Gilpin observer., 1917-11-29
widely separated poles, like flash of


lives. the big meeting was called at
Pueblo. 1t was attended by delegates
from all the mines. The delegates
were selected by the men themselves,
in secret meeting and by secret ballet.
No company influence was exerted.
He laid before them his industrial
scheme, since adopted by all the min
ing towns In the district and officially.
approved by the Colorado industrial
commission.
The thing was going along smoothly
when delegate from up Fremont way
arose and said that the boys back in
the mine were skeptical. Some had
told him the man who came to them
was an impostor, that they didn't think
it was Rockefeller at all, for Rookie
| feller wouldn't have dared to come
there.
Rockefeller's face broke into a
smile.
"Well," he said pleasantly, "You
think am the man l represent myself
to be, don't you? You remind me of
the story of the man who entered
passenger coach and sat down on an
|
and said to the owner of the crushed
hat: 4 think sat down on your hat
You think you didT the other yelled
at him. You know mighty well you
didv"
The delegates returned to their
camps and reported that the rich
mans son was no fourfusher, and that
| he seemed to want to do the right
thing by them.
The younger Rockefeller possesses
a rare degree of the saving grace of
humor. He doesn't take himself too
seriously, nor seem to think the weight
of the world rests on his ample shoul-
ders. He enjoys a good joke, a whole
some joke. Perhaps no excessively
rich man In the world gathers more
smiles and optimism out of the days
work than he.
One day the son Of one of his su-
perintendents asked If he might take
his picture.
II want good one," said the boy.
Just then donkey, feeding in the
yard, walked up to give the Rockefel-
Ter person the "once over"
"Get on the donkey" laughed the
boy.
John d. threw himself astride the
surprised donkey.
The boys camera snapped, and he
ran into the house, rejoicing.
His father was afraid he would Of.
fend the mighty Rockefeller If he per-
mitted the newspaper men to use the
picture.
We entertained no such solicitoua
notions. We put it up to John d.
go ahead" he said with smile.
"I'n help you out. When you write
your caption for it just say: Two of
kind"
We had some tire trouble between
Rouse and Lester mines. We news.
paper men were trying to be smart and
show how Indifferent we We're to him
by ignoring him. He butted into our
conversation gracefully, and asked II
we had seen the "Follies of 1915" The
New York highbrows had, but we
Western men were still in the wage
Garner class.
Rockefeller expressed an expert
opinion to the effect he thought II
great. This was good stuff'' for us
feature stuff for which the managing
editor constantly is yelling in his wax
ing hours and dreaming about in his
sleeping hours. We gathered around
He thought the hit of the show was
the stunt in which appeared imper-
sonations of Bryan, Billy Sunday and
Rip Van Wrinkle.
Bryan inquiries of Rip who he may
be-" Mr.. Rockefeller explained. why,
says Rip, 4 voted for you every time
you ran.' Whereupon Bryan exclaips
Are you the manT"
Day after day we journeyed through
the foothills, forgetting about Rookie
fellers money. enjoying the compan-
ionship of man, and day after day he
ever was finding something that was
bright, smiling and hopeful. At times,
too, he was very serious. We were
ready to agree that he was thinking of
the men most of the time, and not
merely the investment.
EuIogizes Father and Mother.
Then came the final meeting at Den
yer, where the men with the money in
vested In the institution sat around
the tables. John d. delivered his
farewell address for that trip. 1t was
not different from the other talks to
the miners-his partners, as he per-
sisted in terming them. But in clos
Ing he paid tribute to his father and
mother. 1t was simple and eloquent.
1t explains the younger Rockefeller,
in way perhaps II ia worth Dre-
serving. Here 1t is, word for word:
"The word fear is not found in my
fathers vocabulary, nor does he know
what that sensation is, though seventy
eight years Of age, and yet he has the
gentleness of woman. Although he
has been accustomed to think in world
terms in the development of the busi-
ness and nhilnnthronic eniernrises to