The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-18
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

XONNCE there dwelt in popuIous city kOI man who drank deep of the
 - founts of knowledge and lived a virtuous life. Among all who moved round about him, from the privy council Tor in the palace to the student starving in his garret. there was no man wiser and no man more capable of directing the fortunes of state. In ancient lore this man had delved for many years until his word was authoritative and he conversed of men and matters forgotten by scholars of lesser attainments. The literature of all languages was open to him, for he spoke many tongues He gazed long at the stars and fathomed many secrets of the universe; he had on the tip of his tongue an hundred epigrams which he had culled from his booAs and his own philosophy was of no inferior quality AL though this man had such a store of knowledge he was yet of humble mien and had reverence for higher things. When students came to him for wisdom he gave of his store gladly but boasted not of his achievements and demanded no fee. He was at times invited to lecture free of charge before a Ladies' Aid so- ciety or a sewing circle on ..The Trend of Modern Thought" but few people ever heard of him and in view of the fact that he did not have a tailor he was seldom seen in polite society. While his fellows had themselves interviewed and pictured in public print at so much per inch he was silent. He had no press agent and he never advertised his views in yellow journals. Modesty recognizing that men who could write books were all dead he did not essay literature Conseauentlv he had no publisher to make him talked about. This man lived an honorable life and worked hard in his chosen profess sion as a teacher but when he died his former pupils merely laughed at his eccen tricties, people on the streets inquired whose funeral 1t was and even the un- dertaker seemed ashamed of his job. There were only six carriages and a wreath. People who knew the man said he failed because he had no push" but the real explanation was that he did not blow his own horn.
 III nelSnDOrlng city there dWelt a man whose accomplishments were few in num- Der but they could be seen by the most casual observer. Although his mental la bors consisted largely of studying his own perfections he had choice line of conver- sation which he was always ready to pour into willing ear. He so contrived mat ters that his going abroad or his return ing home was duly heralded in the papers and when he did anything the people were sure to hear of it next day He was not very philanthropic man but when he made a donation a newspaper re- porter and a press photographer were standing near. His voice was raised high in the house of God and when the pastor with long face called for contributions this man spoke first, saying that he would gladly give to the Lord of his worlds goods, such had been vouchsafed to hin In church there was none more humble. He slipped to his pew with a bowed head and a tear glstening in one eye but he always came in late and his entrance never failed to attract attention. In all public affairs this man took an ac- urged his fellows on to great achieve ments and then famed himself while they did the work. He seldom paid his debts but he was so imposing that trades men cringed before him and even the ice man gave him an hundred pounds os