Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-22

wrapped in homely guiSe, had pre-
served and matured his pure human
ity. He was heard. but seems rarely,
if ever, to have been truly seen. The
reports we have of him do not satisfy,
do not justify themselves. are incon-
sistent. The Eastern, Old-WOrld eye
could not read beyond the queer hat,
bad tailoring. and boots you could
fairly had to stoop to, hook the little
world in the face. ..-i.t. sd,
Never have bad tailoring and home
ly. deferential manner so completely
hidden seer jester, master of men, as
did these simple accouterments this
first great gift of the West. The World
ever reads simple, deferential man.
ner-true evidence of innate refine
ment-as weakness, timidity, and I'M
decision, just as it reads strength in
noise, and power in abuse. 1t is said
of sound that volume will start a tear
more quickly than quality of tone.
But it is surprising that professional
observers, artists and writer's alike
have drawn and redrawn an untrue
picture of this man. Out of the hun
tlreds of Lincoln's pictures few are
reliable, even as records of fact; and
the hundreds of copyrighted lives of
him, in their personal description, are
largely reiterated popular opinion and
hearsay.
Cortlandt Field Bishop, President of
the Aero Club of New York, brings
this one back from Europe free of
duty:
AN American motorist went to Ger
many in his car to the army maneu-
vers. He was especially impressed
with the German motor ambulances.
As the tourist watched the maneuvers
from a seat under tree, the axle of
one of the motor ambulances broke
Instantly the man leaped out. ran in
to the village, returned in jifty with
a new axle. fixed it in place with won
derful Skill and teuffed-teuffed Off
again almost as good as new.
"'There's efficiency for you said
the American admiringly. There's
German efficiency for you. No mat
ter what breaks, there's always
stock at hand from which to supply
the needed part
"And praising the remarkable in
stance of German efficiency he had
just witnessed, the tourist returned to
the village and ordered up his car.
But he couldn't use it. The axle was
missing ''-Everybodys
"Our cities are now largely in the
mob state" writes Arnold w. Brun
ner, in the issue of Harper's Weekly
for January 18th. Happily the de-
mands of commerce and civic beauty
are not antagonistic; as a matter of
fact the contrary is true. Civic art
pays and pays well, not alone by
making healthier, happier, and better
citizens, but in dollars and cents. 1t
is the fear of expense that has to
great extent prevented our cities from
adopting plans for their improvement.
In America we have been so careful |
of the individual that the community /
has been allowed to suffer, and the
and jealous care of prl-
vate interests has been carried to such
a point that the most necessary i'm
are delayed or entirely de-
feated. However. we do not despair
for our future. The love of beauty is
growing rapidly, and while it was
once thought to be the prerogative OF
the rich, it is now understood to be
the right of every citizen. Art Tor
people must be better than art by the
people. I believe that it is incumbent
mon the state to take the lead and
provide examples for the individual
% follow
.Josephine Daskam Bacon's admis-
sion to the authorship of the anony-
nous "Margareta's Soul has come
practically at the same moment that
he Harpers announced her newest
Dock, 1.-The Biography of Boy.
More than one reader remains almost
of single authorship for
.hese two books. they are so utterly
unlike. 1.-THE Biography of a Boy
n fact, is just a simple, housenold
story, full of the humor that naturally
centres about a healthy siX-year-old
with such a name as Blnks. II Is
clear, however. even from this appar-
,nt contradiction in stories, that MRS.
Racon's belief in the home as the find
ng-place for happiness is at the heart
If all her literary expression.
The National Kite Association de-
serves much of America. It's patient,
1nfagging effort to stimulate interest
n rifle shooting in the face of half
hearted popular support, has material
v raised the average of marksman-
shin at the annual tournament. while
he personnel of it's executive and its
practical organization have set new
md high mark for the conduct of these
matches. Such tangible evidence of |
,urport and competence give assurance #
hat discouragement to the participa- lr
ion in National Guard contests of
rade agents will shortly follow. AL S
hough an extremely difficult element t
@ cope with, it would certainly give 6
general satisfaction if the specialists t
we're barred and the entries confined to t
he rank and file of bona fide militia
men, for whose benefit the target prac- ,
Use is designed. 1t is likely, too. that :
he efficient management Of the Asso- 6
,iatiOn will have an exemplary infu- s
nee upon the loose methods which OBJ
ain at some of the contests under the
Committee for the Promotion of Rifle
Practise, where, as we saw last sum-