Evening star., 1919-03-30
OTIS Of useless wailing being done
these days, I should say. by civil
4 lima n,,or Ahn runafior Of fha re-

IL ians over the question OF the re-
turned soldiers coming back to
their old Jobs and new jobs.
The soldiers are weeping very little.
They are mighty gritty. I tell you.
Watch even the MANNED ones on the
streets. No weeps for them. They are
going back on the old Job, or new one.
Just as soon as they are able. II you
don't believe It read their camp papers.
They reflect the spirit Of the boys.
It's largely the spirit of the man that
counts. after all, as to whether he sue
ceeds or fails after his discharge from
the Army. The good ones. in the main.
will get good Jobs and the poor ones.
well. don't suppose they will be much
better of than they were before the
war OF course. not all will get fair
ehake. but mostly it will be up to the
Individual.
The situation is not 30 much different
now from what 1t was in times Of peace
before the war Then the aspiring come
back. with nerve and ability. forged his
way ahead, and the spineless fellow
blunk along the edge of the sidewalk OF
6ecrying his hard luck
X
Maybe / could illustrate 1t with q
ease in question. This came to my at
tention only last week. when l was
walking down Pennsylvania avenue
&nd saw a man l had known many
years. and also by an article about
this same man that I saw in this
lHeeks paper. 1t is as good an illus
Grafton Of a real comeback" as 1
know Of any place.
Asa Bird was the mans name. That
u. that was the only name he had.
Some one left him on a doorstep in
New York many. many years ago,and
J few weeks later. when an orphan
kge in New York sent shipment of
kids out west he was among them
Nnd he landed in our town.
Alb Lucas. our town blacksmith, who
always was on the lookout for cheap
help. saw good chance to pick up a
likely youngster in Asa. SO he grab
ped him out of the lot and agreed to
feed. clothe and care" for him until
be was tWenty-one years old.
Gradually Asa grew into a big.
Say apd h1 after rb.f fashon s; % he
fe went as high as the sixth grade.
Ind then Alb. fearing that "book learn
Ing would ruin the child. pulled him
put OF school and put him to shoeing
fnules and other light tasks calculated
plentality generally.
/ 1t wasn't Asa's kind Of work at ALL
put Alb was hard master, and he
Fept Asa cowed for a good many years
Ry divers and sundry means. One of
Icross the bridge Of the nose with a
asp when Asa talked about desiring
D little higher education.
Before Asa was twenty-one years
Pld Alb had him tied up and married.
by some hook or crook, to one Of his
bore or less dumb daughters, and it
lust seemed that Asa was done for
life. 1t was one case where. to save
ny life. couldn't congratulate a fell
low on being married. 1t seemed more
Sike suicide than Joy.
I, Somehow, though. Asa retained
kittle spark of the old ambition that
pc had displayed when he was a
young fellow. and he took to reading
books at night. studying law and the
kike: And may be old Alb didn't rave
1t that
Blackstone never knowed anything
ERout shoeing q mule" he thundered.
you better a sight be spending the
evenings at the shop"
] * X
Asa was about ready to give up, J
Seckon. when a child was born to him
Ind. as assistant maid OF all work
round the house, he sometimes did
pot get to his books until 9 o'clock at
plight, but he kept plugging away and,
pnally, he was told by the school that
he could just put in few months
lawyers office he would be ready
Tor any bar examination in the world.
70 Asa decided that he would take his
eavings and go into an office and he
pcgan setting his house in order for
That.
! I tell you il you think its a simple
Thing for man thirty-sx years old
Eith passel of children about him to
deliberately give up a job of black
mithing and set out going to school
IN what few dollars he has saved.
Pou are wrong. Asa never did a
Drawer thing than when he passed up
Che forge for the bar.
! Within two months after he went
INTO the lawyers office his wife died
ind one thing and another happened
Which put Asa right back at black
mithing, and, in no time, in the
kutter.
Z I'll never forget the night that
Harry Wortz, our town marshal, lock-
% Asa up and how heard Asa
. my name Is not honored. am