Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05

ing one or two things. but that was all 1
found-a place just big enough to write In,
and that square in the middle Of the desk.
''This was q flat-top desk and. except
for that small. bare spot in the middle. II
was just covered with papers and things
Of every description. and these not folded
or stacked or set up about in any orderly
manner. but all apparently in the utmost
confusion. 49,
The desk looked as though its owner
when he had got through with document
or bill had Just pushed 1t back from the
bare spot on the desk. And 80 he had
stun piled up on his desk overlapping and
lying around any way all around the top
Of his desk. and actually sloping down
from all around to that bare spo. like a
little fiat valley. where he wrote In the
center at the front
And this was business man. too. and
moreover. as I was told. man who has
accumulated comfortable property In the
pursuit Of his business. And l found him
In the dealings I had with him not only
personally amiable in all things. as indi-
Gated by his CHEEKY call to use his desk
but fair and exact in his business ways
How he ever did business with his desk
Uttered up in that way how he ever found
anything there that he wanted or how he
ever remembered anything don't see; but
as far 1 know he never forgot any
thing that was important.
ut made me think of something a min
lister said to me once. l was saying to this
minister, talking about preaching extern
pOraneOuSiy, mat SuOUlu LINK WHeH q
man got up in the pulpit to preach without
any notes that he'd be apt to forget some
of the things he wanted to say. and the
minister said that sometimes you might
forget things in that way, but then he
recalled what an experienced old clergy
man had said to him, in reply to the same
suggestion from himself, which was to the
effect that the things the preacher forgot
to say were usually the things not worth
remembering.
And maybe it was so about the for.
gotten things In the pile of papers on that
desk.
But he wasn't the only man have met
who kept his desk apparently In the great
cessful and then I have known plenty
of men who. went as far the other way
and who would have a fit unless they
could keep everything on their desks JUS
1.-THE inkstand must be here and the
stamp box here, and the pen rack here; al
Just so, and kept SO: and no litter any
where, with everything free and clear and
in order And I have known men who
couldn't write unless they had their paper
squared just right, and all that; precise
men, who must have everything just Sc
before they could get to work; all the very
opposite 1ef the man with the Uttered desk
who has at least in his favor the fact thai
he doesn't worry himself over tribes, bu
keeps on serene through 1t all.
AND while L have known men who
must have everything just so neat about
their desks fresh blotters and clean ink
men who didn't care II their desks were G
foot thick with dust. and who only asked
that their things should not be moved o.
shifted about; just simply and only tina
their DESKS should be let alone
LAS a matter Of fact there is In these
days less and less disorder In bushes:
methods and more and more system; thi:
Is an age of system"