The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-24

(Author of STORY of the Cid "Cfild's
Don Qutxote.p ETC., ,,,..
W. that build manhood. character:
this Is a commonplace remark,
something that everybody
@ fnow stro hut Se " %ll hs nd w tnai
are always those with due respect for
the commonplace Once there We're some
engineers building q country bridge. over
Twin Creek, This stream was ,a,s,,, aho 2, Ut
summer of the erection Of the bridge the
actual creek was but a few feet across
The engineers put the bridge about
twelve feet above the level Of the water,
in the valley and on the hills all their
lives came down and looked on and gave
sunasked- for opinions. They, stroked their
chin whskers and remarked that the
page. and that bridge was not high
enough, but the engineers gave 10 heed
to these isnoramuses. The next spring
nv Va ev n rose few w b hours and the logs
1t carried battered the bridge down be-
fore morning and carried ii off as If 1t
We're a bit of timber.
built across a small river, one-sxteenth
of a mile wide. The cost of the bridge
was probably 5000 The engineers had
been accustomed to bridging big rivers,
whose rise is gradual, but they knew
placid one morning and becomes a swo-
lem raging torrent within tWenty-tour
as before and gave their counseIs; they
knew that river, its habits, peculiarties,
possibilities, and they told the engineers
their bridge would not do, but their ad-
very well for three years, but last spring
1t got restless; it decided that the bridge
was nuisance, SO one night II gathered
up all the water from rains and melting
i,.f l1nf al nv md
of a little exercise before breakfast It
picked up the, bridge and carried 1t off
down stream.
Young men are the engineers, bright,
brainy alert, but along the banks are the
geople who have ived there Longer ana
the possibilities of liz, and its peri!s:
Now to .ead for character Is to build
strongly and wisely according to the ex-
real student or q general reader, the line
of reading he should select iss first that
which builds him up in manhood. we
agree that the greatest character-m
ing books are the lives. biographies or
autoblographies OF the strong and noble
meg ahq Work. wom The Ih H. Washsgton
ing forces Of Llncolns career, The lives
of great Americans ought to be famlliar
book be that has done more more to arouse and
Influence the leading, men Of me last as,
2 600 years than any other. apart from NJ the
Bible, and that is "Plutarch,s lives AYES -
heroes in that book have stimulated to
effort the chief men Of Europe, and Amer
lea for years; that the founders 81 our
republic were deeply yersea b r. p Was ali
well enough years ago, but we want
new But when we answer
that the men OF to-day who are ~ :, . nlsn
Welt rs we'll as Lincoln isn't II well TO
pause before you throw away the hook
mat oatalns the very stuf poi o. w serN
eonditi6sss f but R0s viii i s be stronger and
Drawer and make q better fight for Know,
ana ' suffe sss q and 0S fought and showed
what the strength Of men may pc under
all circumstances There you. learn
pluck, ndomitable will, how to tall anu
victory.
Among modern books that make for o,
character building there are none fe p sm
in The sense of fine writing; they arc
books that tell what men have done ana
TIC hands of every sonng nli};l; DUTY,
and Character, are vital volumes Read
them, soak in them, and know what tn s
solid, lasting qualities and virtues o. No ne
are. When You tell young men OF inc
Bible they Shy off and think you are
about to preach to them; they might pc
worse occupied than being breaches 70,
and bepk-and picture Is at bottom
but VIC do not mean to preach
when we emphasize the Importance OF
reading the Bible II Is unsurpassed as
1t is the great book of CON
duct; 1t Is a history that brings beioTe
You n panorama of the ages; II H. me
rs ' Hnxley deeI R The epic Of the