The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-31

I preferred to talk of things personal.
moral and ethical, rather than political.
And so I brought up such matters as ed
ucation, oratory, character building and
getting on in the world. We chatted of
travel in many countries, and of strange
religions, and of Christianity as the best
of the lot. l wanted to know something
about the Bryans and about Mr.. Bryan
himself and how he came to be what he
is. He was a little chary in discussing
such matters Nevertheless | got him to
talking and he gave me much in the pres
ent of a little biography--or l might say
autobiography-for it was written by Mrs
Bryan, with whom Mr.. Bryan is one.
will let his words and his manuscript
unite In giving some bits of the story.
The secretary told me he was the fourth
of nine children, that he was born in
Salem. ILL.,, where his father came in a
wagon from the foot of the Blue Ridge
mountains. not far from Culpepper, Va
The Bryans were comparatively poor and
his father worked on the farm and taught
school while he was getting his own edu-
cation. He graduated at Mckendree col
lege and was a member of the legislature
and a judge before he made an unsuccess-
full campaign for Congress in 1872. The
elder Bryan was thrifty and he owned
something like 600 acres of Illinois land.
He believed in education and the boy had
excellent schooling. His mother taught
him to read. and his first speeches were
made standing on the kitchen table. where
he spoke the lessons she made him COM
nit to memory. She brought the boy up
In the way he should go. He was only
ID when he Joined the church, and he has
been a good Presbyterian from that day
to this. Some of his lectures are excel
H.
he would have been greater as preacher,
| venture, than he has been as a political
orator.
A part Of our conversation related to
education. Mr.. Bryan took academic
course at college and studied the classics.
He thinks his study of Latin and Greek
We're of great benefit to him, and he says
that the mental discipline that he re-
ceived from geometry has helped him in
his public debates and argumentative
work. / can also see how his talent as
an orato- has been developed and refined
by his taste for poetry and good ltera-
ture. He has always had his book loves
and favorite poems. Among the latter
are those of William Cullen Bryant, with
whom he first became acquainted through
prize copy of the poems which he
ceiyed for making the best Grafton in
comparative contest while he was a jun
ior He thought so much of the book
that he gave it TO Mrs. Bryan when he
was coufting her. One of the poems in
it which he liked best is the lode to a
Water Fowl" one verse of which he
quoted during our conversation. This
verse is:
He who from zone to zone
Guides through the boundless sky thy
curtain fight,
In the long way that ] must tread alone,
Will lead my steps Alright.
Another of his favorite verses along
the line of human duty is of similar
character. This is from a poem written
by the Rev. f. s Browning. 1t reads:
Where falls the seed that have tried to
SOW
With greatest care;
But | shall know
The meaning of each waiting hour below
Sometimes, somewhere.
Along this line of thought Gomez a re-
mark which Mr.. Bryan made when |
asked as to his work anu %lIether the
demon of worry ever kept him awake at
night. lie replied:
II do not worry I do the best ] can
and leave the results to the future. I
don't believe in basing ones decision on
the possible results. The only question to
be considered is as to whether the act is
right or not If it Is right it should be
performed irrespective of results. Besides
you cannot prophesy as to results. 1t is
more important that you should do the
right than that you should regard the
consequences. God has given every one
the ability to know ti,e right, and l be-
lieve he should act according to that abil-
ity and leave the results to take care of
themselves. The man who does that need
not worry"
rs it ever right to do wrong?''
NO. 1t is not right TO do wrong. The
man who comes to such a conclusion