The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-01-07

~ - ,gS1 %Sssss z
who live in glass houses,
r says an old pr0verb, should
- throw no stones. Now, I'll
admit that 1 live in a glass
house of very frail structure, but when
recall the past and think OF the man
who is the subject of this paper, the
to shy few bricks becomes
almost irresistible.
About eight or nine years ago the
man who was then president of this
circle called at my place of residence
and asked me if l wouldn't like to
become member, and before / had a
chance to either accept or decline his
invitation he told me that to hear John
Wise read a paper was arare treat, that
I would become intoxicated with the
pungency of his wisdom.
Now, never refused a treat in my
life, so Iaccepted the presidents invita-
tion without any reluctance, as was
led to believe that the dome OF thought
that rested on the broad shoulders of
Mr.. Wise was a mental distillery en-
gagged exclusively in the manufacture
of intellectual cocktails; but l soon
learned that it was only little two-by-
four speak-easy that brewed nothing
but moonshine. The first paper Mr..
Wise read after my initiation opened
with the following apology Ten days
ago I received q letter from Mr.. Blank
Of New York. who is president Of an
art society in that city. In this letter
he stated that an art'conyention would
soon be held at Philadelphia and he
requested that l write g. paper on
Babyiohian art and send it to him, and
hs would read id sat their meeting. in
the Quaker city. : Now: Mr.. BLANK fs
an old and valued frisnd OF mine and j
could hardly refuse bis .reqnests 80 4
spent the greater part Of the past two
weeks in preparing this paper, as art
students from alt parts of the wQrld
will zattend this convention and my
sole aim Was: to make an impression
upon their plastic cerebrums that would
remain with them. sI make this ex:
planation because the paper l. am about
to read before you today was written
in haste and consequently is not up to
the high, literary standard Of essays
heretofore written. by me 9,e+
This apology was responsible for a
resolution being introduced and passed
| at the next meeting which forbade any
4 memberto open his paper with pre-.
Elude,s explanation or apology. The
same rule has been in. force several
times since and always with good
results. -a-sl - crs
Mr.. Wise was the owner Of diction'
ary that was as big as a narrow gauge
box car. 1t was sent him BY freight, il
being too large to come through ths
Imails or by express, and into this great
iexical sea John would make Steve
Brodie plunge and grapple with big
words, and In an effort to raise them t.
the surface he would ffutter, ant
3 Esputter, and splash likes six year oil
i boy trying to land an eighty pound
catfish. So far as / know the Wise on'
:. never openly boasted that he was !
!. college graduate, but he would occasion
4 ally throw out some very strong hint
to that effect I: remember at on
{ meeting the presidents was being aske'
hall kinds OF questions by differen
4 members, when John arose and said
tsThe presidents interrogators remin'
, |smeaof silly students who used to- pl
fme with aft kinds OF foolish question
j sEw6en Ioceop4ed sh9 9ckaif d. drsek q
J, Yale" At that time 1 thought to my