Newspaper Page Text
MEN WHO HAVE MADE ALABAMA—JONATHAN HARALSON—By B. F. Riley, D. D. JUDGE JONATHAN HARALSON was an eminent type of that generation of southern gentlemen who were a connecting link between the old and the new south. He had Just reached the threshold of cultured man hood when the crash of war cams. lie was of the flnshed mold of the young southerners of that period. He de scended from a noble stock that was pre-eminent In southern society and In the affairs of his native section. His father belonged to that wealthy class of typical planters that gave prestige to the south on two continents. His uncle, Gen. Hugh A Haralson, was one ot the most distinguished congressmen from Georgia, and for many years to gether was one of the most learned jurists of that state. Graduating from the University of Alabama In 1851, Judge Jonathan Har alson studied law, and was admitted to the bar a year later, but In order to equip himself thoroughly, ho went to the law school of the University *of Louisiana, where ho spoilt a year, and obtained his degree of LL. B. He im mediately entered on the practice in Selma, where he became eminent as a citizen, barrister, and an active Chris tian. When, In 1876, the legislature of Ala bama organized the city court of Selma, a court of common law, with civil, criminal and equity jurisdiction, the bar of Dallas county recommended Judge Haralson to Governor Houston for the Judgship of this court. For 16 years he presided over the court with signal ability. At the end of that time he was elected to the supreme bench of the state, where he served for 12 years. One of the gifts so varied and prom inent as Judge Haralson had, could not escape that which brings distinction. His unusual culture, affableness of I disposition, cheerfulness, varied ability, and prominence In Christian work, found for him unsought niches of high honor In Christian work. Purely In recognition of his worth, he was chosen the president of the Baptist state con vention of Alabama In 1874, which po sition he held for 18 years, and was the most distinguished layman in the denomination of the state during that time. In 1888 he v as chosen the pres ident of the Southern Baptist conven tion, which embraces the largest Baptist constituency in the world, and for 10 succeaslve years presided over that great b^fly. He was a nfodel par liamentarian, and came to rank as ohe of the foremost laymen of his denomi nation in the union. His retirement from that position v. as voluntary, for no one ever enjoyed more universal confidence and popularity than he. Other honors still were his. He was for many years a member of the board of trustees of the Polytechnic institute at Auburn, chairman of the board of trus tees of Howard college, and a member of the American Baptist Education society. An index to the character of Judge Haral son is afforded in the remark which he has been heard to make that, he suffered nothing to interfere with his religious ob ligations. His conception of life through out was Ideal. Himself a model of gen uine manliness, he sought to stimulate It in others. In all things his method was that of exactness. There was a scrupu lous care In his bearing, his speech, h!s conduct toward others, and to the close of his life, the little amenities that make up so much of life, were not lacking in his character. While hts high sense of manliness begot firmness, It was of that type which always bore the stamp of gentleness. His suavity won him friends by the multitude, and his character and ability gained for him unlimited confidence. Pre sidingover bodies sometimes rent by agita tion, where skill and firmness were put to the severest test, such was hts per sonal Influence, and such the confidence reposed In him. that no appeals from his decision as a parliamentary officer were ever taken. Judge Haralson has but recently passed away, leaving behind him a record of publio life of more than 60 years, with not a dent In his shield or a tarnish on nls armor. He labored as long as he was able, and under the weight of years voluntarily retired from publio life, His death occurred In his eighty-second year. Tn the quietude of his own homo clrclo In Montgomery, aftar hie retirement from the supreme bench, he serenely awaited the call of death. Among the public men produced by Ala bama, none ever excelled Judge Jonathan Haralson In loftiness of character, lneor ruptlblcness of Ilfs, gentleness of dlspost lion, and fidelity to duty. He was never the least ostentatious. His manner was quiet and cordial, and never the least reserved. While his conclusions were al ways positive and firm, they were so tempered by gentleness as to leave never a shadow behind. He was as cautious of the feelings of others, as he was for those of his own. No man was freer of self-seeking. It was purely in recognition of his worth that he was called forth by others to the varied functions which he performed. His companlonableness bound to him the best of men who loved him because of the loftiness of his life. lie lived throughout the life of a typical southern gentleman—easy and quiet of manner, pleasing always In his address, nnsttlted, yet possessed of all the graces of the highest expression of culture. He was never profuse of praise or of com pliment, but Indulged in a sort of pleas In* raillery and Jest In which was couched an estimate which he entertained, and which meant Immensely more from him, than would the extravagance of many an other. In a circle of friends'he was in variably charming. His appreciation of a Joke was delightful, and In this he indulged to the close. Jocular without yielding to unseemly levity, easy with out undue freedom or familiarity, some times slightly stinging In his Jovial criti cisms of those for whom he had the highest regard, he always recognised the boundary of propriety, and never suf fered himself to be hetrayed beyond. There was no assumption either In hie speech or manner. Ho was simple, while at the same time great in very many respects. Invariably respectful, and duti ful to every trust, as a friend and as an official—these were the dominant traits in the character and life of Judge Jonathan Haralson. A MILLIONAIRE’S MAIL—By Lillian Laser 4rir A MERICAN Mendicancy" is the name applied by a recent nem *■ A paper writer to the begging which besieges American millionaires. He deplores Its existence and sees something un-American In Its unashamed directness. The Brahmin caste of India, he says, with its red thread worn as token of superiori ty and Its alms bowl that may not be de nied, Is duplicated in the United States by the college presidents and bishops and all those who beg for religious, educa tional, civic and similar purposes—they demand reverence from all other castes, but they present the alms bowl always. And It Is right that they should, de clares William H. Allen of the New York Bureau of Municipal Research In his re cent book, "Modern Philanthropy." This seems at first a surprising statement, for one would naturally suppose that his study of 6000 letters of appeal would ex pose an unpreeedtned story of pauperism and Indigence. It Is most amazing to learn that among those 6000 average "begging" letters the Illegitimate letters. those from cranks and Imposters, should bo an almost negative quantity. May all these letters, whether from college pres ident. helpless widow or begging pauper, Justly be called legitimate? If the letters are actually worth read ing for something more than the amuse ment afforded by curious, freak messages and absurd requests, if they do not rep resent mendicancy but are the necessaiy expression of human need, how Is Amer ican philanthropy going to meat the ob ligations presented by them? The 8000 letters reviewed hi "Modern Philanthropy" chance to liavo been ad dressed to Mrs. Harriman, but they might have been addressed to any one of a hun dred great philanthropists, or divided among 1000 less well known givers, or they might have been the mail of only two weeks in Mr. Carnegie's office. The point Is that this undeveloped means of learning the truth about the nation’s needs Is right at hand, and Is lying Inert In a thousand waste baskets. What are we going to do about it? Are we going to keep on sopping up the torrent of need with the tiny sponge of fruitless giving, are we going to let It rage unmolested, or are we going to seek Its source? "It stimulates a man’s Imagination," as one reader wrote after having the case put before him. If one mall brings ten letters from as many states, each pleading for money to pay physicians who claim that they can cure tuberculosis, cancer, Infantile paraly sis. or what not, provided their hands are sufficiently and previously "crossed with silver," is not the need for concentrated action against quacks shown to be an Im mediate one? Not ten persons are to be saved from chicanery, but as many mil lions whose danger is revealed by the In voluntary and corroborating testimony of thoso ten unconscious witnesses. The possibilities that may result from such disclosures are evident In the study of only one millionaire's "begging" mail. Ten college presidents prove as strong a case for the need of Industrial institutions for the negro as that already made out against -the malpractice of unscrupulous doctors. And the farmers whose crops have gone to pay the exorbitant demands of Illegal rates of Interest, emphasise the need of action against loan sharks. These evidences of nation wide needs suggest the value of a clearing house for the use of both appealers and giverB, a single dynamo which will generate the power of both need hnd philanthhropy Into working currents for the entire country. Need should not have to go farther to seek philanthropy than philanthropy must go to seek rthod. One Is as ever present as the other, and a common meeting ground where the two may stand as peers is no longer a visionary Ideal, but a ne cessity. The clearing houso plnn Is logical and feasible. Its work should Involve a two fold activity—with and for both appeal er and giver. All lettera of appeal sent directly to It by the appealer himself, or by the receiver of many appeals, who does not want their usefulness to be lost, would be studied as the letters of Mrs. Ilarrlman were studied. The effort would be, first, to discover the nation wide needs disclosed by parallel evidence; and. sec ond. by means of a million tiny wires of contact with receiving stations connected with th« central dynamo, to relieve Indi vidual needs at their sources. . In the service of glvars the collected In formation, definite, accurate, and com plete, would be offered as the basis for a new kind of giving, a giving dependent not upon whim, nor accident, nor sudden emotion, but on actual and proven needs, the vitality of which has been gauged. Philanthropy would be given an oppor tunity to view all of a city's or a state's relief problem, to view society Instead of societies, education instead of educational Institutions. Conditions themselves could be attackej Instead of the hydra relief problem which Is but a symptom of these same condi tions. “After all, this gigantic problem must be a governmental one," writes Dr. Charles McCarthy of the Wisconsin leg islative reference library. Private phi lanthropy cannot alTnct the whole social organisation. The force, the organization Itself, the government that controls socie ty must meet society's problems Instead of helping to create them. “Efficient government Is potentially the greatest of all philanthropy. What la the use of giving millions for education If lneffclont public officers by wasting mil lions crcato Ignorance?" says Mr. Allen. "Why gifts for scientific research If In efficient government prevents the appli cation of truth? Why hope for cleanliness and vlrtuo If Inefficient government tol erates tilth and rewards vice? Whether government Is creating or correcting atrlls, a clearing house is bound to reflect." I-4ke the seismograph which delicately charts every tremor of the earth's crust, so the clearing house, adjusted to the life of the nation, would register every accom plishment of government and Its every de flection in meeting the needs of the people. “The only agency whose business It 1h to be on the constant lookout for unequal opportunity, for unnecessary suffering, preventable and curable disease, Is gov ernment. For It Is the only agency which In a city, a county, a state or a nation, represents 100 per cent of the people with in its bounds. Millions of dollars are ex pended annually In the United States by private philanthropists who attempt t® do on a very small scale remedial and educational work which government should be taught to do by wholesale. To equalise opportunity for education, for health, for earning power, private philan thropy requires the active a‘nd efficient co-operation of government Itself." College presidents and bishops, yea. and the veriest beggar in the street, have a right to present their needs where they can. under present conditions, but It is wrong that the presentation of the alms bowl should be their necessary recourse. The voices of thousands raised In the only means of expression within thotr reach, offers a mine <f Invaluable fact regarding the Inefficiency of government In coping with tho needs of the people governed. I.ettere of appeal represent American free speech and not American "Mendicancy." ts the. voice of the people to be heard hereafter? Were tho voices of the flOno worth a hearing, and are complaint* sim ilarly registered In the future worth di agnosing? (Exclusive Service the Survey Press Bu« reau.) MMnUMMMMMHIIIIMHIMHNIIMttllllMIIHMHIHIIMftlHIIli"'"'""*------------ -- THE NEW “BAPTIST BIBLE”-—By George Eaves, D. D. IN the current, number of that excel lent but unwieldy magazine, “Cur rent Opinion,” are clippings from many criticisms of what It styles “the so-called ‘Baptist Bible.’ ” The Judgments editorially offered by the magazine Itself are somewhat vague and misty, but those it quotes from the New York Times, the hiving Church, organ of the Episcopal church, and the Cleveland Cathollo Uni verse can hardly be convicted of Incon clusiveness. Methodist writers in Zion's Herald and the New York Christian Ad vocate are more sympathetic and appre ciative, but the Cleveland critic says that the whole proceeding is “blasphemous,” a very curious word, by the way. The work appears to have been begun upward of 60 years ago. and has been carried through under the auspices of the American Baptist Publication society, and the American Bible Union. One can not help wondering why it was finished, seeing that in the meantime the West minster revision has long been completed; another edition embodying the "preferred leadings” and renderings of the Ameri can revisers has also been issued by the University Press; stiil later, the American Standard Revised Version has been pub lished in splendid variety by Thomas Nel son & Sons, and several modernized trans lations of the New Testament have been added to the material available for the English speaking student or reader. Sixty tears ago the King James Bible held the field. Many scholars were fretted by the chasm between that splendid ren dering and modern scholarship which had access to such treasure trove as the Tisohendorf discoveries, the Slnaitlc un cial manuscript and which was changing Us viewpoint In the presence of certain ancient versions. The English language it self had changed, and some revision wan necessary in order to clarify what once had been clear, the meaning of certain English words, grown archaic or modi fied In significance. Hence, It speaks well for the wideawake Baptist scholars of «0 years ago that they should courageously undertake the stupendous task of pro ducing an English version to compete with that of 1611. „ But within those 60 years all this has changed, the* Ideas that justified tho Philadelphia gentlemen in their under taking have been Imbibed and applied by all sorts of persons, and have been au thoritatively exhibited In the versions already named. Even the Sunday school literature'cf today prints the new version in preference to the old. And Professor Moulton hus Issued tho whole Bible, ar ranged In literary form, while the Btblo as literature has been the burden of un numbered lectures, sermons, tracts and books. Why was this venture insisted on when the reason for It had practically disappeared? Dr. A. J- Howland, secretary of the Baptist Publication society, disclaims the supposition that this translation is pri marily intended to be a “Baptist Bible'* In any sectarian sense. And yet the im pression is not easily evaded, in view of the bracketed word (“immerse”) wherever the Greek word “baptize” occurs. For surely there were English versions enoughl What justification is there for adding of another? Are we to bo told that everyone who thinks he can correct something or explain something in the recognized version has a right to pro mote a new version? And must the or thodoxy of Baptist churches begin to be measured by the zeal with which they distribute this denominational version and sustain this denominational enterprise? In the presence of considerations like these the publishers may find It very good busi ness policy to eliminate that Irritating bracketed word, that the book may go to Presbyterians and Episcopalians and Catholics on its merits as competitor with the other and recognized versions. Whatever our view of the meaning of a scriptural expression, we must all agree that* the dispute will never be settled by a group on one side of the debate issuing their explanation as part and parcel of the Inspired writings oven in brackets. Personally J am sure that “baptize'* and “immense” nre excellent synonyms. Indeed the schol arship of the world today is practically , a unit or that subject. But so far is • that from making the Episcopalian scholar a Baptist that he blandly an swer* that the one question has noth ing to do with the other, and It settles nothing to make a special edition of the Bible to prove the case. It only proves that these people could afford to pro duce a special revision or translation. Newspaper comment has been more eager to And something startling than to discover sober faots. One writer repeats that “Adam and Eve have been eliminated,” another that “hell Is abol ished," a third Jonah's “whale” has been buried never to spout again. I remember that similar charges greeted | the appearance of the great revised ' version and super eloquent Dr. T. De- j Witt Talmage of Brooklyn Tabernacle fame, deplored the attempt to “amend the word of God.” It Is astonishing that today there are people to he found who do not know that the Bible was not originally written in the Etiglish lan guage or that now knowledge some times requires that a new translation shall be made, or that a translator or reviser has only to faithfully represent ► the original and exact text. The writer in the Milwaukee Living Church, (Protestant Episcopal), does I less than justice to his own intelligence i when he accuses the Baptist scholars of “rewriting the Bible.” Ho knows they have done no such thing. IJJs suggestion that they might ns well change a well known passage to read "the disciples were called Baptists first at Aritloch,” says he Is open to the charge of bearing false witness against his netghbor. Thst they have not changed the original text Is perfectly certain. But that they havo honestly tried to give an exact English and modern equivalent 1b surely guaranteed by tho very names of the scholars themselves. In the same way the chargo of pro ducing a “blasphemous" work, pre ferred against these Baptist scholars by the Cleveland Catholic editor Is due to singular misapprehension on the part of so representative a man. Why should It become "blasphemy" to put the truth In modern Bpoech? Is the archaic form the essence or Is the es sence Independent of the form? t have frequently read that highly modern version know as the "Twentieth Cen tury New Testament." It Is not strictly speaking a translation, hut a para phrase. Instead of being "blasphe mous,” however. It netuallv assists the reader to understand the Word. Indeed this conception of "blasphemy" Is quite hard for the modern mind to appre hend. What Is blasphemy? We cannot forget that the Lord Himself was accused of It. and the Rama charge has not Infrc quently served to stir a superstitious mob to deeds of blood. I suspect that when we come to the root of tho matter the only blasphemy that counts Is a speaking acalnst the spirit of love anil kindly brotherhood. The God of the New Testa ment Is not especially susceptible of at tack upon the phrases and forms and usages In which mankind Is wont to map Its religious mummy aristocracy. Take the Beatitudes, as these revisers present them. Instead of "Blessed are the poor In spirit, for theirs is the king dom of heaven," you read, "Happy the poor iu spirit for theirs Is the kingdom of heaven." This Is a good example of the revisers’ aim. They reason that the word "happy" Is more Intelligible than the word "blessed," and that It Is an exact equivalent of the Greek word "niaka rlol." They also recognize that the whole passage Is less dogmatic than Interac tional, asplratlonal and they leave out the verb because It is not present In tne Greek. If there Is blasphemy anywhere It must be sought tn the addition of words, In the changing of the sense of the original, of which tiie old version was guilty so long as It claimed to be the very words of Ood. Or take the familiar Twenty-third Psalm: The Baptists give It thus: “Jehovah Is my shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me lie down In green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters, etc." That shows how (he old familiar verbal ending "cth" Is changed for the modern ending In "s." Most moderns. I find, are very shaky In the use of the old end Ings. They confuse the verbal seeont person singular with the third "est" with "eth." Aro these old forms consecrated to religious use so that when dropped the religion evaporates? I trow not. Indeed religious men everywhere are today re joicing that the old "pulpit tones" ami prayer meeting phraseology have so large ly been displaced by modern, ordinary speech. Hence, I would humbly protest against the accusation of these Baptist revisers as enemies of any good or godly thing. Their work is well done, honest, and conscientious and valuable In Its way. But will It "end controversy”? Most certainly It will do nothing of the kind. Putting your distinctive "ism" on show In the text of the Blhle. underscoring It. making It a sort of eyesore to ofher folks, does not end but provokes con troversy. and may, alas, lead somebody else to make another version. I shudder to think of the Bible that Pastor Russell or the Christian Science people or ths Plymouth Brethren could get up. War there not a “Woman’s Bible" produced t* little while ago? The power of the Baptists has alway-t appeared In their witness to spiritual freedom, to the dignity of the Individual eoul, Its Inalienable rights, baptised lntu tho spirit of eternul Justice. As surji they put the whole church In debt to them, but not by writing their private lnterpre I tatlons Into the Book that belongs tq I us all. HEART TO HEART TALKS—By James A. Edgerton THE enthusiasm of one simple minded peasant girl made a new France. Some historians say that she could neither read nor write. This is not certain. But it is true that she had no natural advantages. Joan of Arc belongs to more than France. Hers was about the whitest and most Inspiring figure seen in the last 500 years. In the near future there is to be erected n statue to her in New York city. In a few years she is to be made a saint by the church. In all parts of the world kindly and beautiful things are said of her. Yet she was burned at the stake by a -section of thw very French people who now make her their national heroinec-hy the English who today laud her as one of the purest characters in history and by officials of the church that soon will can onize her. . J Not only so. but it was nearly four cen turies after her tragic and pitiful death before there came any real appreciation of tho character of the Maid of Orleans. Even Shakespeare said unseemly things of her, and Voltaire as late as the eight eenth century sneered at the memory of the peasant girl of Domremy. Now, In the year of our Lord 1913, there is not one voice in the whole world that has other than good to speak of the young girl who gave her life to save her coun try. In all this is there not infinite hope for the triumph of truth? Everything was against her. Church and state, literature, practically all the voices of weight and authority, had, in part at least, condemned her. Over her graVe lay four centuries of calumny. There was nothing on her side hut her stainless character and her work. Yet the truLh came uppermost, and tne name of Jeanne d’Arc, daughter of peas ants. executed as a criminal at the age of 19. is now jfar shining and one of the brightest amqfig earth’s immortals. Why? Because she was true to her "voices." I-lke Paul, she did not disobey the heavenly vision. She fought a good fight. Sho kept the faith. As pure as one of the lilies inscribed on her own banner, as brave as truth, as simple and direct as light, as unworldly as a child, this warrior maid heard the message of angels and translated it into service for men. There are a few ascetics, pessimists and dyspeptics that rail at ambition. Twaddle! Ambition is a great engine that makes the world move. Rightly used and directed it is a righteous and beneficent force. It is only preverted ambition that Is blame worthy—the mistaken sort that endeavors to benefit self by Injuring others. That is brutish. The animal seeks to kill his compet I Itor. From this fact and others evolu tionists have deduced the law of tthe survival of the fittest. We have emerged from the plane of the bull and the tiger. In the human world a higher principle is at work. We are snot through the divine. The true law in this human divine realm is to elevate self without in juring, or. better still, to elevate self bv helping others. Perhaps a fitter name than ambition In our world is aspiration. We realize our aspiration through service. Action and reaction are equal. The bull that gores another is in turn gored by a stronger bull. When "■» injure others we receive | Injury. “He who tokes the sword shall I perish with the sword.” When we help and serve others we lie helped and served as our reward. tVe are **pai<l in our own coin.” 1 would paint a great picture, write i great poem, serve a great cause, ad vance a great work. This is asplra tlon. In helping myself it helps others. But if I seek to amass great wealth created by others, hold high position without rendering service or clixb by trampling other fellows down, I vk eat my own ends. I bring condemnation on my head and win not fame, but In famy. In the long run only those are count ed great who have greatly served man kind. These are truisms, but each genera tion must learn them anew and prac tice them. Aspiration Is the motor power that drl\®s the car of progress. God’s in his heaven; All's right with the world. —Robert Browning. Did you ever see a great building In course of construction? Immense cranes swung the giant steel beams and girders Into place. The rivets, like Titan woodpeckers, beat a tattoo as they linked joint to joint. Day by day the upwrlghta climbed sky ward until the men on the mammoth framework looked little larger than nnts. Did you ever have the feeling as the work progressed that some particular thing was not being done th^ right way? Then have you not reflected that the architects, contractors and workmen knew better than you? They could see the end from the beginning. They were working on a plan In which every single piece In the structure was as signed to Its place. These builders knew. Tou could rest In perfect faith. All w-as right with the building. Has not that been a comforting thought to you? Well, It is somewhat so with the world. There are times when wo think the whole thing is going wrong. That Is because we do not see the end from the begnning. Wo can'take comfort in the thought that God is on the job and— "He knows about it all. He knows; he knows.” There is one important difference, however, between the big building and the world. With the one we are but spectators; with the other we are workmen. On the skyscraper, If one of the la borers malfes a mistake, the work Is halted. The blunder must bo rectified or the work done over. In the work of the world the same condition exists. It is therefore Im portant for us that we keep In tune with God’s plans. As we look out on this large process of which we are a part we are filled with a sudden faith and optimism. We could laugh aloud with a big joy. We catch a glimpse of the great work of the world and begin to realize how It moves "to ward better, best.’’ We seo that all the worries, sickness, need, quarreling, crime and hurt are per sonal. They are caused by individuals. afTect Individuals, belong to individuals. Despite them all the great work goes on. One man, through his own fault or an other’s. falls o(T the building. Another loses his leg. A third smashes his thumb and makes more fuss than the other two. But the building goes right ahead. Rook out some day from the rabbit bur row of self and see the big work. Then thank God that you are a part of It. That view vill prove a tonic to your soul. Every few days some dry as dust gives forth the solemn pronouncement that all the great poetry has been written. The only fitting word to use for that sort of stuff is piffle! We might as well say that the pendu lum will stop swinging. Throughout the past there have been alternating poetical and prosaic ages. Great poetry comes In waves. Another la about due. America has had one great school of poets, but has lacked an adequate voice to litter her distinctive message to the world. Some lime in the future, possibly In the near future, some singer wilt arise to speak this new word. There are also those who ridicule all at tempts to wrlto in verse. What of it? Kvery great man has been scoffed at since time began. It must bs admitted that second or third rate verse Is dreary stuff, but so Is second or third rate productlpn of any kind. Those who aspire to sing should be en couraged, even though they are frogs ami not nightingales. . The Flow of the River By DR. W.E. EVANS • I I have followed the flow of the river. From tho springs and the rills, where at first, Through the grasses and ferns all entagled, As a stream into sunlight it burst; I have followed its devious windings, ’Neath the bending of boughs interlaced, And have marked how it deepened and widened, As its course to the ocean wt\s traced; And so wide and so deep is the river, As it surges and flows to the sea, That the springs and the rills are forgotten— E'en the place where it first came to he. I had often o’erbounded tho river, With a sportive and boyishlike pride, But today only line as of shadow, Marks the far away opposite side. II We were children, and stood by the river, Then a narrow and silvery band— I suggested we follow the water, While we held one another by hand; Through the tall tangled grasses we wandered By the banks of the musical stream, As it tinkled, and murmured, and cadenced, Like the mystical tones in a dream: Ah, the day was so fairl I remember It was early in blossoming June, And the soft vernal zephyrs were fragrant— All the world with its God was in tune! And I loved her—as man loves a woman— Not as boys often love and forget; I was old for my years and was thoughtful, And I fancied she loved me, and yet— III Through the tall tangled grasses we wandered, As we each kept an opposite side— Loosing hands just a little-by-little, Where the water was swifter and wide; Till at last only tips of the fingers Could be touched—then the hands idly fell, And she merrily said as we parted— “We shall meet nevermore,” and “Farewell!” O, the long, lonesome walk by the margin! O, the piteous cal^ to return To the spot where the stream had beginning ’Mid the grass, and the vine, and the fern! But away in the distance she faded— Where the river drops into the sea, And dividing us rolled the wide waters, Leaving mem’ry and heartache to me. L’ENVOI At my desk? I was dozing and dreaming! As you entered I ’woke, little Floss— ’Twas a sad, sad parable, darlinn-, Of a man, and his love, and his loss: Eastwood, Doswell, Virginia. Somewhere among them may b« the future great poet. Their versifying will do them no harm. If nothing else. It may teach them to write good prose.. What If they Bond these rimes to the magazines and the editor returns them with printed slips? Nothing Is lost but the postage. Let them try again. What If their verses are halt, crippled or maimed 7 Washington and Lincoln wrote bad verse In youth. . What If their poetry brings no money return? Wordsworth was more than 60 before he had a money return for his Im mortal work. Robert Rums took sub scriptions for Ids book among squires and farmers. and Tennyson's publisher thought that liard's first thin volume had "made a sensation” when 600 copies were sold. Yet these names belong to the ages. If there Is poetry In your soul, give It voire. Never mind the critics and vil lage cutups. One real song will outlive them all. And even If you do not slug the real song you will he helped by the effort. You will gain In power of expression. Every aspiration Is a seed that grows some time, some place. Likewise— Out of (h« million who try may come forth the one voice to charm the world and delight the ages. During one of the storms that raged on the Atluntlo coast this winter the clews of th« Tatham and Avalon life saving stations, near Atlantic City, heard the slt-en calls of a vessel In dis tress. Hurrying through the fog and rain to an inlet about four miles away, they mails out tile lines of an ocean going tug beached on the shoals a con siderable distance from shore. Then began a battle involving all the dangers of real v/ar, the only dif ference, being that this was a fight to preserve life, not to take It. fllant waves were breaking over th tug, and It was only a question of hours, perhaps of minutes, before tin sailors aboard would be drowned. Again and again each life saving crew tried to launch lts boat, only to be dashed back on the beach, exhaust ed with the struggle and half choked with spray. In the midst of these efforts the dead body of a man was washed on the beach with a bit of rope around his waist. He had tried to swim ashore and carry a line. Not only had tho waves whipped out his life, but had broken the rope-. At last both bo its were launched between two big waves. When within 23 feet of tho tug one capsized and Its crew wus thrown Into the sea. Re lng, of course, good swimmers, they reached the tug and were drawn aboard. The other boat labored through the terrific seas until at last It Von the long fight, took all the men off and had almost regained shore when It, too, was wrecked. All aboard however, managed to save thomselves. The only one of all throe crews lost wus the man who tried to swim and whose body was swept on the beach with the fragment of rope about It. Things like this ore constantly hap pening In the life caving service. Courage Is the least of the qualities required. Bonn breaking labor, daunt less perseverance, generalship, re sourcefulness and great skill are also Involved. The life savers risk their llve3 as a matter of course. It Is all a part of the day's work. Heroism Is the last thing talked of among them. They resent the use of tho term. Real heroes always do. Often these life savers are rough, after the manner of seafaring men. They profess no religion. Yet their life business Is to exemplify one of the Master's teachings: ‘'Greater love hath no man than this. that a man lay down hi* life for hid friends." It Is said of Samuel Woodworth, au thor of "The Old Oaken Bucket,” that ho was one day taking a drink with u friend, who said: "I tell you, Sam, there Is no beverage like that from the old oaken bucket that hangs In the well.” The phrase stuck In Woodworth’3 mind, and, going borne, he wrote the Immortal song. In like manner "Woodman, Spare That Tree," was suggested to Georgo P. Morris by a little story narrated by an acquaintance. In these two Incidents Is found the secret ol' good writing With every one of us there Is fine “copy” going to waste each hour of tho day. The trouble Is that wo do not tako tho material at hand. We are seeking some far off big thing Instead of the j l hlng we know that Is overlooked be cause so common and humble. Yet ' It Is these common things that make universal appeal, because they enter Into tho lives of all. If you would touch the hearts of peo ple you must reach them where they live, use the language they understand and talk of their Intimate experiences of every day. You must shed a new light oil these things, showing their beauty, their les son, their pathos or their humor. The sayings of Jesus abound with references to objects common to the lives of all his hearers—the sower, tho fisherman, the fig tree, the Illy of the field, the little child. The greatest poems have been writ ten on commonplace theme*—love, laughter and death, u blowing rose, sea, sky, bird, rivulet end field. These belong to us all. but only u few look at them with 'the eye of quick under standing and talk of them with the tongue of genius. It you would write tell of tho things you know. The better you know them the more worth while will ho your product. Tell of them simply and nat 111 illy, ii" the bird sings or the stream flows, using such Infinite pains as to coneecl the fact ‘hst pains have been taken and such consummate art that the art Is hidden and seems pur* na ture. Hubert Burns sang of the Held daisy, s mouse, even a loose, but saw anch boauty In the one, showed such ten derness to the other and read such a I lesson from the third that the songs for a century hnve bee i on the lips and In the hearts of the world. If you write let It be in such a way that you reveal a man's own thought* to himself. Japanese Make Prices High From the Los Angeles Tribune. Japanese farmers produce more than SO per cent of the bunch vegetables brought Into Los Angeles. These farm ers are practically In control of the prices of this green truck, and It Is said that they Intend to hold the price up all through the coming season by bringing to market only what they can sell at high prices and destroying the rest. A ti ir or two ago practically all the bancii vegetables that came Into this market were grown by the Chinese. A few Japanese started and It soon was found that they could work so much faster with this kind of vegetable that they could produce more with less men than the Chinese. They began to under sell the Chinese and forced them to quit handling this kind of goods. At present the Japanese are bringing In Just enough bunch goods to supply the market at present prices. If the de mand grows stronger they bring In more and if the demand falls off and the price shows a tendency to weaken they bring In only email lots and hold the prioe up.