Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-06-12
He Keepeth Watch.
BY Newell Dwight Hiliis.

The careers of great men illustrate. the tridng events athao Fao sonettaeS
to kings palaces IN sometimes to the poorhouse. In general very man is
thu architect of his w otune, but in Particular mach depends ape tr;ies
Recently, m of or most onoredn marine architects celebrated his 10th birth
day. All about were hung photographs of ne many wonderful steamships lie
Just before the close of the civil var the evernme let a contract to William
n. Webb TO buud "a batteship named the "DuEdenburs." This ship IA $50
and a half inch steel. the port holes brisucd with cannon. ad it made Is
knots an hour This warship vas to be inc .e umr IVA isans nd " hoHm Oh maj
navy department held MI. Webb to his original con1aot. After several years
when the battleship was ready for delivery, the contractor se0o" 10 lose s-
100000 n was practically bankrupt
Meanwhile the builder was in despair. sad "a!te0 from LILY 10 uy LOT his
bankers to sell out his collateral ad so announce the ruin OF his business
Then a ufe interviewed. During the autumn of 86S. a New York
business man went to Berlin. n lay, at dinner IN a hotel this man over
heard a conversation between W German officers. The n said to the oter
that Bismarck would hardly declare war o France before TN harvest tune,
and that he looked for orders of mobiizauon about August l. This friend
rumor thai Germany would declare war pon France became current in Wash
ington, and reached he ears Of the French ambassador. One dy a cable
brought Webb an offer from the French government n With the consent of
the United States the battleshpw va sold to France tor s35OOOWV. Altcr the
bankers had received what the loaned. n the government hd received its
advancemens, Webb woulds still nave lefto over $1,000 100. representing his abu-
ly Experience md labOrS.
wharf to see the batleshps sail away. When it disappeared beyond the mar
rows both raurned to their offices. At daybreak. o. the second morning. Webb
astounded BY the news tina his sip had returned Engine CUB had de
Neloped. In THAT emergency a distinguished nar!nea architect FRANK i. hFpy
"a called in Amer a few hours study of The blue prints. he succeeded in
two days time, in correcting the fault. N Il second time the ship sailed for
France. In that o The architect noticed tn builder. Webb was standing
Finally he broke inoth ese words: If she arrives it is heaven; il she returns
it is hell. On the nj hand is hon success a comfortable old age, a troop
of friends; on the ohe is bankruptcy, failure, poverty broken heartede end
1t is IS uncertain as the tosso of a coin" Ten days passed by. The cables
brought the news that the French government had accepted the steamer n
mad its payment In me hour is it were the ma paid his note at the
bank, bought a house O. fifth venue neal the old Bristol hotel live his ife
Tut in happiness success and prosperity. Napoleon used to say hat there we're
five minutes at Waterloo when it "a the tosso Il copper which way the battle
vent. During " a half Of the minute he ws certain that the path
he was started towards ST.. Helena. The in betwixt failure n success is
sometimes al marrow a a knfe edge. 1t is this consideration that leads men to
feel thai There's a divinity nat shapes our ends. rough hew them 20 We
Will, n atint the shadow behind every great cause stan me Who keepeth
watch aboVc His "