Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-19
ANTI.cLIMAxEs OF HISTORY.
The Drama Of Great Events Always
Lost on the Actors.

The Drama Of Great Events Always
Lost on the Actors.
When Rodgers and Fowler, rival
transcontinental aerial fiiers, met at
Tucson, Ariz., yesterday, the following
Illuminating conversation took place,
according to the news dispatches:
Glad to see you, Mr.. Rodgers" said
Fowler.
I'm very glad to meet you. Mr..
Fowler" Rodgers answered.
You've had lot of hard luck"
said Fowler.
$50 have you," Rodgers replied.
Great historical meetings have not
been, as a rule, as dramatic and spec
tacular as the imagination would like
to picture. The average reader Of his
tory Is hero worshipper and doesn't
like to be cheated of any sensations
that he feels are his due. So. what
with the painter and the sculptor, the
writer, a good many fables have
crept into history, and II they are not
corrected early they are not corrected
at all.
A hundred years from now when
the historical romancer shall record
for that generation the beginnings OF
aviation in this, doubtless the encoun-
ter of Mr.. Rodgers and Mr.. Fowler
will be treated quite differently and
should make very pretty reading. Be-
fo,- fo xon laf ha 20
review the facts about the historical
pictures that have been hung up for
this age to look at and admire.
For instance, there was that tre-
mendous occasion when Stanley met
DR.. Livingston In Africa. The whole
world had given up Livingston for
lost, and when the New York Herald
sent Stanley to find him public inter-
est in the undertaking was immense.
And Stanley found Livingston. After
months of waiting the intelligence
was flashed to a highly wrought up
world-the two intrepid explorers had
met in the heart of the wilderness,
where Livingston, Ill and surrounded
by hostile bushmen, his supplies ex-
hausted, had made his last stand. The
excitement on both sides Of the Allan
tic was intense, end the cables
couldn't work fast enough to carry
the details to the crowds In front Of
the newspaper Offices. The great un-
satisfied demand Of the eager thou
sands was to know what the two had
said when they met. And at last in
formation on that point came, and
this is what had happened:
Livingston was sitting In front Of
his tent tanning himself when Stanley
came out or the Jungle ana -approacii-
ed. Livingston rose and bowed, and
Stanley, raising his hat, said inquir-
ingly:
"Dr. Livingston, I presumed"
The doctor bowed again, and the
two shook hands. That was all-the
meeting might have been on Broad
way.
Then, there was that meeting Of
Grant and Lee at Appomattox. For
a year their armies had swayed and
fought over every inch Of the ground
from the Rappahannock to Peters
burg. And now the struggle was over
and Lee was ready to surrender. The
two generals rode forward from their
lines to a house that had been desig-
mated. A table and chairs had been
placed in the parlor and everybody
stood back as the two generals ap-
preached. Quick! Let the historical
painter catch them as they come;
here should be a dramatic scene II
ever there was one.
General Grant, stand up, please.
You are lieutenant general Of the Uni
ted States>army, a rank held only by
Washington and Scott before you. You
are to receive the sword Of General
Lee, West Pointer like yourself, the
son of a great general and the leader
of an army that has kept you fairly
busy for quite a spell. And how has
Grant met the requirements Of the sit
uation? Why, he appears to have for
gotten that history is looking on. He
Is dressed in the blouse of a private
soldier, his trousers are thrust into
pair Of mYd-bespattered cavalry boots
and he carries no sword. Also he is
smoking the stump Of a cigar. It's
enough to make a historical painter
quit his job.
When Disraeli came home from the
congress Of Paris, bringing England
peace with honor after the Crimean
war Tin which there was mighty lit
tie honor for anybody, vast crowd
filled London. Dizzy's carriage was
surrounded and borne along by joy
Gus, maddened crowd. 1t was the
proudest moment in Dizzy's life, but
history records one fatal fact-he had
on a red necktie.
Ethan. Allen is said to have demand
ed the surrender of Ticonderoga in
the name of the great Jehovah and
the continental congress, but Wood
row Wilson, who has looked into the
matter, says in his history that Mr..
Allen held no commission from either.
And did the Old Guard at Waterloo
say, THE guard dies, but never sur
renders?" Victor Hugo says not.
At Trafalgar when Lord Nelson was
carried below dying, did he repeat his
famous utterance, England expects
every man to do his duty" or some
thing equally lofty? No. What he
said was, kiss me, Hardy"
Paint me as I am" Cromwell or
dered his painter. IF you leave out
a single mole won't pay for the pic
ture."
And the painters Of history might
ponder that too.-Kansas City Star.
Salary One Cent Per Year.-The
ON, llant oh a,.o. inn,,ad M