Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-23

good deal of him to cramp the building out
of which he intended to make his livelihood,
but that they hoped he would do It because
of their need After good deal of thought
Mr.. Downey came to the conclusion that he
ought to grant the request, and so he mott
fed them that he would change his plans,
make a somewhat smaller building and sell
them the six feet of land in the strip adj
joining their church.
Forced to Abandon Purchase.
AFTER little while the preacher came
around with the trustees of his church
and said they very much appreciated Mr..
Downey's courtesy, and were sorry they
Lad bothered him as they had, because,
on looking into the affairs of the church,
they found that as they were already in
debt they did not feel warranted in incur
ring any further financial obligations, and
SO they had to withdraw their request.
They thanked him for his kindly purpose,
and said good-by.
But Mr.. Downey found he could not
get to sleep that night until finally he
rade up his ind that as they could not
buy it he would give it to them, anyway;
which lie did. But, unfortunately, we
know chat the tower of Sloan often falls
upon the just and the unjust alike, and Mr..
Downey's livery stable caught fire and
blurred down. 1t was Sunday morning.
and the Baptist church was in session
next door to him. and the clergyman stop
ped and said: Now, you women stay here
ana pray, ana you men go SIfdlSnt Out
and help our benefactor, Mr.. Downey;
ard go out they did, and got his horses all
out, so that none of them was burned, al
though he suffered otherwise a total loss.
Now, | call that a practical application
of Mr. Wagner's teachings. Here in Wash
irgton we have a right to be proud of
citizen like Mr.. Downey; and if only We
can develop erough such citizens we shall
turn out just the kind of community that
does not need to, but will always be glad
to study The Simple Life the author of
which l now introduce to you.
Applause for Pastor Wagner.
Pastor Wagner was greeted with APP
plause, and the President, who had i'm
portant matters awaiting him at the ex-
ecutive offices, excused himself and hurried
away, first shaking hands with the lee
turer and telling him he would see him in
the evening. Pastor Wagner delivered
lecture at the White House last evening
in French to group of Mr.. and Mrs.
Roosevelts friends
In speaking yesterday afternoon he said
in part:
The secret of education is difficult to
find, because it varies with the subjects to
educate. That is why so many men suffer
from their earliest infancy. Some suffer
from the carelessness; others from eX-
cess of training, from too constant SUI
perVlslon. They are watched over, shell
tered exceedingly, and finally eXtinguished
In this way destroy the rising origi-
nality, and at best we produce but conven-
tional characters. Here lies the danger of
these ultra-careful educations where
everything is foreseen and mapped out be-
forehand. Those who suffer the most from
such educatfons the warm hearted and
the impetuous children.
I have not been. like so many young
people, the victim of education shut up
In room l am an open-bred.
The Simple Life.
81 teach the simple life and simplicity
here in America, because while America
today is in a state of civilization which is
far from complete simplicity of life, at the
bottom of American character. history and
tradition l find a great simplicity All the
great ancestors who made America have
peen, like Abra ham Lincoln, men of SIM
plicity When l first came to Washington
1 was struck at finding the White House
so different from the palatial houses of
kings and kasers, no soldiers, no exterior
glory, but patriarchal and beautiful SIM
plicity.
And when l came into the house, and
could grasp by the hand that man who is
now the center of your political life al
though he is the head of the greatest re-
public in the world, and one of the most
intelligent men l ever saw, of a wonder
fully decided will, found him so fine of
feeling. SO warm-hearted in all that per-
tains to family and human gentIeness: [
found him so plain In speech and thought
THAT 1 UNDERSTOOD Detter tnan ever that at
the bottom of this republic of its best ira
ditionS and Its strongest men is a powerful
and heroic simplicity. If America would no
more be land of strenuous simplicity and
despise all which is only superficial vanity
and vainglorous luxury, America would no
more be America.
Respect for President Roosevelt.
Il had long honored in my heart your
President, whose name is pronounced with
n, oil trfa
so deeply honored and admired. A letter
some time ago from America telling me
that President Roosevelt had referred to
The Simple Life in public speech caused
me much pleasure. 1 then expressed the
regret that 1 could not go to the United
States, because I could not speak a word
of English.
IAN old fisherman said 'EngIish-can 1t
not be learned? In your place. Mr.. Wag-
ner. 1 would learn it at once You are
right said I, and started off home to tell
the good news to my family and to begin
learning English.
Il cannot speak to you in detail of all
my books, as l have written a full dozen,
but l must announce that shortly Will be
published in English sketch book,
which Miss Mary Louise Hendee is at work
This book has been written by the poet that
lives in my heart, for / am poet, and
shall die a poet. l could say as the poet
Gerock says in his beautiful song of the
twilight, And all my soul become a song
My sketch book is entitled The Soul of the
Things 1t Is a collection of natural pic
lures and scenes of life from whence, by
direct observation, superior truths are born.
This book has been written slowly, day by
day, begun before the others. 1 continue
1t still, and it will only be closed with my
life Alas! What are mems words to ex-
press life! The deepest impressions are in
expressible. The most beautiful songs have
never been sung. and the finest pictures
have never been naintedn'