Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1902 — Our Man About Town [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Our Man About Town

Discourses on Many Subjects and Relates Sundry and Other Incidents.

AND now a Kansas Methodist minister has caused a halabaloo in religious circles by asserting that the serpent which tempted Eve was a man and belonged to the same race as Adam apd Eve. With these frequent outcroppings of dissent from the accepted faith by exponents of the bible is it to be wondered at that there is an inclination on so large a part of the world to remain wicked in the generally accepted term? V rpWO young Rensselaer gallants were talking in the post office the other day while Meyers boxed the concentrated essence of correspondence that had come in on the morning mail. “I’ve sworn off smoking,” said one. “Sort of a. New Year swear done in December. I suppose you have taken some sort of a pledge, haven’t you?” “No,” replied his friend. “Not one. I tried it once bu^failded.” “How was that?”

“Well, I’ve always been a sort of a spendthrift, I guess. Some time ago I said to mysefb. ‘Every one is making some sort of a resolution, why not make one yourself?’ So I resolved to save up a little money for a rainy day. That afternoon I placed a five dollar note carefully away, and—and —the next day it rained.” * • * "DOYS, there are a number of you whq are going to school with a purpose. You’ve “hitched your wagon to a star”—that’s good. Your friends will be watching you for years to come. Here’s a bit of advice if you are contemplating the presidency or a county office. Don’t enter politics for fun. It may be fun at the start, but it is crucifixion at the last. The path of politics in all lands is lined on both sides with the bleached skeletons of mighty men. “Hand us another,” says public life, as it pitches one man aside and clutches for some promising man in law or merchandise or social position. Politics mnst be reformed, and if you have the martyr spirit, go into them, but if you undertake that style of life for regalement and profit, you make a mistake that cannot be corrected. A United States Senator writes this advice to his boy: “If I were to express any regret or designate any great error of my life, it would be that I had ever connected myself with any party politics or accepted a political office. If you would be happy or usefal, or self-respecting, I would advise you to let party politics and political positions severely alone.” The only safe spirit in which to enter politics is the martyr spirit, and then if yon are sacrificed. The fact that you have great brains affords no safety. This is the very reason why you will be put down or vioionsly handled. The political parties don’t want great brains hanging aronnd prominent places. lam surprised to find how little brains it takes to make

a great man in this country. Do not enter politics because you have unusual mental equipment or especial fitness for office, but in the martyr spirit. Generally, as soon as a man gives himself up to politics, he either lowers to the standard of the roughs, or for his integrity and nobility of character is put in the pillory. * * * T was taking my dinner one day at a Jasper county farm house, and the lady of the house, who had four children playing around the front of the establishment, was inclined to repine at her hard luck in having so much work to do. “I run this here whole farm,” she said, in a tone which indicated that she was ready to resign. “How many acres have you?” I in-, quired. “A hundred and forty; twenty in wheat, sixty in corn, ten in medder and paster, an’ the balance scatterin’ an’ woods.” “Got any stock?” “Ten head uv cattle, two cows, six hogs and work critters fer the place.” “And you run the whole business?” “Indeed I do; every hide an’ hair uv it,” she sighed. “No help.” \ “In course'but tain’t hired help that takes the load offen a body.” There was philosophy in that statement, and I paused a minute. “Haven’t you got a husband?” I next asked, with a good deal of sympathy. * “Yes,” she responded, very slowly, “but I have to run him too.”