New-York tribune., 1908-02-02

patented and had gone into "'4s@94
business and thriving.
Presently the State Of New
York offered fifty thousand
dollar prize for practical method OF navlgat-
ing the Erie Canal with steam canal boats
Orion worked at that thing for two three years,
invented and completed method, and was once
more ready to reach out and seize upon imminent
wealth, when somebody pointed out defect his
steam canal boat could not be used IN the winter
time; and IN the summer time the commotlon ITS
wheels would make III the water would wash away
the State of New York on both sides.
Innumerabe were OrIOn's projects for acquiring
the means TO paw off the Debt These projects
extended straight through the succeeding thirty
wears. but III every they failed. During all
those his we'll established honesty kept him
offices of trust where other peoples money had to
be taken of but where salary paid. He
was treasurer OF all the benevolent institutions he
took of the money and other property OF
widows and orphans he never lost a cent for
body. and never made one for himself Every time
he changed his religion the church of his faith
glad to get HIM made him treasurer at once;
and at once he stopped the graft and the leaks in
that church.
He exhibited facility in changing his political
complexion that was d marvel to the whole com
1Iunitv Once the following curious thing happened
and he wrote me all about 1t himself:
One morning he Republican, and upon in
VitatIOn he agreed to make a campaign speech at
the Republican mass meeting that night. lie pre-
pared the speech After luncheon he became
Democrat, and agreed to write of exciting
mOttOS to be painted upon the tranSparenCes which
the Democrats would carry their torChlight pro-
cesson that night He wrote these shouting Demo
cratic nlottos during the afternoon, and they
pied much of his time that It night before
he had chance to change his politics again; he
actually made d rOuSing Republican campaign
speech III the open air while his Democratic trans
parencleS passed by IN front OF him. to the JOY OF
every witness present.
He was a most strange creature; but spite of
his eccentricties he beloved all his life in what
soever community he lived. And he also held
III high esteem, for bottom he d sterling
A BOUT twenty five years ago,-aong there
"A where-I suggested to Orion that ne write an
autobiography asked him to try to tell the straight
truth in it. to refrain from exhibiting himself
treCitable attitudes exclusively; and to hOnorably
down all the incidents OF his life which he had
found interesting to him, including hose which
were burned into his memory because he
ashamed of them / said that this had never been
done and that if he could do it his autobiography
would be a most valuable piece of literature. | said
| offering him a job which could not duplicate
IN my case, but would cherish the hope that
he might succeed with It.
| recognize that was trying to saddle upon
hln impossibility- ] have been debating this
autobiography of mIne daily for three months; |
have thought OF fifteen hundred or two thousand
incidents my life which am ashamed Of but |
have not gotten of them to consent to 90
paper vet. | think that that stock will still be
complete and unirnpaired when | finish these
InoirS if finish them. believe that If should
put in all any of those incidents, should be
to strike them out when / came to revise this book.
Orion wrote his autobiography, and sent II 10 me.
But great my disappointment, and my Vexa-
In 1t he constantly making Il hero of
himself, exactly as l should have done and do
ing now, and he constantly forgetting to put
the episodes which placed him IN an unheroic
light. | knew several incidents OF his life which
distinctly and painfully unheroiC but when
across them III his autobiography they had changed
color. They had turned themselves inside out
and things to he Intemperately proud of. In
nv dissatisfaction | DESTROYED a considerable part
,t.i.s hot -k..v.