The independent., 1903-05-28
mrLL1oNA1REs AND AsYMoTEs

had a somewhat intimate acquaint-
ance with a few of the millionaires
who run this country. Most of those
with whom he for short time as
sociated were what are called self
made men," though one or two of
them inherited their fortunes. Those
with inherited fortunes took things
easy and did not bother themselves
much about government, except when
the bankers got them excited about
the gold standard. Knowing nothing
at all about political economy they
went wild over that and Mark Hanna
was able to pull their legs without
limit The "self-made" fellows were
all hustlers and were in speculation,
politics and business up to their eyes.
They were the chaps upon whom the
political bosses relied With one of
these millionaires the editor was on
terms of intimacy for two or three
years. He was the boss of his church
and dictated who the pastor should
be, claiming that he had right to do
so, because. he paid the main part
of his. salary. He contributed literally
to missions and colleges and all sorts
of church work.
He lived in great mansion which
had all sorts of electrical conven-
fences. He had a library. of course
There was an ornate fireplace in it
and the book cases were of the mos!
costly kind. When it came to the
books, there were cyclopedias, histor-
les, biographies, works of travel, a
full set of Darwin, many works on
astronomy, all the standard fiction and
all of them in magnificent and costly
bindings. Works of art adorned every
room in the house. He really had
taste for art and his selections, some
of them costing thousands of dollars,
were of the highest cast.
This writer spent one rainy day all
alone in that library. AS far as he
could discover not one of the books
had ever been opened. 1t was i'm
possible that the proprietor, who
started for his Office every morning at
7:30 and did not return until p. m.
or later and then in the evening at
tended church meetings, the clubs.
political meetings or the theatre, could
ever find an hour to spend there. He
read the daily papers while he was
eating his breakfast.
He had interests in several banks,
in street car, gas and railroad fran
chises, besides running a large COM
mercial business. On current affairs
he was we'll posted, but his informa-
ton was picked up during the day at
the meetings of directors of the vari-
GUS companies and banks in which he
was interested and on the streets.
One night he started down town,
but one of his carriage horses went
lame and he ordered his coachman to
return. He spent that evening in his
library with this writer. There was
big wood fire and the electric lights,
pictures and costly furniture made it
brilliant place. After gazing into the
fire for minute or two he remarked
that the cashier of his bank had said
to him that there were some things
in higher mathematics that were as
beautiful as the finest paintings AMI
asked what the cashier could possibly
mean. Then the following conyersa-
ton occurred:
81 suppose that there are some
things about asymtotes and comic
sections that to mathematical mind
would appear beautiful"
What is an asymtote?"
THAT would be very hard to ex-
nIain unless Won began at the begin