The Washington herald., 1909-05-16
By JAMES B. MORROW.

eral Of the United States, is as unaf-
fected. ingenious. and impressive as
Theodore Roosevelt
With this new, energetic, and ssgaoIous
counselor and prosecutor for the people
the sun is rising clearly and warmly al
the tine-except when there Is thunder.
rain. or lightning, and Il there is occa-
sion he can mix them together into a dull
autumnal dTizzle or the roar and deluge
OF z cloudburst
From the upper lip downward Mr.
WickeTSham has al the decision, obsti-
nancy, and ferocity OF Bismarck. the
Iron Chancellor. whom he resembles in
nlustsche. teeth, mouth, and chin His
nose. cOmbative. reflective. and strong,
indicates by the width OF the nostFils-
air conduits 10 the lungs-physical power
and capacity for sustained effort
The eyes are brown, and have been
strained by books and documents No
mentarily. now and then. the left eye
seems 20 be the miliOuth part o. an
irch out OF its s1is-picouancy thus Is
given 20 the steady, open gaze. but not
10 the loss OF either canGor. strength, or
integrity.
The forehead IS literary and creative.
Ike Edgar Allan Poe'ss for example. The
body is slender and short, but admirably
proportioned. T,e voice Is as clear and
Sssp as e lower note OF 3 church organ
A man with many great and interesting
sides. one would call him.
Big xacome of Law Firm.
When Philender c. Knox, now Secre-
tary OF State, became Attorney General
al Mr.. McKinley's earnest and repeated
invitation, he sacrificed a practice az the
bar OF Pittsburg which the year before
had paid him and his one partner the
unparalleled sum OF S350600- The figures
are neither the guess nor the braggn-
doeio os friendly gossips- For q decade
The firm Of Knox & Reed annually earned
the equivalent OF 5 Per cent on a capital
OF s4.oo0,oe0
Nr. Wickersham IS the Knox type of
lawyer-constructive. analytic. and erbi-
irrational. but with a declaration Of war
always ready among his active and can
venieEt weapons and papers. With Knsx
persuaded By the same ethics. he turns
away from money for the underpaid tell
honor, and opportunity associated wiki
the public service. Like Knox. toe, he
Is human. apPr0achabIe, and manly. and
also OF about the stature Of Napoleon.
But Mr. NickeTsham Is more Roose-
veltian than Knox He laughs heartily
and his fragrance IS OF the mountains,
rather than from 4 garden where spices
and roses are in bloom
So far, the history OF Mr.. WickerSham
has only been given II the meage-ness
of curt and fundamental lines-skeleton-
ized without the arteries and nerves
which make and show the man There
was 10 sham retreat into reluctance. no
noisy repugnance 70 being interviewed
VIXEN I told him ny business. The pub
lie. IN his opinion, I could see, now had
the sound and wholesome American priv
Ilege OF knowledge He contributed moth
ing except when asked, but he was
courteous and accommodating all through
the talk As revealing as anything, per
haps. we're the uulaWyer-like simplicity
Of MS words and The spontaneous nat
ur2Iness Of his manner. I asked him
wei along in our talk about his philos-
ophy OF life.
Always Do Your Best.
''Theckeray. I think It vas, and prob
ably IN Vanity Fair he answered
with q laughing expression across his
broad. straight mouth. says that life
IS Ike q mirror-Iook into It with q smile
and a smile VIII Immediately De return
ed: frown into IT and a frown viii In
stantly be thrown back To Thackeray
I would add: Try 10 do the best YOU
can and all you can without worrying
as 20 what ether people will say OF
think"
DO you belong TO the family oi
Thomas Wickershsm," I inquired, who
lived On q farm Of !. go acres IN Chester
County. Pa that came 10 him from Will
lam PENN
Yes; I think he was ny grandfather
great-grandfather- He emigrated from
the County OF Sussex. in England. and
settled on the farm you speak Of IN I7C1.
The land belonged 70 his wife's father,
10 whom II was decided BY Penn in 1sS2- "
Was your grandfather also named
Thomas VFickershau. first president OF
the Philadelphia Board Of Brokers, 3
wealthy MANI
For his day, yes I suppose he owned
property 70 the value OF S5l3.90 He was
q Quaker, and. as I understand. had
the traditional business skill and pru.
dence Of his denomination.
How did it happen that you we're born
in Pittsburg?"
When my father. Samuel Morris Wick
ersham. was q young man he was an
bilious TO be a soldier. The religion Of
his family. Of course, gave no counte
nances TO his purpose. Nevertheless, hC
obtained an appointment 10 West Point
Before he had a chance 20 leave hOms
however, my grandfather shrewdly moved
himself into the situation. 4 bushes;
IN Pittsburg needed some temporary
supervision NY father was sent 10 see
about II On MS return, my grandfather
with true Quaker suhlety, spoke 20 hin
substantially SIS follows: Thee has beer
prompt and successful. Samuel. Thee
would make q rich and useful man. hsv-
fnS power at thy hand and thy own in
dsDendence. had thought OF giving usy
business at Pittsburg into thy manage
rnent. Samuel. but thee are OF 10 be z
poor soldier. and I must look for some
enc else
Proud OF His Father.
The praise end the promise had the
hoped-for effect Ny father surrendered
his appointment. and. in the year IS9
moved 10 Pittsburg, where he engaged n
several business enterprises. including the
sale and manufacture Of iron. was
born in 1855. Ny mother was my father 3
second wife. she died al my birth. Ny
father. let me say, was the most accom-
plished man I have ever known He was
a civil engineer, a wide student OF liter
sture. q French and Spanish scholar. and
an expert suOrcsman. During the civil
war he was q Northumberland in the
infantry. He invented an improved
method OF making pig iron that vas
perfect. theoretically. bgt il failed be
cause OF mechanical obstacles which could
not be overcome. The last years of his
Iiss were thus sad6ened by 6isappoint-
uent and the loss OF his money. / re-
NAMED in PittsbuTg until I was thirteen
years old. when / went 10 live with uv
t--a,5<a4her and as.rfs in phiIa6 6s1-,--ia