The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-09-21
THE IDLER.

| was reading a book the other da,

X X X 4 X X X X X
| | was reading a book the other day
oh, | sometimes read a book to
keep from coming under the eagle eye
Of the Newberry police-I See they
! are taking up idlers and enforcing
the vagrancy law-the reading Of
good books being employment-and
knowing they would impartially en-
force the law and make no distinc-
ton on account of color or race or
previous condition Of sevitude-l
thought / had better get busy and do
something more than write for The
Herald and NeWs-so | was reading
book, as | started to say. | love to
read good books, and when [ was
young | had craze for buying books
and for reading-but now-well, it
doesn t make so much difference
but, as / was saying, | was really try
ing to read 'book-and it is good
story, too, and I would be glad to see
more Of the Newberry people read
ing people, mean readers of some
thing besides the Observer and The
Herald and News sometimes the Bi-
bic. For a college town and liter
ary centre my observation leads me
to the conclusion that we are not as
much reading people readers Of
good and high literatMe-as we ought
to be. But | started out to say |
was reading a book, and if | do not
reach the point am afraid the read
er will conclude that | am not much
of reader myself Well, the truth
is, am not.
There are three very interesting
characters in this book. Oh, it was
some months ago I read the book and
| scarcely recall all the good points
in the book. But there are three very
interesting characters in the book, as
| was saying. They are the Jew,
Jack and Peter. After pleasant
evening spent together by the Jew,
Jack and Peter, Jack was so much
taken with the wonderful knowledge
Of the Jew that he asked Peter if
there was anything that this Jew did
not know. and it is Peters answer
that | want to drive home to- New
berry. OF course there is m"thlng
personal about it and it is only al abb
STRAIT truth that it teaches. But
very good lesson, if We will orly abb
sorb it. Yes, absorb it, and make IT
part Of YOUR life. Here is the ans
wer. to the question, SIS there any
thing he does not know?' THAT IS TO
say. this Jew.
ssYes.-many things. Oh! 4 great
many things. He doesn't know how
to be rude, or i'll bred, or purse-proud.
He doesn t know how to sntb people
who are poorer than he is. or to push
himself in where he isn't wanted; or
to talk behind peoples backs after ne
has accepted their hospitality. Just
plain gentleman journeyraan tailor,
Jack. And now. my boy, be honest.
Isn't he a relief after some Of the
people YOU and | meet every day?'
Aren't these wonderful things not to
know? Isn't it just remarkable how
many people you have known-not In
Newberry, Of course,-who have been
such apt scholars In some of these
things that they were experts, when
they might have applied their Won
derful talents in other and more
profitable directions. Ism t it a relief
"a real relief-to. meet a person. who
does not know these things which
this Jew did not know. Just a plain
gentleman. That is it. But am not
going to preach a sermon. | wish L
could and that its teachings would
be needed by the people. I guaran-
tee that it would be guod one.
Talking about vagrantS. You know l
haze to see a great big healthy man
hanging around doing nothing and
making out he wants TO work but