Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-02-16


stcsfes, and as the delay grew longer he
suggested that in the future we should
ave a deck OF cards for q quiet little
game of penny ante.
"Bu: IL what I hear liz true. I don't know
about playing poker with a Standard OH
man." remarked one reporter.
"Oh, that's all nonsense" replied Mr..
Rogers. eve are not half so bad as some
would make you think. We are always
willing TO do n good turn. I even am will
ing TO help the Attorney General of Mis-
souri, out II ! could only answer his ques-
tons to suit him"
How MIR. Rogers Came to Mark Twain's
Relief.
One of them deals with Mark Twain.
whose labor OF a lifetime was swept away
In the crash of HIS publishing house. There
was a probability that the brilliant huino
of the man would be forever eclipsed by
the gloom of his financial struggles. Henry
II. Rogers came to the rescue not merely
with the offer of money, which any mill
lionaire could tender, but forcibly took
business affairs out OF the humorist's
charge and bade him delight the nation
with his stories and his philosophy, I'M
mindful OF worries. 1t was Henry II.
Rogers. who enabled Mark Twain TO ap-
pear at his seventeen birthday dinner, hale
and hearty, clear in mind and delicious In
humor, and MAKE the speech that has gone
the country round
1t is Twain who sometimes gives TO the
public the humorous stories told by Rogers
TO his Intimate circle, although the
cier's name Is not mentioned. Here is ono
now acknowledged to nave been told by
Mr., Rogers and related a few evenings ago
by Twain at q dinner:
I'm a village suburb OF New Bedford q
friend pointed out to me a bronzed. wealth
er-beaten old man, over ninety years OF
age.
DO you see any passion In that old
man?" said he. "You don't7 Well, / can
make him a perfect volcano. I'll just
mention to him something very casually"
And he did.
THAT old mar suddenly gave vent to an
outburst OF profanity such as I had never
beard in my life before. / listened to him
with that delight which one listens to an
artist. The cause of 1t was this;
when the old man was a young sailor,
he came back from three years cruise and
found the whole town had taken the
pledge. He hadn't; so he was ostracized.
When he couldn't stand II any longer he
wen to the secretary OF the tenn
preance society ar said; Put my
name down for membership" The
next day he went for q three
years cruise and all through those long
1oA i0 " ikIiSGAA NY lGIIhtlll1lk
from liquor. He thought OF his pledge to
the society and he vowed he'd keep II as
long as his name was on the rolls, and he
couldn't take 1t off till he got home. What
that old sailor endured can never be told.
Finally he reached home. The first thing
he did was TO buy a jug OF rum, but before
taking q drink he ran to the temperance
society. Take my lame or the books.
quick he cried.
1T isn't necessary replied the secre-
tary. You were. blackballed."
Rogers the Benefactor Of His Little
Home Town.
The little seaport village where this hap
pened is F~airhaven. just across the river
from New Bedford, Mass, and there Is
where III. III. Rogers was born. He was
born the son of a sea captain, who never
got rich. The early days of the millionaire
were spent In work such as hundreds OF
other village boys do. His highest Job
was driving the delivery wagon for the
village grocer. and there are many old
people In Fairhaven today WHO remember !
Henry who brought the groceries around
to the back door. Then he wandered of to {
the oil fields OF Pennsylvania and became
one of the earliest employees OF the Stand
ard. Now he has risen to the top OF the
richest corporation In the country.
Fairhaven knows the Rogers that In gen
erous TO the town. thoughtful OF his fellow
men, democratic to his neighbors, and as
lovable every day In the year as on the
rare occasions when the privileged few OF
the metropolis see his inner self.
Nor Is his face hard and cold viren he
enters his home and the circle OF a family
that likes it's own society better than the
glamor of Fifth avenue bathrooms and the
gayeties Of Broadway. Three daughters
and a son all save one. now married, make
up that circle. The first Mrs, Rogers d.ed
In 1898, and In 1896 Mr.. Rogers married :
Mrs. l.. r.. Hunt. Of New York. No book
OF reference gives the date OF his birth.
for 1t is IA semi-secret. He Is credited with
&C years.