The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-06-07

sad state Of repair. It suddenly
dawned upon US that the immacu-
late and highly starched bosom he
was accustomed to present was
nothing but a dickey. Though
surprised, we made no comment
for we did not know but that such
method in shirt apparel might be
Just a common ALAN odality with
the fashionable circles of Manhat-
tan.
Now, friends, we have been
rambling in rather desultory
manner on one side of Main
Street. Let US cross over to the
other side. For with the general
public there seems to flourish the
opinion that this much advertised
street is wholly one-sided. May
We be allowed to say that every
Main Street the world over has
two sides. And as, except in its
proportions, single drop of wat
er may be representative of the
ocean from which it is taken, so
is Main Street a faith ful ensemble
of human progress toward J. gen
uine civilization.
Here are the joys and sorrows
of life, here is the pathos, and
here are the tragedies. And the
important question bearing in up
on the Main Streeter, and in upon
every one of US pilgrims on the
Great Journey, is how shall we ap-
propriate and make healthy use of
the humorous incidents of our en-
vironment, and how bravely can
we meet the catastr ophes and
tragedies common to our human
ity.
And the very simplicities of ex-
istence on Main Street seemed to
create a wonderful fortitude in
facing these emergencies.
Let me give an illustration ::
First, however, I am compelled to
mention what many have notei,
and that is that in the country
there develops between the geney-
al practitioner of many years in the
profession in which l belong, and
the families to whom he has so
long administered. a confidential
relationship with which the prac-
TONERS in the city, devoted as
they are to the various specialties,
are comparatively unacquainted.
So thoroughly has he known their
griefs and their pleasures that a
place becomes permanently fixed
for him as their conidant and
friend.
So near to one end of Main
Street that he was always regard
ed as one of US, thcre resided a
farmer who had been a cripple
from 'boyhood. He had come into
the country at III early date, and
in spite of a tubercular hip and
a tubercular ankle, which inter-
fered seriously with his locomo-
ton, by applying himself diligently
to his daily tasks, and possessing
a generous amount of that COM
mon sense without which the
younger Darwin says no good
work was ever done anywhere on
this earth, he had made a success
of farming. Rather late in life
there developed with him a cancer
of the ear which steadily proceed
ed from bad to worse. He came
into my office one morning: "Doc,"
he said, (These old residents were
chary in their use of syllables and
Doc stood for Doctor with them. }
"Of course you know, and I know
that this thing is going to wind me
up. And yesterday l got to think
/ ing it over and I said to myself,
here 1 have had a hard time all my
life. l have had to do my work
under great difficulties. Where
other farmers have had the use of
their members and could walk
about their fields, I have been
crippled. And 1 don't believe I am
called upon now to fight this thing
that has got hold of me to the
end when it is certain there can
be only one end to it. So I got
the revolver down and thought
would finish it. Then l thought
maybe I'd better talk with Doc"
How should I answer this man ?
l didn't propose to assume even
the semblance of authority and
command this man not to perform
this act. 1 hung my head in 81
lence and tried to put myself in
his place. Finally / said: "Steve,
1 don't think I would do that. From
what you have just been saying,
anyone would be forced to the con-
clusion that you have fought the
battle of life bravely. Handicapped
as you have been, you have sue
ceedei where others with all the
advantages have failed. You
have made a splendid record, and
I don't believe you should smirch
that record now. Don't spoil it
1 feel that it will he more salts
factory to you, Steve, to play the
game to the very end" Neither of
US ever referred to this matter
again excepting at the close of his
life. During the several months
given him to live he faced the in
evitable with Christian stoicism.
was with him when he died, and
only few minutes before his pass
ing he said to me in voice scarce