The Topeka state journal., 1921-12-02
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)

Henry Ford is said to be in search
| of a copy of McGuffey's First Reader
of the vintage of the late sixties or
early seventies. He is quoted as say
| ing he got most of his education from
McGuffey's readers, and wishes to de-
vote the long winter evenings, now
| impending, to rereading them. Thus
the canard to the effect that Mr.. Ford
cannot read is exploded. A man does
| not buy book unless he can read it.
He might have a book, the gift of
some well-meaning friend, but he
would not deliberately purchase one.
That is the superficials aspect of the
matter. Its real significance runs
somewhat deeper, in that it goes far
toward explaining Mr.. Ford. McGuf-
| fey'S readers of the vintage indicated
are stilted and unlikely. They are
full of beautiful but artificial moon
| shine, the repository of much gilded
| bunk. The fact that Henry got his
education from them explains Henry.
But it is our mission to serve Mr..
! Ford might get a copy of the First
Reader at Leary's That's where we
got our copy of the Fifth Reader.
Genesis and Revelation.
| Sir-A friend said to me the other
1 day, did I read the stuff of this here
| fellow that writes the column for the
| Public Ledger. I thought you might
| be interested in the answer made to
his query. I said you seemed an in
nocent kind of ass whose stuff was in
| tereSting as far as l had seen It. which
was only now and then, for am not
| one of those who take the paper for
| the one usual reason. said you were
| that and 1 liked you a lot, but the one
| thing was convinced of every time I
read you was that every time you
started in to write about the East and
1
| town, this function and that, the one
| thing I was sure of every time 1 read
| that kind of grist was that you were
and will remain a hick. You can't
| somehow disguise it or rub it off.
That stuff about the tan SHOES and
| the blue serge suit is no joke. You
are patiently a rube. Z. H.
The point has always been con
| ceded. We have, for fact, stressed
guise our best stuff? The world is
| full of people who are pressing their
| game. They strive so hard for the
appearance of sophistication that they
top half their drives. Being a plain
| hick is infinitely more comfortable,
and, besides, it is one of the cleverest
| of all tricks.
| The instantaneous approximation
| made E. H. is not surprising. He lives
I
a hick at a glance, it would be some
body who lives in Buffalo.
To Jonathan Apple.
| Thou gorgeous globe of luscious happi
Within thy spheric confines thou dost
More riches than the tabled fruit of gold
| That Hercules secured thru bitter stress
Beneath thy rind, deep hued, thou dOst
| Matured perfections sweet and manifold
For Spring and Summer and the
Have well conspired to give thee mellow
ness.
The breath of june the scent of new
The dews Of Night, the tints of break
ing Morn;
The drone of bees among the buds of May
| The West winds music 'mongst the tas
As to the core l make my juicy way.
These joys L find, and taste delights
born. II. c. H.
We print the foregoing rhapsody in
| order that we may dip it in aloes.
! One who raves thus about the Jona-
than apple is unsafe. We trust his
keeper is on the alert.
We are again intrigued. this time
by one of the speakers who partici-
pated in a radical demonstration in
New York on Friday night. Twelve
AlutIICdu ClllZeHS, ne Is QuOIGQ as
saying, found Sacco and Vanzetti
guilty of murder in the first degree
Twelve million organized workers of
England, France. Italy. Spain, Swift
zerland, Sweden. Argentina. Brazil
and Japan have proclaimed them in
nocent- Who are right, the twelve or
the 12,009,OOO?'
The column is assailed by grave
doubts. It is true the twelve Ameri-
n rnfe
heard all of the evidence In the case.
The 100000 workers heard none of
it. But we don't suppose that would
have any bearing on the matter
Come to think about it, why should
it?
"Now there are great numbers of
persons. more particularly in Amer
ica,'' writes the inimitab1e H. G.. Wells.
''Who still refuse to recognize this in
termittent and variable nrncess. which