South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-24
STATESMEN GREAT AND
NEAR-GREAT
BY Fred Kelly.

WASHINGTON, April 2S.-One
day a certain Mr. Albert Johnson
went forth to the marts for the pur-
pose of buying a refrigerator. The
fact might not be worth recording
Eere except Tor later events. Still,
even at the time, buying a refrigera-
tor seemed to Johnson a matter OF
no little importance. Today he has
not only a refrigerator, but a news
paper. a seat in congress. an unusu-
ally sagacious pair Of eyes, a wise lit
tie voice, and lots of things. But
then he had. nothing. He was start
ing to housekeeping, and when he
thought Of fixing up a flat. the first
article he placed on his list was
efrigeratOr-s simply because he was
in the habit Of eating with hearth
ness and relish and wanted his food
kept cool and palatable.
They showed him a refrigerator
priced. at $50, which was about half
" hat Albert thought OF spending for
his entire outfit of furniture. But ii
was a perfectly lovely refrigerator
al white enameled and fully equip
ped, and Albert found himself una
bic TO resist its appeal. He bought
it, even though relatives and friends
deplored his extravaganza. He HIM
self admitted afterward that il was
"a refrigerator clear beyond his sta
ton in life.
All this happened in a city out on
the Pacific coast Within a month
enjoy life in a flat with his costly re-
frigerator, he was offered a more
lucrative pOsition-or at any rate he
got better John another city a
little farther north. Weather liars
are of course, plentiful in that part
OF the country and many persons as
sured Albert that the climate was So
delightful where he was going thu.
he would not need any refrigerator,
and that everybody slept under
blankets at night So Albert foolish
ly sold his fine refrIgerator-at big
sacrifice, too. receiving only a frac-
ton Of the amount he had paid for
Il.
In his new location he found that
he would need a refrigerator after
all. Put his brief experience at house
keeping had instilled into his soul
certain principles of economy and
frugaIity which forbade his paying
$50 again for a mere ice chest. He
went and bought one for about SIS.
But the new refrigerator was never
satisfactory. Albert never did get
done regretting that he had listened
10 the talk OF the weather liars and
disposed OF his fine white enameled
treasure. He had sold his birthplace
so to speak, for n mess OF putty. on,
how sorry he was,
Years passed, = great many years,
and the people rose up and sent AL
bert 10 congress. His cup OF Joy
might have overflow ed except that
his one great lifelong regret-that
about sacrificing the refrigerator
was still a sac little spot deep in his
I bosom.
On reaching Washington to take
his seat up amongst the other great
MEN Of the nation. Albert looked
a bout for furnished apartment. lie
got a list Of addresses from a gentle
manly real-estater and set forth with
q comparatively light heart
High rents everywhere" ne NUT
tered and no $50 refrigerator eth
er, I'll venture"
At the first place he stopped. the
woman who had the apartment for
rent took a good look at him and fall
tered:
II think--uh-haven't we met be-
fore: We moved here from the
west and IL seems 70 me that
aren't you the man who once sold us
a refrigerator ?"
| She escorted Johnson TO a neat
/ little kitchen and there. nodesJly
IN one corner as 4 awaiting his en-.
! brace. stood JohDsOn's $50 ice bozl
de rented che place on the spot,