The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-05-21

excitement when I put my horse In the
stable and rang the bell at our door. II
seemed to me that Twas crossing the
divide between big and little things. A
few steps more and l should be look
Ing down into the great valley Of the
future. Yet. now that I was there,
began to lose confidence.
The butler opened the door.
Yes. the senator was up and had
Just returned from q walk and was IN
his study. found him there.
SWELL. Bart. how does, this happen p
he asked.
"Its important business" I said, a
presented the letter.
Something In his look and manner
as he calmly adjusted his glasses and
read the letter Of Judge Fine brought
the blood to my face. 1t seemed to
puncture my balloon. SO to speak, and
I was falling toward the earth and SO
swiftly my head swan. He laid the
letter on his desk and. without looking
up and as coolly as If he were asking
for the change Of a dollar. queried:
"Well. Bart, what do you think we
had better do about it?"
FL was hoping-you-you would
take It." / stammered.
"That's because the excitement of
the convention is on you," he an
swered. "Let us look at the compass.
They have refused to nominate Mr..
Van Buren, because he is opposed to
the annexation Of Texas. On that sub
ject the will of the convention is now
clear. 1t is possible that they would
nominate me. We don't know about
that we never shall know. If they
did. and accepted. what would be ex.
pected OF me Is also clear. They
would expect me to abandon my prin-
ciples and that course of conduct
which / conceive TO be best for the
country. Therefore i should have to
accept II under false pretenses and
take their yoke upon me. Would you
think the needle pointed that wayT"
"No." answered.
Immediately he turned to his desk
and wrote the telegram which fixed
his place In history. 1t said no.
Into the lives Of few men has such
moment fallen. / looked at him with
feeling of awe. What sublime calm
cess and serenity was In his facet Az
If ii were a mere detail In the work OF
the day, and without a moments fall
tering, he had declined crown, for he
would surely have been nominated and
elected. He rose and stood looking
out Of the open window. Always
think of him standing there with the
morning sunlight falling upon his face
and shoulders. He had observed my
emotion and / think II had touched
him little. There was a moment OF
silence. A curious illusion came to me
then, for ii seemed as If ] heard the
sound of distant music. Looking
thoughtfully out of the window he
asked:
Bart, do you know when our first
fathers turned out of the trail OF the
beast and found the long road of hui
mainly? / think II was when they dis
covered the compass In their hearts"
So now at last we have come to that
high and lonely place, where we may
look back upon the toilsome, adven-
turous way we have travelled with the
aid of the candle and the compass.
Now let us stop moment to rest and
to think. How sweet the air Is here
The night is falling. see the stars in
the sky.
Just below me is the valley Of Eter-
nal silence. You will understand my
haste now. / have sought only to do
justice to my friend and to give my
country a name, long neglected. but
equal in glory to those Of Washington
and Lincoln.
Come, let US take one last look to-
gether down the road we have trav-
eled, now dim In the evening shad-
ows. Scattered along 1t are the little
houses Of the poor of which / have
written. See the lights In the win
dows-the lights that are shining into
the souls OF the young-the eager,
open, expectant. welcoming souls of
the young-and the light carries many.
things, but best of all respect for the
old, unchanrng way Of the compass
After all that Is the end and aim of
the whole matter-believe me.
Ny life has heightened into these
days when most Of our tasks are 'ac
complished by machinery. We try to
make men by the thousand. in vast
educational machines. and no longer
by the one as OF old. It was the low.
Ing, forgiving. forbeanng, patient
ceaseiess toll Of mother and father on
the tender soul Of childhood which
quickened that inextinguishable sense
Of responsibility to God and man In
these people whom now leave to the
judgment Of my countrymen.
I have lived to see the ancient plan
of kingcraft, for self-protection, com.
ing back into the world. 1t demands
that the will and conscience of every
individual shall be regulated and con.
trolled by some conceited prince,