The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-09-10

MANY years ago very noble E"nt!'-
man. admired and beloved Of all ms
friends and Ionorcd everywhere because
Of his distinguished services LOT '"'
government in Washington. was aSkco
70 give an account Of his stewardship
He had held the office for many years.
\ politician wanted his one" lot
friend, the motive for the investigation
was QUIT" PLAIN and ms G'hlicin"H'
.milIngly invited An accounting ny 'A-
pert book-kCcpcrS. From the beginning
=, was mite evident that the politician
know that there WAS only n Chanc" OF
sumo hlundcr being found that c"uIu
bring about the uustInE Of thus n"hl'
ulhII, servant. Soon. To tn" Amusement
Of his friends. and his own humiliation
and horror. an C%p"rt declared mat I'M"
nrj,cjaj WIS short several thousand dol
lars in his account. An adrcrs" report
wn:; made. hut before his resignation
could h, obtained. this gentleman d'cd
at shock. humiliation and broken
heart.
After his death ii became necessary 10
clear un tho desk Of tho dead "iii'lhI.
\ small mountain Or correspondence
had accumulated. Meanwhile thor" was
large op"nInE in IN" back OF inc o'Sh'
behind which were piled reports. books
pum1hletS that had accumulated DURING
the previous thirty years. In between
w"r" found scores Of letters that han
fallen through, with a number OF p0stal
orders and checks These orders and
checks had meyer been rashcd and th'F
W ore. precisely equal Ia tn" amount for
which the old scholar could not render
an account Interested IN the great sup
he no, chf
crlucd with national interests and tn"
promotion "r his Eativ" land. IN" Official
ha dn"vcr missed tho loss Of an oCcaSi-
onal letter. with a postal order IN IT.
Not until Il Was too late WAS the dis
covcry made Then full recognition was
given Ia tn" man for his good work. Tho
stain WAS wiped from his good name"
on sad ono L. tho other: "Oh. ! always
knew that Il vas some bluna"r or ms
understanding. dishonesty was a moral
inp,ssih,lIty for that man" II" never
,.lrrI enough about money To tax" any
tim the did not earn. and hc loved truth
ard honor So much that theft was i'm
Possible. Nevertheless. his was n grcv-
Gus blundcr He had no right TO allow
his desk to b. piled ,7 with books and
pamphlets. Those who came after him
found a small waEnulOad of material ac-
Cumulatcd around his desk. He paid
dearly for his rarclcssncss. If the ma
turc Of things and gravity had not kept
his books. a lasting stain would have
fallen upon his memory.
One Of the busiest men living in III"
world today has a desk upon which the
M rrrs arc laid in tho morning, and that
! desk must he absolutely clean by noon.
Every paper must he marked and hlcd
No scran must hc lost Never writG
{ hotter If you can help it, is his rule"
! and Meyer destroy letter that you TO-
cc:vc. Organize your work so that at
minutes notice you can lay YOUR hand
| upon every document" This man be-
Icivcs that order is the first law or a
successful Iif" lie hates mass Of
papers AS he hates an evil spirit. To he
! sure he was born with unrvalcd gifts.
| He has an intellect that is like flash
| ing blade fIawlcss memory. marvellous
| health and nerve endurance. Once I
! heard him say: why don't other men
I do as do" Caruso. with his gift of a
| high dome in his throat, might as we'll