The Washington herald., 1913-12-14

My Dear Mr.. President:
No sooner was 1 promised postmaster
of Jericho than a fraternal feeling began
to steal over me.
1t was a far stronger feeling than 1
had when I Joined the Jericho Four
Flush Poker Club.
I have come to regard the Federal en-
ployes Of this government as a large and
Juicy band OF brothers who are bound
together by a common tie.
We should lie for each other when nee
essary.
We should share the graft with each
other.
In case a member Of the band becomes
hard up the others should chip in and
get him out OF the hole.
When first read in the papers a few
weeks ago that Brother Bryan had found
| IL impossible to live on his salary of
$1,000 a year, and had had to enter
vaudeville to exc it out, I exclaimed to
myself:
It's right here. Old Pap, that you let
loose some Of that fraternal feeling that
Is struggling to escape from your vitals."
wrote Mr.. Bryan without delay
asked him II he could make use of a
dollar bill
I offered to send him a barrel Of DO
tatoes.
I told him that would be soon killing
a pig and could send him a sparerib.
I told him that If worst came to worst
I would pay his hired girls wages for
a month.
longed to act brotherly, Mr. Presi-
dent, but up to date I have received no
reply. Somewhere and somehow between
Mr.. Bryan's lectures and his vaudeville
appearances that letter was lost.
Three or four days ago Deacon Good
hue entered my grocery and helped him.
self TO a dill pickle, and while eating It
he said:
Pap. it's a durn shame, amt it,"
WHAT
About Bryan"
ut surely is"
''Hain't this government going to do
anything"
Don't seem like IT,"
Then. by gum, Jericho shall, We've
helped wldders and orphans and all
kinds of folks. and we've got the repu-
tation of being a big-hearted town.
You are postmaster. and it's up to
you"
But he don't answer my letter.
He probably don't want to admit
how hard up he is. You must call a
public meeting. Jericho will contribute
what she can, and other towns will
foller her example"
I consulted with a number Of our
leading citizens, Mr.. President, and
finding them all in favor of the meet
ing. I called one. My posters were
headed:
open Your Hearts"
He Can't Pay His Remit"
Another Case Deserving Of Our
Charity"
Mr.. Bryan's name was not mentioned,
but all knew that it was his unfortu-
nate case. At my suggestion he was
referred to during the meeting as John
Doe. I hope that other towns will adopt
our sentiment in this respect. No use
rubbing 1t in when a man is down
through no fault of his own.
The meeting was largely attended
and seemed to be considered solemn
occasion. Indeed, Squar' Ricketts, in
sisted that it surely was a solemn oc-
casion when a member of the Presi-
dents Cabinet could not live on 81, 900
a year. He was, as was we'll known to
everybody in the hall, a buyer OF but
ter, eggs, geese feathers, bees-wax,
honey, and hides. He shipped to a COM
mission house in New York, where his
stun was overhauled and mixed to-
gether and sold again at so per cent
profit. If John Doe would set up in
the commission business We would con-
tract to ship only TO him.
Elder Lysander Johnson said this
was not a time to inquire what sort OF
a religion a man professed. AS for
himself, he was a Baptist. but it would
make no difference II Mr.. Doe was a
Bible-pounding Methodist. The thing
was to relieve his necessities. He
wanted 100 cords of wood cut this win
ter. The regular price was as cents
cord, but under the circumstances he
could make it so il John would take it.
Absalom Granger then drew vivid
picture of a family forced to live on an
income Of $1,000 a year. There was the
husband and father walking the floor
with beads of sweat standing out on his
anxious forehead; the wife and mother
searching the empty cupboard for |