Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-06-16


an athem Of absolute undismay. Most
likell the people felt better after that
This saw with my own spectacles:
/ Out b. California street in the heart
or whit used 10 be the abiding place
OF a1tOcracy, a spick-and-span old
/ gentlban stood daintily In the midst
/ Of on4of the worst of the refuse piles,
pokint with his silver-headed cane
amonE t the ashes,
IT Is used to be my home" he ex-
| plaijd TO the crowd OF lookers-on.
Il ia quite a bit of money in cab
ineJbeside the fireplace in my rooms.
l fought l might find a little scrap of
cQh-a dollar or two, or half-dollar;
een a quarter would look mighty good
% me just now. But / don't seem TO
see it,"
There was a grimy, ten-year-old boy
amongst the spectators. From his
Jacket pocket he nshed up a tin toy
hank. and the bank gave out a cheer
full jingle as he shook it over the flag
stone pavement. When he had done
shaking be held ten pennies and
nickel in his speckled fist.
Here" he said, you can have this.
l don't want it,"
The old gentleman held out his
gloved hand and accepted the coins
with a manner of grave decorum.
Thank you" he said THAT will
help a lot. Now if you will kindly give
me your address"
"Awr' the youngster retOrted. Il
amt got no address. 1 got Jared
loose from it last Wednesday. Its all
right; III meet up with you some time
when I'm broke myself"
This. too, ! saw: In one of the by
streets we'll out toward Golden Gate
Park a slender, delicately nurtured
woman sat upon the curbstone in tears,
in her lap a babe of a few months.
The babe, too, was crying; the cry of
sharp hunger, half pain and half an
ger-you've heard it. Enter a mother
~, middle-aged Irishwoman. wide OF
beam, wholesome of countenance, and
with a robust youngling borne astride
her ample hip. These have been no
days for the ceremony of contrasted
conditions in life, and the big woman
paused beside the other.
Whats the matter wild YEP she
asked
THIS dreadful excitement has been
too much for me-" the little woman
told her, "and l can't feed my baby"
The oad-gauge one laughed big,
rich, rolling laugh. rs that all! Give
me the little dear, then" And the
hungry mite hungered no longer.
AT a time, ten days ago, when the
question of supplying the needs of the
little children was at its gravest point,
a lucky father was hurTying through
ava
family tent, carrying in h.s hand 4
bottle of one of the prepared milk
foods. Another father espisd aud
hailed him.
I'm give you a dollar for that" he
called.
But the first shook his head and of
-ered to pass on.
Wait a minute" the bidder urged
IN give you i've. Well, then, II
give you ten. Look here, man; I've
hunted everywhere for some of thai
stuff. I've got baby here that need;
it bad"
The answer was prompt. "Tll give
you half OF it, but you couldn't buy Il
all for a million"
In a few words, there is the key Il
the prevailing temper in these days Of
need: I'm give you half, but yoI
couldn't buy it all for a million"
Nobody seemed to want it all. ! an
waiting for my first sight of dis
gruntlcd man, woman or child. For al
that anyone is permitted TO see in out
ward signs the social order has simpl!
/ been shaken down. resolved back int
its elements. AS it was in the begin
ming, so it is now, ready for a fresi
start, and apparently hilariously hap
| py in facing again wide field full o
big, unlamed, unbridled opportunities
san Francisco has done il once; Sh'
can do it again. There is the JOY Of il
The satisfaction of achievement is
good deal matter of lenses. To hav,
achieved and TO have put aside III
tools carries a degree OF heartache
Hope. even though il must subsist oil
short commons, is a lot better thai
overfed attainment. The lust of III
fight is a lot better than the weary
half-sad safety of victory. Put It an
way you like; that's the principle. The
say a successful, self-made man wi
think longingly, now and then, of tn
good, homely, satisfying days whe
he used to eat his plain fare froT
the kitchen table. That seems 10 me
be San Franciscos feeling just nov
There has been a return to kitchen liz
, ing for a while; the style of Twin
; which invites all the neighbOrs
run in" by the back way Of a morI
ing or an evening for little cheerful
+, homely talk. Everybody seems gla
: of it 1t isn't a false-frOn. of fictitiou
courage; it's the real thing.
The other day happened upon on
E of the victims of the fire sitting nea
5 the site of his old home, his hat pulle
: over his eyes, loafng and looking dow
} over the miles of CHASTITY ruin whel
? in spots the fires still smouldered. II
( horror was then hardly more than
: week old; yet presently this ma
e fetched a deep yawn; stretching b
( arms abroad.
e Gee whizF' he complained. Il wis
something would happen. This is &c
: ting tedious"
Do you get the point? In the ira
n sition days everyone was in that sta
i; of mind. And now things are goir
e TO happen.
. An Uncle of Royalties.
KING Edward VII is the uncle Of II