Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-20
HUMANISMS
BY WILLIAM ATHERTON DU PUY

7NHE stor! is still told in chuckle circles
l. in Washington where old crones get
together of the night when f. W. Pettus,
the venerable Senator from Alabama, then
eighty two, stayed ont too late.
The day after the cscapadc the Senate was
droning along and Mr.. McCumber was max
ing a speech that was we'll studded with
statistics and entirely denudcd Of thrills.
Only Senator Pcttus remained. Suddenly
his shoulders we're seen to begin to shake
with mirth, and some observer went over to
learn what, in so dry n speech, could have
made him laugh.
He said he had played poker with the Joe
Cannon crowd the night before and when the
hour of IL arrived. the time at which Mrs.
Fettus required his presence at home, he
had all the blue chips and could not grace
fully get away. So he played till o'clock
at tfe front door. slipped into his room
undresscd in the dark and sought to 60 to
bed. Mrs. Pcttus. unfortunately, had cast
anchor in the exact middle Of the bed: So
he bestowed himself most nncomfortaby on
the edge and courted Morpheus in vain.
Just at dawn Mrs. Pettus awoke. The
Senator pretended that he was sleeping. She
got up on her elbow and looked at her part
ner for, fifty years in the increasing light.
Instantly sh" detected his discomfort.
''Mr. Pettus, she said. you would rest
hat
It was at memory of this that the pa
trarch laughed.
Mrs. iaviand II. Lund. head OF the
Forward to- the Land League and student Of
rural reconstruction for the Department of the
Interior, snys that Americans are too busy TO
be gracious. They haven't time to stop to
observe the amenities. Many of them feel
that they cant even take time for friend
ships. Two or three hours Of an evening
for visiting cannot be spared. They are
friendly. socable people at heart. but the
speed madness intcrferes.
Fifty years ago. says Commissioner
| Thomas T.. Robertson. Of the Patent Office,
| an experienced examiner OF patents re
| signed because he believed that all the
| patents had been taken out and that he
would soon b" left without a calling He
| wanted to acquire new profession before
| K was too late
In the decade that followed a score OF
| such inventions as the telephone and the
| electric light were made.
| 80 many patents are being taken out now
| mat inc commissioner has to sign more
| than 100 of them every day.
ne Is 4" diSnlhed gentleman. this Com
missioner OF Patents. with a gray goatee
and signs busily with big fountain pcn
} while he talks TO YOU.
John D. Rockefeller used to leave his homo
| in Flfty fourth street, near Fifth avenue
| and walk across town into what IL known az
IN" San Juan district bordering on the
Hudson and occupied largely BY Negroes.
| this humble section ~
tine daN hc came upon group of small
boys, some white and some Negro. down on
the pavement shooting craps.
lie stopped to demonstrate with them. to
preach them bit of sermon on the vices
OF gambling Tie ended by making a pro
posal that, if they would give nm thoir
game, he would bestow upon each Of thcm
dime WV"
'Huh. said one Of them dcrisiveh 1--WE
are shootin' for four bits throw. =