The Washington herald., 1909-07-18

NeAH tahc the general Pubic We have no
social solidarity II is material wealth
tbat IS producing public and privatet Ills.
/ II We, as a people and nation, escape the
doom Of others who have gone over the
road 1t viii be because a miracle Is per-
formed in our behalf"
There is no doubt but that the bishop's
( statement Is somewhat exaggerated-lef
US hope so at any rate-but he took the
same license that a painter or a poet
takes VINO wishes to produce an effect,
ana ms eXaggeration is entirely war
ranted If II causes people to see and TO
realize the dangers that threaten. We
nave had far too much buncombe. Il Is
time now that We should see things as
they really are and not as we imagine or
hope they are, and when once we realize
cur own shortcomings, how far falthoueh
we are still striving we have fallen below
the standard the fathers Of this republic
se' Tor us, there viii be less OF noting the
mote IN our brothers eye, because we are
endeavoring 10 cast out the beam In our
own.
Bombastc national pride is bad enough.
but bombastic family pride is worse. and
liz is especially offensive in A country
where al men are assumed to be free and
equal; yet we hear much Of II. too much
Of it nowadays. A Western youth who
matricuiated at one OF the Eastern col
leges becoming unduly wearied by the
boastings Of his class mates regarding
their origin decided TO investigate their
Claims TO exalted birth, and his SPARE
moments We're passed In the library look
Ing up the family history OF the boagtful
young snobs who claimed nIustrious de-
scent When his investigations were fin
ished he summoned a half dozen OF them
70 his quarters and then and there pro-
Ceeded 10 put them on the grill
ous ne said 10 one Of them claim
TO be descended from Sir So-and-So"
/ am, protested the young man whom
ne addressed. I can show you letters 20
prove the claim. Ny ancestor did not
come over in the Mayfiowers, but he ar
rived year or two after the pilgrims
had made their first settlement and he
became considerable person IN the col
ony."
Correct replied the investigator; but
Sir So-and-So while he was stiH an Eng
hshman was arrested and convicted Of
sheep stealing, and had his choice OF a
jail sentence or transportation TO the
colonies He chose the latter. as you
know. married-wel. never mind whom
ne married-and established a family
here Of which you are a promising SON
Here are the documents in the case
copies. at least, which can be verified bv
referring to the library Next"
But there was no next. When il was
proven that an ancestor OF the foremost
snob among them had been convicted Of
sheep stealing the others refused 10 al
low their family history 10 be laid bare.
They were wiser and humber men after
this episode. however, and while the in
yestigator remained III college never. a
voice was raised 10 bsag OF its family
tree. CuriOusly enough, the Investigators
popularity was not affected by his radical
course. for he laughed the whole matter
or IN great good humor, explaining that
70 him II seemed perfectly absurd for an
American and republican % boast OF
his lineage Blood will tell. ne insisted;
mo one believes that more firmly than I
do. and II there Is noble blood in a mans
veins he does not have 10 run aboua and
tell Of it, for il is sure 10 be discovered
II IS al very well 70 announce that your
great-great-gr grandfather was Lord This
and That, but the world Of to-day wants
W 4AAApH what 9UA nave QJlc- A man
ancestors don't do him much good out on
the plains. There II is blood and Drawn
and muscle that count; a clear head and
wise judgment. for II does not make much
difference TO the greasers. the cowboys.
and the Indians whether or no some one
OF mans forebears danced with Queen
Bess or bent the knee 10 gay King
Charles"
The investigator was right We have
no place in our republic for ancestor
worship. II is fine thing 10 have noble
men and nOblewomen on your family
tree. but IL is a much finer thing 10 be
worthy Of those noble fOrebears and 10
show by your life and your work that
there is strain of nobility in YOU Some
years ago when I visited friends on their
large ranch in one Of the Western States
there was cowboy in their employ who
did everything a little better than any
one else, and he was always selected for
the most difficult tasks, until finally he
became the leader Of all the others. There
was no formal election, Of course, but the
men with one accord gave him the chief
place, and he was invariably called upon
TO settle all disputes. all delicate points.
No one knew where he came from. who
ne was. his nationality even; but since he
spoke English perfectly il was taken for
granted that he was an American. His
name was Smith. or Jones. or Brown. I
nave forgotten which; but whichever II
was, II ill-suited the splendid specimen.
VINO might have been a king, incog. The
men about the place called him chief. and
even the master set him above the others.
He never gave himself anv airs of su-
periority, however, but did his work with
the others. only he always did II better.
and he ate his grub" with the others
uncomplainingly and thankfully. He at
racted me so that I used 10 spend every
moment I could tapping him for informa-
tion, for had II in mind 70 make a stor,
out Of him; but while ne chatted enter
tainingly concerning everything on the
ranch, he was as mum as a clam about
himself
You have already guessed he was too
good 10 last, and he was. One hot sum-
mer afternoon the daughter of the teIe-
graph operator rode over fifteen miles
from the station with a yellow enveIope
for the boss of the ranch. II was from
the Department Of State. and IL asked If
the boss had among his employees a man
OF the name of-the name doesn't natter. |
so we viii call him Harley because it !
was not the name II he had such a man. /
ne was to inform him Of the death OF mis- /
uncle, Lord Harley. without heirs. and to /
tell him his presence was Immediately de- /
sired IN London for the purpose Of set /
Ting up the affairs of the estate and. as I
next OF kin in the line Of succession, to /
assume the title. Funds would be pro- /
vided, &c.
It's Smith. or Jones. or Brown what !
ever his name was, we all cried IN a /
chorus as soon as the message was read, /
and this young man was Immediately /
sent for. He came. as handsome, bHthe. /
ana de0onnaire as ever, but as soon as he 4
Ha 81.