Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-03-31
Cartenbaum Finds
a Hard Problem
BY i. FREEDMAN

The younger boys In the nfgne
school, who fell just short of the
years when they might have taken
life seriously, paid no attention
whatsoever to him and the older
men, who were entirely absorbed I'm
themselves and their work, were
scarcely aware OF his existence. But
to all this neglect on tho part of his
schoolfellows Wilhelm Gartenbaum
paid little attention; in fact, he was
scarcely aware OF &; for he was So
taken up with his studies and his de-
sire to learn that he gave neither
thought nor heed to aught else.
Wilhelm Gartenhaum was very
old mana very old man by compar-
ison at any rate, for he was easily
the oldest man In the school and per-
haps the Oldest man who attended
any OF the various night schools. He
took his honors quite philosophical
~ and without conceit, as he'took all
else that befell him, saying merely
that some one had to be the oldest
and the honor happened to have
come TO him.
Ave years had been given up to hard.
unremitting toil---toil to support his
parents; toll to support his own chill
dren; toll from the day he had land
cd In America until old age made Il
impossible for him to toll any longer.
There had always famed In his heart
the hope that some day he might ind
time to study. to learn and edu-
cate himself His heart was withsr-
Ing and drying now. but the flame
burned there still with all the vigor
anS fervor borrowed from youth.
even though It's light fell on q hope
turned to ashes
Somehow tonight his school tasks
did not 60 as well as usual and the
oldster felt disheartened and dis
corraged. His aged mind, forced TO
At into the lessons more proper to
youth, felt quite as uncomfortable N
the aged body that he was forcing to
At into the small desk that child
had occupied during the day. The
useiessness OF effort, especially the
uselessness of effort at his age, de-
pressed him, as II will depress all OF
us at times, even the youngest. the
most favored and the most gifted.
STILL Wilhelm Gartenbaum tugged
at his long white beard determined
ly, shook his head resolutely. set all
his doubts and perplexities to one
side and struggled with the difficult
problem In fractions again. Slowly.
carefully, cautiously the old man
worked his way along, much as
stranger feels his way from place to
place in house that is dark.
He was quite sure now--so GER
tain was he Of each preceding step
! that he had solved the problem
correctly The tense expression that
had puckered up his careworn face
left 1t and gave way TO smile or
satisfaction.
His heart beat quicker, happier.
and the phrase, 1T Is never too late
to learn" took on a new and bigger
meaning to his more optimistic
frame OF mind. But all his Joy gave
way to sorrow, and a sort OF despair
seized him when he attempted to
prove his answer-the teacher Rad
| LduEHl MN iut iiCtHOu tHE lt6ht w
fore--and found 1t altogether wrong.
For while Wilhelm Gartenbaum
sat rigid, his chin on bis hand; one
might have thought him a bust
carved out of stone, so silent did he
sit; then his elbow moved. much an
piece OF marble might drop. and
accidentally he pushed his arithmetic
off the desk. He stopped to pick 1t
up, gathering as he did so a few
loose pages OF foolscap that had been
folded between the pages OF the
book and dropped out of 1t. For It
was used by the pupil, whoever he
was, that occupied the desk during
the day, and, therefore, that 1t be-
hooved Its occupant by night to be
careful OF both book and contents.
He was putting the sheets of paper
back whence they came and he was
absently staring at the numbers
written on one of them when gradu-
ally they made an active claim on his
attention.
Then Wilhelm Gartenbaum mo-
ticed with shock of surprise that
here, correctly solved and proved,
was. the problem that he had tried
an6Ifailed to work out. And he was
following the successful arithmetf-
clans figures in GREATNESS sort OF
excitement when his eye fell on the
name, Fritz Gartenbaum," written
in the upper left-hand corner of the
sheet Of foolscap.
For while old man Gartenbaum
lapsed into his statuesque repose,
then his face wrinkled and puckered
and tear after tear coursed stealthily
along HIS cheek and down his white
beard.
Fritz Gartenbaum was Wilhelm
Gartenbaums grandson.