THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
' -
mi "is tho kind of thoroughly good cltl. Wfg, , ' -
1 zon wo all approvo of highly and 111 W&v Y ' 4V jfeJT
rri fall to Imitate I Ho has lofty Ideals. WMti m, ' M
11 " Ho lma high principles. He Ib utterly WWT, A I I
122 slncoro. Ho Is Blmnlo and unaffoctod W d J M'K I
WT both in thought and life. Ho has a . MgT 9thWJ N
'
njnn ' nn extraordinary command of coiicIho TbI-' ' 's$$&fcr mk I
WgBESr and offoctlvo spooch. Without bolng ; . ,K$03f 9k I I
' EWTON D, BAKER," I had been told
by a man well acquainted with him,
"la tho kind of thoroughly good citi
zen wo all approvo of highly and
fall to Imitate! Ha haa lofty ideals.
Ho lma high principles. He la utterly
slncoro. Ho la simple and unaffoctod
both In thought and life. Ho has a
clear, woll-dlsclpllned mind. Ho has
an extraordinary command of concise
and offoctlvo spooch. Without bolng
4 In tho least offuslvo, ho iH a good
mlxor. You will find him full of charm. Out In
Clovoland ho lived In a modest framo house with
his wlfo and threo children, Binoked llako tobacco
In a 25-cent plpo, drovo his own Ford, and for
amusomont, read (J rook and Latin books on tho
street cars." Thus runs an artlclo by Rowland
Thomao In tho Now York World.
m "It is Interesting to notice," my Informant added,
"that ho Is tho Bocond of Tom Johnson's disciples
to bo lifted Into promlnenco by President Wilson.
Brand Whltlock Is tho othor. It Is hardly exagger
ation to say that Brand Whltlock, In Belgium, has
proved himself a groat man. Will linker bo ns
succoBBful In tho war department? Frankly,
much as I Hko him personally, I am wondorlng
whother ho will mcasuro up to tho Job. Whut ho
has dono ho has dono well. Hut ho lins novor
been tostcd out In roally big affairs. Hns ho tho
capacity for thorn? You know a .38-cnllbor ro
volvor mny bo a porfect weapon as a rovolvor
but fall lamontably if pressed Into sorvlca as a
Boaconst gun! Is Nowton D. Maker big enough to
bo secretary of war at a timo llko this? That's
what I'm asking myself. That's what tho country
Is asking itsolf, I think."
Naturally thoso romarks ran through my head
as I tulkod with tho now socrotury of wur last
wook. I saw him twico, onco in his modost bod
room at tho UnlvorBlty club, whoro ho Is living
for tho prosont as a bacholor "because tho children
aro in school in Clovoland nnd wo don't want to
break into tholr yoar." Tho Hucond tlmo ho was
In his ofllco In tho war department, tho olllco to
which ono ponotratos through that, dread unto
chambor whoro hang tho portraits of all tho previ
ous incumbents of tho olllco.
On both occasions I got tho sumo Impression
of tho physical man. Naturo, In molding his body,
did a neat Job. Ho Ih a mnrkodly small man, but
In proportion nil tho way through. His littleness
carrioB no BUggostion of tho dwarfish. His head
is largo, but not enough so to make him look top
heavy. His hands and feet aro of moderate size,
well formod nnd musculaV Ho linn a chest big
enough to broatho In, a waist which carries no
adlpoao luggage. His skin Is swarthy, his hair
black and straight. A pair of hazol oycB full of
llfo, but comprohonaivo rnthor than koon; tho
wldo mouth of an orator or actor, mohllo yet tlrm
of lip; tho brow of a Bcholar; a faco In gonoral In
which tho porpondlcular linos of strength aro ac
centuated, a mannor at onco dlgnlllod nnd friendly,
a bearing which I ahould call nttontlvo rnthor than
alert thoso aro tho characteristics of tho outward
man.
His montallty Is not bo easily characterized. 1
Hhall havo to try to brlug It out for you In a Borlos
of rathor dotachod glimpses, as ho himself ro
vonlod it to mo in tho courso of our conversation.
Our talk rangod ovor many topics. Wo had, for
Inatanco, boon speaking of tho extraordinary
amount of reading of standard English authors
ho had dono boforo ho was twenty years old, and
I asked him whothor tho familiarity of his mothor
tonguo thua acquired had not boon an Important
oloment in his vnrlous uuccossob. Ho said: "I
think that la truo. Ability to oxpress myself ef
fectively in Bpeocli hna boon of groat value to mo."
This led to a brief sketch of his personal his
tory, Mr. Baker was born in 1871 in Martlnsburg,
W. Va., a community of P.000 porsons, whoroln his
father was tho loading physician. Ho wus tho
aecond of four sons. At tho ngo of twenty, in
1891, ho received his dugreo of Bachelor of Arts
from Johns Hopkins unlvorsity, having completed
tho four years courso in threo years, Followod a
year of graduuto work In Roman law, comparative
jurisprudence nnd economics, and then his law
courso, which ho took at Washington nnd Loo uni
versity, completing tho two years' work In onb
yoar. "That compression," ho told mo, "was dono
for family reasons. Monoy was not plentiful In
a cpuntry doctor'a family, and thoro wero othor
hoiib to educate" Aftor his graduation In 1893
Mr. Baker hung out his Bhinglo In Martlnsburg to
ludlcato that ho wao "willing to practlco law," as
bo puts It, and remained In that rccoptlvo condi
tion until 1890, tho last yoar of tho Clovoland ad
ministration, when PoBtraastor General Wilson
called htm to Waohlngton to bo his private sec
rotary. "I divided my two cases between tho othor
members of tho local bar," ho told mo, "and went"
In 1899 Mr. I3aker was Invited to como to Cleve
land, 0 as a partner with Foran & McTlguo, ono
of tho clty'o leading llriuB of trial lawyers. Ho
went there, mot Tom Johnson and wus magne
tized; by that association was drawn Into local
politics and had fourtcon years of active cam
paigning thoro, serving four terms ns city solicitor
under Mayor Johnson and two tonus as mayor
aftor bis chief was doposed. Ho declined to run
for a third term, and had just resumed his law
practlco at tho beginning of this yoar wbon ho was
called to Washington.
Returning to our topic, 1 asked him to what
othor qualities besides his ability as u speaker ho
felt Indebted for what ho had accomplished. Ho
pondered thul and said;
PIQUE AND PERIL
By FRANCES ELIZABETH LANYON.
Sho who would bo always dainty
was all bedraggled. Sho who was used
to shelter, warmth and comfort wa3
alone, darkness nnd a howling storm
all about hor. Sho who at her prlnco
ly homo had but to nod to bring a
scoro of anxious servitors to hor beck
and call was all solitary.
"Oh, this is dreadful!" gasped Hel
ena Waltham as she staggered against
a trco, fairly blown thcro by tho florco
wind nnd sho clung to a vino encircling
it and shuddered nnd crouched.
"Why did I do it, why did I venture
whon I know tho risk?" sho walled and
thon, hor oyes flashing, her courago
blazing out, sho said with sot lips: "I
hato him!"
Sho hated him, her fiance, Gerald
Morso, because sho had found him out.
Sho hated him becauso ho had como
into hor life at its sweetest period of
hopo and happiness as an ideal only to
bo rudoly shattered. She hated him
and sho covored her oycB with her
hands and sobbed bitterly at tho
thought bocause he had Inspired hor
to drlvo from her sldo a true good man.
"Oh, tho sting of It oh, tho(mcan,
cruel act!" eho -vailed and sank to tho
ground not caring much what became
of her.
Rodney Preston! His gravo faco,
full of character and nobloness, hov
ered now within her anguished mental
vision. Threo months agono thoy had
been friends and he, a poor but rising
young lawyer, had mado hor proud of
his company, for bo was a favorito
with everybody. When her father had
Introduced Gerald Morso there was no
right on tho part of Preston to resent
It. What claim had he upon Helena?
But when ono day Morso had almost
"Looking at myself Impersonally, 1 urn Inclined
to think I lmvo u very patient mind. 1 mean by
that a mind which hiovob slowly, which plods for
ward Instead of dashing or leaping. There is noth
ing brilliant about it. A brilliant mind, it Btrikcs
raq. is llko a thoroughbred horao, good for a raco
hut afterward needing to bo Btnbled for a day or
two. My mind Is llko a plow horso. It cannot
spurt, but It can go on turning furrow aftor fur
row. That lots mo got through a lot of work.
"By a patient mind," ho wont on, "I also mean
n mind which does not leap to attitudes and deci
sions, but fcola Its wuy. And n mind which docs
not get Its bnck up easily. Opposition does not
make my mini brittle. A difference of opinion Is
not a porsonal thing with mo.
"And I think," ho said, his dark eyes twinkling
and his wldo lips quirking with fun, "It has been a
very decided advantago to mo to bo so llttlo and
to look so young. I really mean that," ho hastened
to ndd and cited two Instances In illustration. One
was his urgumont boforo tho Supremo court of tho
Unltod States in tho Cleveland traction cases, an
argument which attracted tho fluttering favorable
comment of tho learned Justices. Tho othor was a
speech which, was ono of tho outstanding features
of tho Raltlmoro convention which nominated
President Wilson.
"Nclthor of thoso," ho commented, "could by
any stretching of words bo called a great speech.
Tho natural falrmlndodncss of men was what
pulled mo through In both cases. I looked so
handicapped that my hearors said lustlnctlvoly,
'Glvo tho boy a chance!'"
Such cool, almost academic self-analysis led
mo to ask him how llfo struck htm, bo to speak
what ambitions it stirred In him. "I'd llko to prac
tlco law," ho said. "That Is my ono ambition.
Thoro Is no olllco or position that I caro for. But
I'd llko to practlco and practlco and practlco law."
Furthor talk along that lino dovelopod tho rathor
Intorostlng fact that tho now secrotary of war Is
ono of thoso men who seem to havo been moved
forward by tho urglnga and propulsion of tholr
trlonds Instead of fighting forward of tholr own
accord in respouso to an Inner Impulse. Post
master General Wilson nil but dragged him from
his brlollosBnoss In Martlnsburg to get his first
tnsto of cabinet ways and duties and responsibili
ties. Martin Foran dragged him to Clovoland to
become a trial lawyer. Tom Johnson dragged him
Into politics. And Woodrow Wilson hus Just
dragged him to tho war department.
Tho circumstances of tho Foran caso aro un
usual enough to partako of tho romantic. In 1897.
whon tho young and still youngor Iookiug attornoy
wus returniug from his llrst visit to Europo, ho
was tublo mato of tho late W. T. Stead and a mild
mannered, rotlrlng English barrister, Ono day
Haker camo on duck to llnd the bnrrlstor in a pock
of troublo. A stalwart, lawyorlsh, six-foot IrlBh
man, full of Gnollc tiro, hud waylaid him and was
charging him, In his own person, with all tho
wrongs England had ovor porputratod on tho dis
tressful country. "I happened to bo rather fa
miliar with tho Irish land laws," so Mr. Haker
tolls It, "nnd contrived to substltuto myself for
tho barrister In tho argument. Tho upshot of It
was that my opponent and I became good frlonda
and spout tho rest of tho voyugo playing chess
together. Wo parted in Now York. 1 went back
to Martlusburg, and no word passed between ub
for two years. Thon tho man Martin Foran
wroto me tho firm's business had so increased that
another purtuor wns required and that ho wanted
mo. I hud long folt 1 should bo In a largor com
munity thun Martlnsburg, und 1 llkod Cleveland,
but 1 know thoy wanted a trial lawyer, which 1
was not. So I went on full of excusos, prepared
to thank him nnd bo dismissed in friendliness.
Boforo I could got my first oxcuso out Mr. Foran
had ushorcd mo Into nn olllco and said, 'Hero's
yours,' and before I caught my breath he had sont
some clients In for mo to talk with. I Btnycd In
Cleveland und learnud to bo a trlul lawyer."
His enlistment us an actlvo fighter In tho John
son cump was equally cusual. "Tom" was sick
one night, und tho young lawyer was pressed Into
survlco to fill his placo at a rally, "Tom's sick,"
uald tho man who Introduced him. "This Is Now
ton U, Baker, who's going to speak in his placo.
He's a lawyer. That's all I know about him. Go
ahead, uoy, and tell them what you know." Baker
told them, nnd so began tho activities which led
to four terms as solicitor and legal leader of tho
nntltractlon combine forces and two terms as
mayor.
I asked Mr. Baker how the mayor of Cleveland's
Job compared with thnt of tho secrotary of war.
"I lovo personal relationships. Ono of tho
plcasantest things about being mayor of a city tho
size of Cleveland Is tho great number of people
with whom It putB ono Into touch. At tho war
dopartment I find a largo part of my duties Is
taken up with seeing people. I am very glad that
la so. I llko. to see people constantly. Of courso."
ho explained, "I don't mean that flocks of casual
visitors drop In to seo mo hero. But tho business
of tho dopartmont brings many people to mo
dnlly."
I had meant to ask him how the two positions
compared In slzo and difficulty. Ho was non
committal on that point, and I suggested that at
least ho did not uccm appalled by tho size of his
now task, oven though tho Mexican situation had
given hlra a baptism of flro for a greeting. Ho
said:
"I am not appalled. No man can hopo to escape
mistakes. Mistakes aro Inevitable. I know I shall
make some. But tho only things ono need be
roally afraid of are lnsiucerlties and indirectness.
Also, it is well to remember that unfamiliar tasks
havo a way of looking mountainous. Familiarity
reduces tholr proportions. At present I am work
ing hero from half past otght in the morning till
midnight to become familiar with mine. That
slow mind of mine," ho said smilingly, "compels
me to put In thoso long hours."
"What Is your Idea of tho functions of tho secre
tary of war?"
"Tho duties." ho said, "aro largely legal. AlraoBt
all tho secretaries havo boon lawyers. (Ho cited
tho names of many, from Stanton down to his
predecessor, Gnrrison.) Strictly military affairs
aro not my province. Exports must caro for those
things. Logal questions touching tho conflict
ing rights of stato and fedoral governments, the
navigability of streams, tho proceedings of courts
martial such things comprlso tho problems l have
to scttlo I am an oxecutlvo. Congross has mads
lnws governing ray department. It Is my duty to
see that thoy aro carried out conscientiously."
About "proparedness" ho folt obliged to dccllno
to say n word, and I reminded him of an interview
In which ho wns recently quotod ns saying that ho
was "for peace at almost any prlco."
"So I am," ho answered stoutly,' "because peace
soems to mo the reasonable thing. I do not say
that war Is alwnys avoidable. It seems to come
somotlmos as earthquakes come a natural cata
.clysm. Tho French revolution, I think, wns such u
war. But war Is alwnys regrettable. Peace Is
what spells progress. Wo havo to advanco stop
by step. I do not think wo can hopo to force ad
vancomcnt by violence. And I hollovo that some
times wo shall havo a court of nations, and no
moro wars. Was It Lowell said: 'Tho telegraph
gavo tho world a nervous systom?' As our world
gots bettor co-ordlnnted by Intercommunication,
wo shnll havo fewer of tho misunderstandings
which cause wars."
Constantly, as wo talked, allko In his domicile
and in his olllco, tho now secretary's unprotontlous
plpo wub in his mouth. Constantly his knees
crooked and his feet curled up to comfortablo post
tlons on radiator top and desk top. Though thoro
was always dignity about him, wo might have been
two undergraduates chatting together. His attl
tudo was not suggesttvo of lounging or of affected
carolessuess. It was, I thought, tho bodily ease
which Is apt to rolloct outwardly tho mental states
of self-unconsciousness and sorcuo solf-coufldonco,
As city solicitor of Clovoland, In tho traction mat
tors, ho fought tho mobilized legal big guns of
Ohio to a standstill. As mayor ho forced tho peo
plo to retain htm until ho had dono what ho sot
out to do.
To be Bocretary of war Just now, to bo lifted at
ono stop from local Into national promlnenco nt a
critical moment llko tho presout, Is a far moro
searching test of his capacities than nny ho has
yet undergone
i
I
Looked Up.
ordered her not to rccognizo "that
man," dazzled by tho brilliancy of this
now star, nettled because Preston had
so seemingly nccopted her action In
differently, Helena was Influenced to
award him a cold staro only. "I can
mako It up later," she whispered anx
lously to herself when she. mourned
for the Ignoble act, but sho had cut
Rodney Preston to tho quick
Ho did not cross her path again. She
learned that ho had loft tho town
Thon had como hor punishment to
learn tho real sordid selfishness of Ger
ald Morso. Disgust had come for this
frivolous fortune hunter. And now
hatred, she could not help It!
It was Just at dusk and sho had en
dured tho company of Morso In a
stroll along tho rivor, mproso, unso
ciable, unhappy. In hor restless caprl
clousness sho had declared for a row,
Gerald Morso Had demurred. Ho had
dono more ho had Insisted that sho
abandon her design
"A storm is coming up," ho Bald,
'Wo will pass up tho risk of a big blow
on tho treacherous Vermilion."
"Not II" declared Helena with rcso
luto Hps and disdainful oyes and sho
deliberately proceeded to tho light
skiff moored near by.
"My word!" uttered tho daunted
Morse as sho sot adrift with a con
tcmptuous toss of' her head.
"You'll havo a master, I can toll
you, when you marry mo!" ho shouted
aftor her, nettled nnd unwise,
"When I do!" retorted Helena hotlv
and sho wrenched tho engagement
ring from hor flngor and scornfully
cast It Into tho water.
Tho blackness of dusk and storm
overtook her whoro tho stroam was
widest. Then thero was chaos. Sho
drittod, tho oars wero wrenched from
hor grasp. Tho frail unrk struck a
"It Is ho oh, tho cruel mockery of
fate I" sho moaned.
Sho clung to tho window framo, half
fainting. Then hor Honses reeled. Her
shoulder boro a pano of glass Inwards.
A man reading at a rudo tablo looked
up Rodney Preston. Then ho rushed
outsldo to catch In his nnn8 tho col
lapsing form of his strnngo visitor.
Sho swayed Into Insensibility. Sho
opened hor eyes to find hcrsolf on a
broad setteo encased In warm cover-,
lngs, a blazing flro In flio rude fire
place, hor rescuer pacing tho floor to
nnd fro In anxious porploxlty. Novor
hnd ho seemed bo strong, so noblo, so
dignified. Ho hastened to proas to her
Hps a strengthening cordial. Sho
shrank from his frank but kind treat
ment.
"You aro safe hero, Miss Waltham,''
ho spoko at last. "It may bo an hour
or two moro, but I must got to the
mainland and mako somo arrangement
to tako you back to your friends for
your sake"
Sho understood the rare delicacy of
hlB words. Sho could havo screamed
outright from unguish as ho strode
from tho hut to swim to tho main
land. No craft could bo guided through
thoso boiling waters.
Within two hours Preston had re
turned. Ho wrapped his guest up caro-
fully In a great blanket. Ho carried
her through tho storm to tho beach ot
tho Island. Thcro was a boat and
reaching from a groat tree to tho main
land was a ropo. And, holding to this,
Preston drngged tho tipping, tossing
yawl across tho rushing void.
An old ferryman led her to a car
riage in waiting.
"You will como to me oh, prom
ise!" she pleaded, but Preston shook
his head sadly.
"Then I will go to him!" sho whis
pered tumultuously to herself three
days lator, and she did.
For sho now know of Rodney Pros-
ton's fearful battle with tho flood that
eventful night of her young life ot
how ho had sought out Gerald Morse
to assist htm tn removing Helena to
hor homo, of tho selfish refusal of tho
latter to vonturo into such peril, of
seeking othor help and placing her in
the hands of her family within the
hour.
Rodney Preston, who had sought the
hermit llfo of tho Island to wear out
his longing lovo, sat in front of his lit
tle hut ono bright morning when
Helena appeared.
Sho spoko not a word at tho first.
She clasped his hand, she sftnk to her
knees and kissed it. Ho was mightily
moved, but ho was muto.
Then sho sobbed out her sorrow, her
gratitude, and, too, hor humiliation.
She was froo from hor promise to the
poltroon who hnd shrunk from saving
her at tho cost of his own discomfiture
and peril.
Oh, don't you understand!" she
cried "don't you understand!" and
sho lifted her pleading eyes to his o.vn.
And the light shone in upon his soul
at last, for in tholr glowing depths
Rodney Preston read the fervor of an
undying love.
(Copyright. 1310. by W. G. Chapman.)
FOR THE SHY YOUNG PERSON
The Ability to Forget One's Self Is
to Add Much to the Joy
of Life.
One of the best ways to conquer a
weakness is to forget it. And tho
very surest way to strengthen and
confirm It Is to brood over it. and to
benloon tho fact that you aro ham
pered by such faults.
Somo young people never attend
a social gathering without a prelim
inary paralyzing of their faculties by
recalling the fact that thoy aro shy.
One, as she takes off her hat and
smooths her hair, before going down
stairs whore tho guestn are assem
bled, is saying to herso'.f: "Now, If
I -wero a different sort of person, I
should have a real jgood time tonight.
But Just as soon as I go into com
pany I grow shy and tongue-tied, and
I can't think of anything to say, and
if I do, I'm afraid to say it. I shall be
glad when tho evening ia over." And,
of course, she is, since that is what
she oxpectB.
How different it would be If she
could only forget sho is shy, if she
should say to herself: "I fool It in
my bones that I'm going to havo a
good time tonight. Everybody will bo
ngreeable, and I'm going to bo as
agreeable as anybody else. I shall llko
peoplo and thoy will Hko me." Then
tho story of tho evening would prob
ably bo very different.
Those whp train children emphasize
tho lmportanco of overlooking a great
many things. Emphasizing a fault
overmuch tends to confirm It rathor
than to eradicate it. And what is
truo of tho children, Is true of us old
er ones. Keeping tno thought or
rock and collapsed llko a cocklo shell your weakness continually before you
and sho crept to shore drenched and Is tho vory thing that will mako Ita
blinded
Soon Holona know tho spot where
Bho had landpd Barren Island, Just bo
low tho town where tho river broad
ened out to tho dimensions of n lake
Sho shuddered kh she recalled Rb lone
liness. Many n tlmo sho had passed
Its uninviting length. It was rarely
visited by tho townspeople. Helena
crouched down beside tho troo. Even
tho pelting rain reached hor thero. She
moved over to n thick clump of under
brush. Suddenly sbo paused and stared
wavcrlngly
"A light!" sho breathed fluttorlngly.
"It must bo on tho Island, It Is so near.
I never heard that nnyono lived on tho
conquest Impossible. Irish World.
Enlightening Jamie.
"Papa," said Jamlo, "the reasoui
thero's so many laws Is becauso there
are so many lawyers In tho legisla
ture, isn't it?"
"Yes," said his father. "Bed for
yours, now!"
"Just ono moro question, papa," Bald
Jamlo. "Why aro thoro bo many taxes,
when thoro aren't any taxidermists In,
tho legislature?" Judge.
Considerable Doubt.
"I hear you aro going to glvo a big
island. Oh. I hopo It moans sholtor!" dinner dance," chirped tho aocloty ro-
Shn was ahlvorlnir from head to foot, verier.
Sho stumbled as sho stnrtod In tho di
rection of tho strange spark ot light.
It was to como up to a rudo hut built
of odds and ends ot old boards, bark
and logs. It had a window. Helena
Btaggorod up to IL .
I don't know whether I am or not,"
aald Mrs. Flubdub. "Nobody soems to
want to como, tho cook threatens to
leavp it 1 do, and my husband Is mak
ing bad talk about the expense" Lou
isvlllo Courier-Journal.