Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-05-10

lllWlAd Tribune, WeOWe3OAv,
pride had had q remarkable effect on
the boy. His brain was awake. His
spirit began to feel it's strength. He
made a plan and then a proposition
to the commissioner. II the state
would give him a set Of artificial limbs
and a year in school he would release
it from all further liability. The
proposition was accepted. They took
him to Chicago, where he was fitted
with new feet and q right hand. Soon
he was able to walk as upright and
as steadily as ever.
A Study In Minutes.
His schooling began. With his one
thumb he could hold pen or a pen.
Gil and turn the leaves of his books.
Mike had been stripped pretty bare
He had his brain and one year in
which to make it a useful possession.
He sat one night thinking of these
two assets. He took his pencil and
began to make figures. His brain was
as good as ever; the year had only
three hundred and sixty-five days but
there would be more than half mil
lion minutes in it. Most boys of his
age would need at least five years
for an education-that meant, say,
two and half millions of minutes.
There were fourteen hundred and for
ty minutes in q day. He figured out
how boys generally spent their time.
1t was about as follows:
$40 minutes In bed
$50 minutes in eating, bathing, dress.
ing and undressing
1870 minutes in play
12O minutes in sheer idleness
21O minutes in school dalliance
210 minutes in study
144o
Mike decided to spend
42O minutes in bed
SO minutes in eating, bathing, dress.
ing and undressing
go minutes in study in and cut OF
school
1440
This s. edule would enable him tc
put five years of the average boys ef
fort into the one year ajhead of him
Thereafter that year became in his
view a collection of minutes. OF
course he would need exercise, but he
could be going over his lessons while
he walked to and from school and did
the chores.
The teacher, seeing the boys Gag
erness to learn, spent many evenings
helping him in his arithmetic and al
zebra. Mike strobe ahe2d' of his
classes. He was the wonder and thu
talk of the neighborhood He bega1
to enjoy one by-product of which hi
had never thought-the fruit of gooi
advertising. The intensive method O.
study that he had adopted had adver
tised him as unit of power in thu
community. That puts it in rather
plain, commercial terms but the!
clearly express the fact. Mike didn'
pose as born phenomenon. He lai<
it all to hard work.
At the end of the year the value O
that advertising began to show itself
and he got license to teach. H,
taught sew n years, the last three a.
head of tn y Renville High School.
He was elected to the lower hous,
Of the state legislature in 1900 an:
served for two sessions as its speak
er. In his political work he won tn,
friendship of William Mckinley, VIII
sent him to the Philippines as spec
ial commissioner.
Soon after his work began there h
went to see the sultan of Sulu to en-
gage his interest in the cause of edu
cation. The sultan was bored. H
wouldn't listen. Something had to b
done to catch the attention of the bal
barian monarch. Mike removed hi
right hand and threw it on the foo
between them. In half moment h
had taken off both his feet and tos:
ed them before the astonished sulta1
He caught his head between his elbov
and left hand and began to turn it a
if intending to add that to the pile
The sultan ran to his side with loo
of delight, saying:
keep your head on! want t
talk with you and learn the secre
of your magic"
Mike held up his one thumb an
told his story to the sultan, who lear1
ed what man may accomplish i
America with one thumb and a brai
and the will to make the most q
them.