Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1885 — Philosophy on the Bridge. [ARTICLE]

Philosophy on the Bridge.

The wind blew strongly across the bridge. The black derby of a large, burly, red-faced man suddenly cleared the iron fence and fell upon the railroad track. The face of the owner grew redder as he leaned over the pickets and saw a train approaching. But he never moved a step, although some thoughtless spectators looked on to see him follow the course of his property in a mad resolution to rescue it. A small boy on the roadway opposite saw his plight, leaped from his wagon, mounted the fence, picked up the hat and hande'd it to the owner. The red-faced man said simply, “Thank you,” and resumed his way. “Never go for a lost hat yourself,” he observed to a companion. “During a long experience I have uniformly observed a principle in human nature which invariably leads somebody else to run and pick it up.” “My dear fellow,” replied his companion, “the principle is of universal application. The great man is not the one who does things himself, but who can make others do them for him.” New York Commercial Advertiser.