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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1939-02-02, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY, ''FEBRUARY 2, 1934 massimmaugagmemagNINESMINIMM he Little Orphan ci SAM 311101111. went to .work early the next mor- ning, with nothing on but my under- clothing and trousers, save a pair of ,gloves, that excited the ridicule of my fellows. With this livery and the righteous determination of earning two dollars a day, I began the inele- gant task of "pounding rocks"—no merry occupation. I assure you, for a ]tot .summer's day on Manhattan Island. We were paving Park Place and we had to break stone and lay them and shovel dirt and dig with a pick and crowbar. My face and neck were burned crimson when we quit work at five, and I went home with a feeling of having been run over by the cars, I hada strong sense of soul and body. the 'latter dominated by a mighty appetite. \lcClingan viewed me at first with suspicion in which there w•n& a faint flavor of envy. He invited me at once t, hi' room, and was amazed at seeing it was no lark. I told hint frankly ,chat I ,vets doing' and why and where. "I would not mind the loaning of a rt felt- dollars," he• said, "as a platter o' personal obligernent I would be most happy to do it—most happy, Brower, indeed I would." I thanked him cordially, but declin- ed the favor, for I was bound to have it out with ill luck on my own re- sources. "Greeley is back," said be, "and I shall see him to -morrow. I will pat him in mind o' you." 1 went .away sore in the morning, hut with no drooping spirit. In the middle of the afternoon I straightened up a moment to ease eny back and look about me. There at the edge of the gang stood the great Horace Greeley and Waxy llcClingan. The latter beckoned me as he caught my eye. I went aside to greet theist. Mr. Greeley gave me his hand. "Do you mean to tell methat you'd rather work than beg or borrow?" said he. "That's about it," I answered. "And ain't ashamed of it?" "Ashamed! Why?" said I. not quite sure. of his meaning. 1t had never oc Burred to me that one had any cause to be ashamed of working. He turned to MCdliagan and laugh- ed. "I guess you'll do for the Tribune," he said, "Come ,and see me at twelve to -morrow." And then they went away. If I had been, aknight of the garter I could.not have been treated with more distinguished courtesy by those hard handed men the rest of the day, I bade them good -by at night and got my order for four dollars. One Pat Devlin, a great hearted Ir- ishman, who had shared .m • } confid- ence and some of my •dowghnuta on the curb at luncheon time, I remem- 'ber best of all. °'le'll nicer fengit the toimm Ole wurr.uked together under Boss Mc- Cormick," said 'ite,' And to this day, whenever I meet the good man, now 'bent and grey, he says always, "Good day t' ye, Mr. Brower. D' ye mind the toinie we pounded the rock 'under Boas Mc- Cormick?" - Mr. Greeley gave me a place on the local staff and invited me to dine with him at 'his 'home that evening. Meanwhile he sent me to the head- quarters of. the republican, central campaign committee, on Broadway, opposite the 'New York Hotel. Lin- coln had been nominated in May, and the great ,political fight . oft 1860 was sha'kingethe city with its thunder. I turned in my copy at the city desk in good season, and, although the great editor had not yet left his room, I took a car at once to keep my appointment. A .servant sho'we'd me to a seat in the big back parlor of Mr. Greeley's home, where I spent a lonely hour before I heard his heavy footsteps in the hall. He' immediately rushed upstairs, two steps at a time and, in a moment, I heard his high voice greeting the babies. He carne down shortly with one of them cling- ing to his hand. "Thunder!" said he. "I had forgot- ten all about you. Let's go right in to dinner." He sat a.t the head of the table and I next to him. I remember how wearied by the day's burden, he at oun,sing heavily, in careless attitudes. He stirred his dinner into a hash of eggs, ,potatoas;• aq'casb and .parsnips, and ate it leisurely with .a spoon, his Stead !braced often with his left fore- arm, its elbow resting on the table. i It was a sort of letting go, after the immense activity of the day, and a•casual Observer would have thought he affected the uncouth, •which was not true of him. all about hfn tell1leaskerlrnetoa my father and his farm. At length f saw an absent look in his eye, and stopped talking, ;because 1 'thought he had ceased to listen. • 1 said he. 1 e141 verys "Very w rye ! I looked up at hint, not knowing What he meant. "Go onl Tell me all about it," he add "Ied. .like the .country best," said he when I had finished, "'because there I see more truth in thingp. Here the lie has • many 'forms—unique, varied, ingenious. The rouge and powder on the lady's cheek --'they are lies, both of them; the baronial and ducal crests are 'lies and the fools who use theist are liars; the people who soak them- selves in rum have nothing that lies in .their heads; the multitude who live by their wits and the lack of thein in others—they are all liars; the many •tubo imagine a vain thing and .pre- tend to be what they are not—liars every one of them. It is 'bound to be so !n the great cities, and it is a nark of decay, For truth you've gat 'to get back into the woods. Von can find men there a good deal as God made them—genuine, strong and simple When those men cease to come here you'll see grass growing .in Broad way." I made no answer and the grea commoner stirred his coffee a atom ent in silence. '"Vanity is the ,curse of •cities," he continued, "and Flattery is its hand- maiden, • Vanity, Flattery and Deceit are the three disgrce•s. I like a man to be what he is—out .and out. .If he's ashamed of himself it won't be long before his friends'll be ashamed of him. There's 'the trouble with this town. Many a fellow is pretending to be what he isn't. A man cannot be strong unless he is •genuine." One of his children—a little ;girl - carne and stood 'close to hint as he spoke. "Ile put his big aril around her and that ,gentle, permanent smile of his 'broadened as he kissed her and patted her red cheek, "Anything new in the Soittli " Mrs., Greeley inquired.. "'Worse arsd worse every •day," he said. • "Serious trouble coming! The Charleston dinner yesterday was a east .of,treason and a ,R ow of'criminal dietoric, The Union was the ` Chief dish, Everybody Mashed it With. his knife and jabbed it with his fork. It was slaughtered, roasted, made into mincemeat and devoured. O e !orator tor spoke of rolling 'back the tide of'fan- aticism that "finds root in the con- science of the people.' Their met- aphors are as bad as their morals." He laughed heartily at this example of 'fervid eloquence, and then we rose from the •talble. He had to go to the office •that evening, and I Dame away soon after dinner. I had nothing to do and went home reflecting upon all the ,great man had said, I began shortly to see the truth of what he had told me—men licking tate hand of riches with the tongue of !Rat- tery; men so stricken with the itch of vanity that 'they groveled for the touch of praise; men even w'ho would do perjury $or applause. I do not say that most of the men I •saw were of that ilk, but enough to show the ten- dency of life in a great town. I was filled with' wonder at first by meeting so many who had been every- where and seen everything, who had mastered all sciences and all philos- ophies and endured many perils on land and sea, I had met liar's 'before —it was no Eden there in the north country—and some of them had at- tained a good degree of efficiency, but they lacked the candor and 'finish of the metropolitan school. 1 confess they were all too much for me at first. They borrowed my cash, they shared my .confidence, they taxed my credulity, and I saw the truth at last. "Tom's breaking down, .said a en- laborer on the staff one day. "How is 'that? I inquired. "Served me a mean trick." "Indeed!" "Deceived me," said he sorrowfully. "Lied, I suppose?" "No. He told the truth, as God's my witness." Tam had been absolutely reliable up to 'that time. CHAPTER XXXVI Those were great days in mid autumn. The Republic was in 'great peril of dissolution, Liberty that had hymned her 'birth in the last century now Hymned her destiny in the voices of bard and orator. Crowds of men gathered in public squares, at bulletin boards, on street corners . arguing, ;gesticulating, exclaiming and cursing. Cheering multitudes went up and down the city by night, with bands and torches, and there was such a howl or oratory and applause on the lower half of Manhattan Island that it gave the reporter no rest. Will H. Seward, Charles Sunnier, John A. Dix, Henry Ward Ileecher and Oharles 'O'Connor were the giants of the stump. There w a9. more violence and religious fervor in the political feeling of that time than had been mingled since '116. .A sense of outrage was in The hearts of men. "Honest Abe" Lincoln stood, as they took it, for their homes and their cofintry, for human liberty, and even for their God. I remember coming into the count- ing room late one evening, Loud voices halted me as I passed the door. Mr. Greeley stood back of the coun- ter; a rather tall, wiry, gray header] man before it, Each was shaking a right fist under the other's nose. They were shouting loudly as they argued. The stranger was for war; Mr, Greeley for waiting. The pub- lisher of the 'Tribune stood beside the latter, smoking a pipe; a small Iran leaned over the counter at the strang- er's elbow, putting in a word here and there; half, a dozen people stood by, listening. Mr. Greeley turned to his 'publisher in a moment. "Rhoades," said he, '1 wish ye'd put these men out. They holler 'n yell, so I can't hear myself think." Then there was a general laugh. I learnedto my surprise, when they had gone, that the tall man was William H. :Sewart, the other John A. Dix. Then one of those 'fevered days .canto the Prince of Wales—a God- send, to allay passion with curiosity. It was my duty to handle some of 'the latest news by magnetic tele- graph,",.and 'help to get"the plans and progress of the campaign at head- quarters. The Printer, as they called Mr. Greeley, was at his desk wlhen I came in at noon, never leaving the of- fice Ibu•t for dinner, until ;past mid- night, those clays. And he matte the Tribune a B ugh'ty power in the state. :His faiths'in its efficacy was sublime; and every line went under his eye 'before it went to his readers. I re- member a night when he 'called me to his office about twelve o'clock. He was up to his 'knees in the rubbish of t'he day -newspapers that he had read i that ees Ity AND, while we're still in a fanciful mood, let's suppose he has suddenly become seriougly ill— Then, imagine yourself to be in financial difficulties —your income, never more than $900.00 a year, has ceased altogether because the factory has shut down temporarily. You think your little boy may be dying—the doctor orders you to rush with him to the Hospital for Sick Children — you learn it's Pneumonia of the most serious type — that serums alone will cost over $400.00, to say nothing of the special graduate nursing and expert medical attention required, nor of the cost of bospitalization itself. Could you be turned away because of this? There is only one answer to this question. It has been the answer of the Hospital for Sick Children for 63 years— a youngster's real need for hospital care and medical attention is the only ticket of admission required. Race, creed or financial circumstances are not consid- ered. We know the people of Ontario want, it that, way. This Hospital has metevery emergency which has developed during the 63 years of its existence. It is • famous throughout the civilized world for the success and efficiency of its medical and nursing staffs and for the low cost at which it is operated. And who pays for this humanitarian work? The doctors give their time absolutely free. The Ontario Government pays 60c per patient per day and the patient or the patient's municipality pays $1.75 on the same basis. That leaves over $1.00 per patient per day of bare cost for which we must appeal annually to humane and generous citizens. This Hospital does NOT share in the funds collected by the Federation for Community. Service because patients are admitted from all over Ontario. This year, over $83,000.00 is needed. That means over ten thousand donations if they were to average $8.00 each—or over twenty thousand averaging $4.00. Certainly, a staggering total! So, please make your gift as large as you .possibly can. If you cannot afford more—remember that even a dollar bill helps pay for the care of somebody's baby. Kindly mail your donation to the Appeal Secretary, 67 College Street, Toronto. We cannot afford to use any of our much-needed revenue for canvassers or other organized effort to collect money. OSPITAL FOR SICK C !LD `.E 67 COLLEGE STREET, TORONTO PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E, A. McMaster, M.B., Gradu ate. of University of Toronto. J. D. C•olquhoun, M.D., C.M., Grad- uate of Dalhousie University, Halifax. The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up-to-date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D., L.A.B,P., Specialist in Diseases in be . at the Infants and Children, wtill Clinic 'last Thursday in every month v er y froom 3 to '6 p.nt. Dr. F. J. R. Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat, will be at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m. Free well -baby clinic will 'be held on the second and last Thursday in every month from 1 tp 2 p.m. W. C. SPROAT, M.D. F.A.C.S. Surgery Phone 90-W. Office John St., Seaforth . DR, H, HUGH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special at.' tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and eesidenee behind Dominion Bank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BURROWS, Office Main St., Seaforth, over Dominion Bank. Hours 24 and 7 to 8 p.m. and by ap- pointment. Residence, Goderich St., two doors west of United Church. Phone 446. DR, F. J. R, FORSTER—Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto 14997. Late Assistant New York O'phthal• mit and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London, At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m, to 5 p.m. Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. lrrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News, Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F, W. AHRENS, Licensed Auctiot eer for Perth and Huron Counties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No, 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks 'effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. THE ticK1LLOP Mutual Fire Insurance (Y HEAD OFFICE—SEAFO'RTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Londesboro; Secretary Treasurer, M A. Reid, Seaforth. j AGENTS 1. Mckercher, R.R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Jarniouth, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Wm. Yeo, Holmesville. DIRECTORS Mex. Broadfoot, Seaforth No. 3; James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank MoGregor, 4aintc.n No. 5; James Connolly, God- erich; Alex lsIcEwing, Blyth -No. 1; Phomas Moylan, Seaforth No. .5; Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post- dfices. and thrown upon the floor; his desk was littered with proofs. "Go an' see the Prince o' Wales," be said. t(That interesting young man had arrived' on the Harriet,•Lane that morning and ridden ap Broadway be- tween cheering hosts.) "I've got a sketch of him here an' it's all twaddle, Tell ,us something new about hint. If he's got a hole in his sock we ought to know it," Mr. Dana carte in ,to see him while I was there. "Look here, Dana," said the Print- er, in a rasping humor, "Gy the gods of wart here's two columns about that performance at the 'Academy, and only two sticks of the speech of Seward at St, •