The age-herald., 1900-09-16
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE

 tion, Mckinley has decided to take the job. Three months ago he was nominated by the Republicans as their Presidential candidate for the coming election, and only last Monday did he announce his decision to accept. Why the delay? What thoughts have been passing through the great I'm. perialist's brain all this time? Has he been so busy dreaming of future empire, that he momentarily forgot the little incl dent of his nomination, or has he been thinking of declining? Hardly. Vague and l disquieting forebodings of defeat, like childhood nightmares, may have troubled his sleep, but it is not probable he ever | thought of declining Now the Rubicon IS crossed Caesar has decided. If this decis- ion comes as a surprise to any one they have failed to read the signs.
 There is story of a certain minister who had call to a new and wealthier parish. Some one asked his little boy if his father was going to accept it. q don't know" replied his son. Pa is still pray ing for light, but mas a-packing"
 Ex-President Cleveland has declined a recent appointment by Mckinley on board of arbitration, giving his reason his de- sire to remain in private life Cleveland has been a striking contrast with some of our Presidents. Whatever his faults may have been, he did not lack decision Be- sides this, he had sense. Perhaps 1t is harder to display good sense and judgment as an Ex-President, than as President. Cleveland is doing this successfully. With excellent tact he has avoided interviews and declined to express opinions on various matters when they were sought with a The fact that he was President has not view of being used to influence events. given him the sweilhead. He has nlain- tained dignifled silence in his retirement to the quiet of private life Like jCincin- natus Washington, Lee and many other truly great men, he has served his country when needed, and when the play was over did not finger around the scenes waiting for an encore. Today, by his life at Prince ton, he is exerting through his example, an immense amount of good on the youth of the country. He knew that most diffi- cult of all things to learn-when to quit What contrast to him in this respect is Dewey. What a fall from the height of hero-worship to the level almost of ridi- cule. Had Dewey known when to retire, and had he done so, he would today possess in latent form all his unexampled popu- larity. Had he but realized the dignity of silence, the wisdom of privacy he would be today in the hearts of the people the same Dewey whose guns broke the Sab- bath peace at Manila and announced to all that a new power had come into the world.
 The men in the office had quit work to talk of love. In extenuation of this, let 1t be said that most of them were single. 'I never shall forget my puppy love-" said one. "The girl married another man. went to the wedding sore at heart but try ing to show a brave front. I did not see how I could live without her. Ten years later I met her again. I wondered what l had seen in her, and felt sure that now I could not live with her. For moment at meeting her again, my heart had ex- perienced sudden contraction, but in two minutes I was talking with her, tee,- ing as little emotion as if I had just been introduced It was a case of Locksley Hall and Fifty Years After l saw that her husband was better suited to her than would have been''
 Here Brown, the married man of the crowd lost interest in the subject end went back to work. He had been married a long time.
 Speaking of love- said another don't mind confessing that I have always been susceptible. l can no more meet a pretty girl without being attracted by her, than a fly can pass a molasses jug. This perhaps, is not a poetic simile, but it doesn't matter. My safety, however, is in numbers. If I find I am getting too fond of any one, l have only to go and see an other, to be cured of the first ones attfac- tions. Each successive pretty girl drives out a preceding one. I think my heart is like great big sponge full of water--you can't put any more in, without driving some out"
 "Well boys" said the fat man, '"love is not much in my line. The only girl l ever loved went back on me. We were engaged to be married, but three days before the wedding she ran away with another man. She was in love with him, and I see now, never cared anything for me. This fellow did not love her and deserted her soon afterwards. I believe I would have mar ried her then, if she had agreed, but she wouldn't have me even then. That's about all I've had to do with love-
 q tell you what" said the impression ist "I have been in love, but I really don't know what love is. I never fell in love Intentionally. I have tried to, but failed every time The only time 1 was ever really head over heels in love was when l was not expecting it. I never knew how it happened. The thought of love never entered my head until one day l discovered that l had it bad. This has been long time ago--I won't say how long. think it was the girls eyes. that did it. have not seen her since, but I