News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-06-19
SUCCESSFUL CAREER OF TWO
WESTERN BOYS.
Prof. J. II. Garfield Writes Under an AS
sumed Name in "The Cosmopolitan"
of Charles and Willis GIeed.
From the Topeka. Kan, CapitaI ]

In the current number of the Co.'S
mopoIitan magazine under the cap
ton Successful Personalities Sketch
ed From Real Life, writer who signs
himself "JOhn Holiness" describes
the struggles of two western boys to
get an education and start in the
world. 1t is generally understood
that the article relates to the career
of two brothers, Charles and Willis
Gleed, of this city, and that the writer
is Prof. James H. Garfield, formerly
chancellor of the Kansas State Uni
versity, and at present librarian OF
Columbia college in New York city.
In fact those who are familiar with
Prof Canfield's style have no doubt
that he wrote the article in question
and that it relates to the GIeed
brothers.
Prot. Garfield has been a sort of
foster father to the brothers Charles
and Willis Gleed, ever since they
started as boys to carve out their
own fortunes. He has taken per-
sonal interest in their studies and
has watched their intellectual growth
with as much Jealous attention as if
they had been sons of his own. With
this fact in mind the Cosmopolitan
article will be read with particular in
terest by Kansans.
Prof. Garfield or "John Holiness"
writes: 1" | propose to write the story
of two boys-brothers: for the benefit
of all other boys, whether brothers or
not, who may chance to read this
story. THERE'S nothing very remark
able, nothing startling, nothing so
very unusual, to chronicle; and this
is one of the strongest reasons for
writing.
81 first knew these men when they
were boys, twenty-five years ago, in
a small town in 9 western state. One
was Is years of age, the other Is.
They we're the only sons of their
mother, and she was a widow. Her
husband had died, in New England,
some years before; leaving her alone,
with little money and in poor health.
She went west because she had a
sister living in that part of the coun-
try, and because there was nothing
else to do Of the almost desperate
struggle for existence during the
earlier years OF that western life it is
not necessary to say more, here and
now. than that she never became de-
pendent, never for moment gave up
the battle, and never took her boys
out of the public schools while they
were in session. | recall her an one of
the brave5t and sweetest examples OF
American common people-that most
uncommon common people, by the
way, that the world has ever known.
These boys were poor from the start,
as to worldly possessions, but they
had rich Inheritance in that mother.
ION the morning that | faced the
first college class that | ever taught
the younger brother sat in the front
line of seats. 1t was in one of those
state universities so we'll known il
the west-those institutions of higher
learning which Offer the last tour
years or grades of a state system o.
free public education; institutions
the work of which is to unite and not
todivide society; whose opportunities
are so highly priced because in these
DAYS this higher learning is a necess
ity to the poor-aven though it may
still be considered, possibly, luxury
to the rich. This boy could never
have gone beyond the high school haC
it not been for this wise and generou,
provision on the part of the state fol
it's children. Indeed, it is doubtful i
he would have gone even through tn,
high school but for the constant in
centive which the possibility of uni
versity course placed before him. Fl,
is an excellent illustration of tn,
power and efficiency OF this system O
education-nOt yet halt appreciated
even by those who have participated
in it's benefits; this close articulation
of all parts of this generous schem
for the betterment of the state by tn
intellectual betterment of it's ctiz ems
GA few weeks later | CHANGED Il
meet the elder brother. He was then
and is now, suffering certain physica
limitations which give him haltins
gait, and which would have been
heavy burden for some less stout
hearted than himself. In all the year
that have passed, Ihave never know
him to make the slightest reference
even the most indirect Reference,
this trouble, nor has he ever hesitat
ed or flinched because of it. There i
a vast deal of courage and grit il
this country outside of the Gran,
Army of the Republic and out sid
the ranks of men who fought so not
ly at Santiago and Manila.
"This elder brother had (uaturall
and necessarily carried the large en-
of the family load, as between tn
two boys, since either of them wa
old enough to lift at all. But in hi
great heart, then and always ovel
flowing with generous emotions, b
had early determined to give hi
brother the long end of the evener,
and as far as lay within his power t
see that the brother had the chances
whatever these might be. He wa
then doing roustabout work on
small daily paper-a position he ha
won and was holding hu nooSt caua,