we're seven
teen Hope had died, this being some twenty
years ago. While We We're talking our Lady of
the Harbor had cnyclopol herself IN "A veil of
tender hue. and a golden light transformed the
walls Of the towers OF Babel on the Ncw-Nork
side into vision OF enchanted castles and pal
aces. The time Of he sunset was drawing near
We rose to watch it pass. as one rises in church
for the professional When it was over | said
gCodby to the little old man and left him sitting
there.
Early in the following October | was return
Ing from an exhibition of pictures Of heroes held
IN the chdrens room of one Of the Brooklyn
libraries, and, curiousy enough half way over
the Bridge came upon the same little old man
resting in the very spot where We had parted
the May before After we had inquired regard
ing one another's welfare and H. had told mo
how the flowers were looking in Hopes narrow
garden I spoke Of the exhibition | had just
seen
What were the pictures" ne asked. photo
graphs"
They were everything" answered. photo
graphs and engraVings ana prints from maya
zines"
Were there any old Testament characters
among them. as for instance Daniel"
Moses was there and David | didn't see
Daniel. Perhaps it wasn't easy to procure one
J him"
Il could have furnished one" said the littic
old man. Il once assisted in Illustrating
popular edition Of the Bible. | made "A Daniel
and an Elijah ana Joseph and an Abraham
and an infant Samuel and an imaginary person
designed to explain a law in Deuteronomy
am a wood engrayer by profession
Are you indeed? | have been thinking of
you as a builder of bridges. don't you remcm-
Der you told me about your model FOR one Of an
Especially good kind
Il have followed diversity Of occupations"
ihe old man answered; there always seemed to
be just so much Of one thing for me- to do and
2hen somebody took it from the very mo-
ncnt when particularly desired to continue |
call myself jack OF twelve trades and master
Of more"
Thcrcupon h. proceeded to cnumcrate his va
rious pursuits. In addition to bridge building
and wood engraving he mad been the first
painter Of circus posters, having studied the ami
mails from those in the Van Ambcrg show; he
had also been "A portrait painter, bookbindcr,
telcgraphcr, a photographer. a cabinetmaker
gardener. and hc had taught school. owned
real estate and studied navigation. / asked if |
might not visit him some day ana the old
Testament pictures.
come now" he said There is time like
the present Mother VIII be delighted and
Faith, too II she is at home"
We reached the end Of the Bridge. plunged in