The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-05

the map of the world hundred years
hence predict its several forms of gov
eminent, and give my ideas Of the life
comforts. and pursuits of a citizen Of this
country in A. D. 1000.
VALUABLE AS A HISTORY.
"'Of course, 1 would not think for an
instant of publishing such a romance at
the present time, any more than issuing
my unpublished "reminiscences. But
would like to feel that some day, say
about the period am describig, my work
would come out fresh, as a voice from the
nineteenth century to the tewenty-ffrst,
the politician, statesman, philosopher, if
you will, of this time and country speak
ing to the man Of a hundred years hence.
They could then weigh the facts 1 have
collected in regard to the unwritten his
tory OF this country, our secret under
standings with other governments, the
animus behind the assassination of Gar
field, the true causes which led up to the
civil war, and other matters, and perhaps
they might derive considerable informa
ton concerning eYets which otherwise
must pass as they are accepted by US to-
day. Again, they might amuse themselves
by comparing things as they will be, and
should my prophecies be any way near
correct 1 may possibly-who knows ?-de-
rive some manner of post-mortem salts
faction
The dinner party broke up shortly aft
erward, and IN the rush Of succeeding
events the members Of the party soon
forgot the discussion of that evening It
was recalled to the mind of one Of them.
then senator. some years later when
he was suddenly summoned to the bed
side Of Mr.. X. After reviewing his state
ments on that occasion, Mr.. x. said:
Now, John, you know I have the great
est confidence in you L have completed
the work on which I was engaged and
nave determined how [ will dispose of
II. L want you to take charge of it and
Keep 1t as long as you can, and when you
LeeI you are about to join me beyond
pass the trust to some one else DeDOsit
II IA bank. with a trust company or a
university or some other institution rea-
Sonably certain to exist a hundred years.
put With the stipulation that 1t must NOT
De opened until after the close of the
twentieth century. By that time [ be-
I1eve all possible damage which might
happen in case it were made public will
nave vanished and no one can be harmed
by the publication of my memoirs It in
possible, of course, they may attract no
attention whatever. They may even new
er see print, but remain in manuscript
form or be thrown away as rubbish. My
name may even be forgotten entirely
ana certainly, if remembered, it will he
more probably as a disappointed poIiti-
clan than as once honOred and popular
y,
it is my request that you crafty what
you may call my whim, and promise me
this manuscript will never leave your
hands until its safety for the period set
is assured
THE SENATOR'S TRUST.
''The senator gave the promise as re-
quested and accepted the trust For sew
eral years he kept it in his home in
Washington. He had often pondered over
the difficulty of tnsuring It's careful pres
AffnT nCi6 iT1or
deeply he was about to decide on giving
1t in charge of Harvard university, the
Oldest in the country, and one as likely
to. be standing in 1000 as in 1901 About
that time, however, he was impressed
with the magniffcance and stability of the
new congressional library, and the i'm
preston that here above all others was
the proper repository. for this precious
document He was growing Old and
could hope to live only a few years longer
at the best. and the sooner he found a
tired from public life, but he knew the
librarian, Mr.. John Russell Young, quite
Wen. SO ne made the request. 1t was
granted, as you are aware, and there, in
rests the box with its contents. Even
the man who deposited 1t knew not its
contents ba11 further than the, general idea
L l. nave given; When in his: possession
he respected his friends wishes and re-
Trained from opening it. and when it
passed into the custody of Mr.. Young
IT was placed beyond the reach4of even
the man who deposited it. Under the
conditions Of the gift no one not even
he, is to be permitted to open the box,
except the librarian of congress- : ~
You would like to see the donor, YOU.
say? Why, to be. sure. he Is still alive,
although quite old. 1t was from him I
heard this story. I cannot give YOU his
name. That is a little secret of our oWn.7
1t would not do to give all the inforna-
ton We procured to the public. Then
they would know as much as we do.
= The box reposes peacefully on a shelf
In. the library safe.