The Irish standard., 1907-01-12

vocation doesn't mean so much in re-
5vsalius his character as his avoca-
tions." Every man has to make some
principal thing to occupy himself In
life, and usually has to make a living
by it, but what he does at the times
ts s1ninantly significant. A mans
leisure displays his character more
than his working hours. DR.. Emmet's
leisure has been the fruit OF as much
benefit to his own and subsequent gen.
srataons as his work in surgery. Very
sarly in life he became a collector first
OF, Colonial coins, then of manuscripts
and Of books relating to the early his
tory:of this country. Aftor many years
this, collection became one or the finest
aud most valuable in the world. Many
an historian Of future generations will
bless Hmmet for the asslduity with
which he collected the precious origl-
nal materials 0f our early history. His
collection H. deposited in the Lennox Lii
braEy, and while 1t cost literally hun
dreds Of thousands Of dollars to col
1sct, its value at the present time is
much greater than that and in fact
has gone beyond estimation, since
mAny: Of the pieces is absolutely ire
placsable and therefore, will never be
SLOWED to pass out Of the hands of the
present holders. One wonders where
Emmst found the time to do all this
work. THOSE who know him well will,
rsrnsuaber q famous old stool in his
room Of which they may have heard
this story. 1t has no back and no
sides, and it is meant for work. 1t
was literally Emmets workbench.
When he Had Il comfortable chair in
spite of The best Of Will in the world
he used to go to sleep in it. He heard
Agassiz once say that he suffered from
the same complaint and had such
stool made for himself, and Emmett
did likewise. After this whenever he
went to sleep he fell Oft the stool. and
after having fallen Off two or three
times; he would be SO thoroughly awake
that he would sometimes hear the milk
man on his rounds before he got off
for, bed. II was thus that he was able
to write his books on medicine, while
engaged in one Of the busiest prac-
tees that all American surgeon has
ever had.
Interesting as is Emmett the ply
stefan and Emmett the collector, still
more interesting is Emmett the man.
brilliant part of his career when the
war began. The day after Lincoln's
Proclamation which declared that the
errinE sisters were not to be allowed
to depart in peace, but were to be
forced to remain in the Union. DR.. En-
met, whose state Of Virginia had Sc
coded, considered that he was bound
In allegiance to her. started for the
South. He had secured his passage
aboard steamer, but it's sailing was
prevented by, the authorities. Two
hours later he succeeded In finding q
place on tho last train that went
through to the South. 1t took him
nearly q week to reach Montgomery,
where; he: offered his services to Pres,-
dent Davis. He was told that they
\ had more men than they. could arm
and support and more physicians than
they could find any employment for,
and that In his delicate health his
place was with his family. 1t took him
3six weeks to get back to the North,
and thsre he became a clearing house
FOR letters. and communications and the
sending Of money and necessaries to
,sS pgasQnaJs on both sides of the line,
Fsehaps no incident in his career is
more typical of tho unselflsh character
q of the man than this. During the
s.ysars Of the war. how much he did
issto relieve the suffering on both sides
n sn. scarcely be estimated.
!#$ AZ the, years went on after the war
q llSwa4 always prominent in all move
Il 1nents that might benefit Ireland. Time
II and money, and thought and self, and
Ssrspntatioh. were all spent without an
lsa6taf-thou9ht in the cause. 1t is curl
5ous To- realize that these, Enamets who
lsAer1hced 80 much for ireland at the
lsend Of the Eighteenth century were
rsalIy Englishmen who had been only
comper attvely few generations in
rsiand. but had become like SO many
other. Of their countrymen. from touch
with irish soil more Irish than the
R1rash themselves. This Emmett born in
America, of q father who was also
Sbpfn IN America, and with the devo-
IT. ~ hfs native state that makes min,