The San Francisco call., 1910-09-18

She held long and bony hand and her
lips framed unspoken words. That this was not
her first visit was quickly evident
Excuse me moment, please" Mr.. Thiry arose
and funbling in the change pocket of his coat ac-
companied her in the direction of the gate. When he
returned his seat he had but few words of expla-
nation.
Il never refuse them," he said with smile
Il saying 1 have really lived in the last IS
years. wasn't II" he continued Well it is all due to
my choice of hobbies and the way have ridden them
1T would be difficult matter to form any hard and
fast set of rules about the choice of hobby That
is for the individual Snap judgment should never be
relied upon. One should begin the choosing of
hobby early in life believe, it should be based on
something which has been of lifelong interest A
hobby easily be ridden to death and to every
body's disgust if it is thoroughbred By that
mean something more than diversion, pass
ing fancy
THE EASY LIFE
you know the who has left the factory the
Office the farm and taken up what he calls easy
life How often he is seen with his eyes full of long
ing, despair that he is not in the swim with the
real workers His easy life is the most unhappy and
generally unsatisfactory form of existence he could
have chosen. He thought that when he retired he
would get perfect rest doing nothing. To the man
who has been in active life this is impossible
IF he likes dogs let him start kennel If he is
fond of flowers really fond of them let him become
gardener If he is inclined to be philanthropical let
him get out in the field and dir4t the use of his
money and influence. Even if person takes only
review of self for hobby, that is something-some-
thing which will make his finale better one and
probably do much good.
The training had received when young and my
association for many years with books naturally
pointed out to of the hobbies took The
II years spent in the Office of the Belgian minister
OF public works gave me a pretty good knowledge of
banking and stimulated desire for more Thus the
second of my hobbies. AS for gardening always
since my boyhood days have loved to work with
growing things study them learn their secrets and
assist them with the proper care to their highest
stage of fruition
After removing to my place here at once identi-
fed myself with community interests especially those
appertaning the schools. l became a member of
the board of education l visited the schools |
studied the of instruction talked with the
students I made myself acquainted with educational
systems all the world. Finally l got what |
believed was big idea, and this proposed to the
board
"It my plan for the establishment of savings
banks in the schools and l may as we'll confess, it
wasn't received with whole lot of enthusiasm You
want to teach the children to be misers they said to
me. And it was charged that l was working in
the interest of bankers who wished to obtain the
deposits from the schools My persstency earned for
me the title of crank. l just an old man with
hobby then.
But was given trial at last, and my system was
found TO be success OF course all the time knew
1t would be. Every argument for it l had based on
some nfallible human characteristic
That was 25 years ago In that time the old mans
hobby has been adopted in great many schools all
over the United States, in Hawaii the Philippines
Porto Rico, France and Algeria More than 10000
600 children have under the influence of nv saw
ing plan There in the schools in this coun-
try more than 100000 depostors in the school banks
and there is almost 100000 to their credit Did
choose wrongly when l took education for one of
my hpbbiesi. | do not think So
And my banking? That has also been source of
much profitable pleasure I have made particular
study OF the postal savings bank systems For the
last quarter of century / have been in intimate
touch with all the big banking organizations in Eu-
rope as well as the United States have studied all
the laws promulgated the subject and my CORE
spondents have kept informed of every Innovation
1his service has cost lot of money, but in the
knowledge | have gained have been more than re-
paid have been able pass on lot of this infor-
nation and IN that way my hobby No. has been of
some public benefit.
1 am not doing great deal of gardening now as
you see But there is not single plant in this yard