The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-09

Washington, September S.-(Special.)- He was one of two thousand excursionists on Potomac river steamer.
 He was past middle age and l could not imagine that he was dreaming in the moonlight though it was playing softly, seductively on the ripping surface of the water Maryland, soft and shadowy, was stretching before us beyond the fringe Of ripples flirting with the moonbeams.
 It was fit time and place for youth and fancy to weave flmy dreams about Perhaps this old gentleman was living over real dream of days gone by.
 I did notsdisturb him as I leaned over the rail at his side and busted myself with my own derams and the entrancing com- bination of natures laughter.
 "As often as I have been up and down the Potomac I am unable to locate my self DO you know where we are?"
 plead entire ignorance explaining that it was the first time I had been on the river.
 The old man was not dreaming. His contemplation of the rivers surface, the signal lights and the shoreline was prac- tical. He wanted to know how much longer it would be till he could seek his comfortable pillow.
 The question served to open a conversa- 'tion He wanted to know why I was a stranger to the Potomac. I had profess sional curiosity to know why he travelled up and down the river so often and espe- cially on an excursion boat. One trip is pleasant enough, but more would te nlonotonous.
 His daughters were spending their va vation at Colonial Beach and he had been down to spend the day with them. A few words explained my ignorance of the Potomac. but those few words disclosed another fact that interested the old man. He had met an employe of man to whom he had passed a periodical pay en- velope when he was employed in the dis- bursting office of the House of Repre- sentatives of Congress in the days of Speaker Crisp.
 Then we were friends.
 How often we are impressed with the narrow bounds of human acquaintance and human activity.
 On my second night in Washington I asked young man standing on corner to direct me to certain point in the city. After he gave the desired information he asked if was a stranger in town. T have been here only few months my sef.'' he added.
 'From Alabama? Well, by George, I am from Alabama myself. My home is at Double Springs, in Winston county. I suppose you have heard of the place? l have a job in the census office. but Will go back in few weeks to get ready for teaching next fall.
 This world is not so large after all.
 But to return to the old gentleman on the boat. M
 During our conversation he told of the one incident that perhaps stands out prominent in his life and memory. It IS worth reepating.
 While young man he visited brother in Kansas. In the community was q country school where no teacher for a number of years had been able to remain on the job through a full term Three different teachers had tried to teach the last term and the school directors were in despair.
 The visiting young man, my casual ac- continuance, had had some experience and his brother wanted him to try the school. Indeed, without the young mans knowl- edge the brother contracted for the place and then carried his brother to the trus- tees. The trustees were delighted, of course, to give him or any promising, husky young man trial, but the young man hesitated. He had made some invcs- tieation and knew that he was tackling big proposition. But he was later to learn the full proportions of that proposi- tion.
 one of the trustees offered to board him through the term and made the further proposition that if he taught the school