The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-20
Copyright, 1901. by Frank T. Bullen)


Copyright, 1901, by Frank T. Bullen)
If one only possessed the power
needful to materialize the memories
floating in the minds of New Bed
ford's citizens to-day, if it were but
possible to compel those ancient keen
eyed, strong-faced men who sun them
selves daily on the benches around the
City Hall or sit with a far-awav look
in their eyes upon the piazzas of their
comfortable houses. there would be no
difficulty whatever in writing a small
library of the most entertaining books
that ever were written. And they
would be not less but more entertain
ing from the certainty that they would
all be, in their main features, abso-
lutely true But alas, the same old
problem that has confronted writers
from the beginning appears here In
all it's bristling difficulty, the problem
of how to make men of action become
men of speech.
am reminded at this juncture most
forcibly of an experience, very homely
TN admit, but bearing directly upon
this very point. In London some years
ago had occasion to visit man whose
relatives l knew in South Australia.
He was a trousers maker and wlthal
one of the best. His creations were
sought for all over the world and MS
business had long before reached that
point when il became impossible for
him to cope with it ingle-handed. But
in reply to my very natural questions
as to why he did not train up some.
youngsters to assist him he said with
a heavy sigh, My dear fellow; l can
do the work myself, but l can't teach
anybody else how. l can't talk about
it. All 1 can do is to ask 'em to watch
an see how 1 do it; and haven't found
one vet that can cut a pair of pants
that l can conscientiously send to one
of my customers. feeling that | have
done him justice"
Such instances. l make no doubt, Will
occur to most of my readers, but they
will but heighten the resentment OF
us all that the doors of the world seem
condemned by some peculiar law of
their being to be dumb about their
achievements. In no case, however, do
/ feel so grieved at the operation
of this apparently universal law as l
do with respect to the old whaling cap
tains of New England. Just think OF
it! Here are men browsing away the
evening of their lives in sweet serenity
who have seen and done more than
any library of dime novels ever es-
sayed to Il. Yonder placid, white
haired veteran of ninety years actively
interested in the gambols of a group of
babes, himself a babe with them, has
faced a maddened crew LOGO miles from
home, and by his own indomitable per-
sonality has led, has protected them
yes, even against their own ignorant
i .l-4 A1,ar,z - sAE
crushing ice-floeS, of Cimerian dark
nee out of what Jonah would have
called the Belly of He'll. back to the
sweet, placid delights of home again.
Why can't he tell us in detail the way
he came? Think, will you, for a mo-
ment, and especially you professors of
mathematics, of the ignorant sailor
man, who, cast adrift in whaleboat,
could whittle with a jack-knife a quad
rant, tear off the rim of the compass
focal for an arc and break up a five
cent mirror for spectrum, then by the
aid of these Righteousness bring the
dependent souls under his charge back
to home and life again. Do homage to
him. Yes, even as We would have done
had he been Archimedes weighing
Hiero's crown, or murmuring to the in
vaders of Syracuse athirst for blood,
81 am seeking the truth" needless of
the fact that his last moment had
passed.
American people, you have not much
time to lose; these descendants of the
heroic age are swiftly passing from
amongst you, and in your frantic scan
ming of the tickertape, your hasty. fe
vered rush to be rich that you may
shine. you will, if you be not careful,
lose the bright gold of life, the true
metal of manhood. as your fathers
lived it before you.
Forgive me, if you will, this didactic
form of an address. l do not wish to
presume upon your kindness but l do
desire TO render some real service,
some equivalent for what l have re
ceived from you. If you ask me to tell
you some of the stories l have heard
I will do my best, but l must walk
warily. For these men who do, these
kings of men, are not more diffldent of
speech than they are fearful of being
misconstrued In an advertising age
they dread being mentioned in public.
In an interviewing age they feel that
they would shoot on sight any man
who would take their rough-hewn SEN
fences and by the aid of an active
memory and vivid imagination, trans
late them into print. In consequence
it behooves one who would be thought
well of after departure from these hos