Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-11
CHAPTER XIII.
(Continued.)

--
With what pride and Joy I heard
of this great thing that my friend
had accomplished! The school
master went on:
1T is a very good and proper
thing, my boys, that you should be
inspired by the example of the
great man, whose home is here
among us and whose beloved face
is as familiar as my own, to try
your talents in the service of the
state. There are certain things
that | would have you remember.
"First-Know your subject-in-
side and outside and round about
and from beginning TO end.
"Second-Know the opinions Of
wise men and your own regarding
1t.
"Third-Be modest in the use OF
your own opinions and above al!
be honest.
Remember that it Is
your subject and not yourself that
is of prime Importance. You will
be tempted to think that you are
the great part of the business. NJ
young friends, it will not be true. 1t
can not be true. 1t Is not you but
the thing you stand for that is i'm
portant.
"Fifth-The good of all the peo-
pie must be the thing you stand for
The United States of America.
Now l wish you to observe how
our great fellow townsman keeps
lis subject to the fore and himself
in the background,
1T was in 1894 that he addressed
the senate regarding the deposits of
public money. He rose to voice the
wishes of the people of this state.
If he had seemed to be expressing
his own opinions ne would have
missed his great point. Now mark
how he cast himself aside when he
began:
~ must not be understood as,
for one moment, entertaining this
vain impression that opinions and
views pronounced by me, here or
elsewhere, will acquire any import
ance because they are my opinions
and views. | know well, sir, that
my name carries not with ii au-
thority anyhere, but I know, also.
that so far as l may entertain and
shall express opinions which are,
or which shall be found, in accord
with the enlightened public opin-
ion of this country, so far they will
be sustained and no further
Then by overwhelming proof he
set forth the opinion of our people
on the subject in hand. Studiously
the senator has hidden himself in
his task and avoided in every pos
sible way attracting attention from
his purpose to his personality.
Invitations to accept public din
ners as a compliment to himself
have received from him this kind
of reply:
"a proper attention to the
duties, on the discharge of which
you so kindly desire to compliment
me requires that l should decline
your invitation
All this was new to me, although
much more was said touching his
love for simple folk regarding
which l need no instruction. Alto
gether, 1t helped me to feel the deep
foundation on which my friend, the
senator had been building in his
public life.
Going out with the crowd that
evening, I met Sally and Mr. and
Mrs. Dunkelberg. The latter did
not speak to me and when l asked
Sally if l could walk home with
her she answered CURLY. mo, thank
you"
In following the schoolmasterl I
have got bit ahead of my history.
Soon after the opening of the new
year-ten days or so later it may
have been-I had begun to feel my
self encompassed by new and
subtle force. II was a thing as
intangible as heat but as real as
fire and more terrible. it seemed %
me. l felt it first in the attitude of
my play fellows. They denied me-
the confidence and intimacy which
had enjoyed before They whis-
pered together in my presence. In
all this / had not failed to observe
that Henry Wills had taken lead
ing part. The invisible, inaudib'e,
mysterious thing wrought a great
change in me. 1t followed me
through the day and lay down with
me at night. l wondered what l