THE PART PLAYED BY ANECDOTES OF BIG MEN IN HISTORY. Many Times an Incident Interesting In i [phsrmonious Beeause It May Naot Be Characteristic of the Man About. Whom the Stary Is Told. There is a story going the rounds of the newspapers to the effect that during the siege of Peterburg General Lee turned aside from the grave Antics and ‘danger of bis pont tion to pick mp and fp om tha Werh a trea £8 nest nll i of vou birds that | iad been knocked down ‘Ly a Federal Mel; A similar story has been toll of Lincoln to ilins trate his tenderness of heart, and the probability is that the fable originated away back in the carly Asxwn of civihza tion, tis mostly 8 with the anecdotes which figure in the hislory { great men and events. When they are not bor rowed from the ancients and handed down throngh successive genérations they ara mw annfactnred by siilifol writ ers to suit particular characters and oc- casions. We may be quite gure that General Les pever paused in the conres of 3 battle to look after distressed birds He was a man of fine feeling undonbt- edly, but 1t does ned follow that he was in the hatit of making ‘himself wenn. mentaily absurd The story, in short, 15 not characteris tie, and so it bas no historical value. A digtineniched man's fame is harmed yather 140 helped when he | is thus rep Jesontied nx mehifesting | Hinan ii lomical and mprobable manner It weonld be eisy to believe of Lee that he Frooped to case th sein of a wounded soidier or that be gave his rations to a hungry prisoner, imt it is not reasons ble to suppose Lihat Lis instinct of sympathy betrayed hima into the girlish act which this story attributes to him. And thus it 1s with hundreds of other anecdotes that are nsed to impart an énlivenin flavir to the dréariness of history. The anecdote is a desirable thing in works which ‘are intended to convey a © vivid impression of historical occur rences or celebrated personalities, but it needs to be employed judiciously and with a rational sense of fitness. There is no advantage gained when such mat- ter is introduced for the mere purpose of giving variety where there wonld ather- wise be monotony. The anecdote’s pros “perity lies in its adaptability to the char acter that is being portrayed and its service as a striking illustration of an in- dividual! trait or tendency. We often get a better idea of a ‘man frien som gimple story of his denoting tastes o7 caprices than from the labored accom of his more important proceedings. i the story must be carefully adjasted to the logic of the man’s life and the salient facts of his career, or its intention will be defeated. - The best historians and biographers undarstand this and are accordingly as painstaking and solicitous in the case of an anecdote as in that of & pif jens of serious inwrest. They donot storied of that sort for superficial effect or to quicken the reader's flagging attention, bat to emphasize a given char racteristic and to an a practical want in the way of description or analysis The anecdote supplements and illuminates the beavier features of the parrative, It is nsed ith discrimination and nitin a ight and promiscuous Manner. The § ACtTTY wonid not i aplets without it. The characior ald ‘be dim and distant in mn en of such aid to the apprecia- © tiem of roverning motives and pecnliari- ties. It is not really essential that anecdotes thus employed shall be literally true. Some of the best of them are pure inven: tions, which have the rare merit of being well imagined. A story that has a rea- sonable degree of probability and that ¢éan be credited consistently with what iar of the general qualities of a ter is nseful even when it is not positively accurate. There are some fic- tions of that kind which are worth more in their way than many ponderons and tiresoms facts. All of the great figures fn history owe something to these con- _ yenient fables. They are identified with certain anecdotes that keep them in easy remembrance and that enabie us to make close acquaintance with them. Jut the anecdotes must have the virtue of plaa- sibility, or they will not answer the pur- Unless they represent things which might have. happened without contra Wiction of the character to which they relate there is no justification for them, and they are’ a reproach to the writer who uses them ae well as a damage 10 ths man whom they are designed to benefit. Ti he philosophy of the matiey is all eontained in the statement that greal men, like small ones, are expected to be to the laws of their lives. Anec hich come within - valuable, whether stric true or only products of fancy, yd those I fall outside of it are silly and mis- 5 regardless of the reputation of Abe aati hor or the purpose of ‘the decep- tion. St. Louis Globe- -Democrat Nature's I'roiec lon 1 For ( nripe Fruit. - For pritection from the animal world jmmature fruits hive d¢ veloped a num- ber. of interesting devices. Almost nni- versaily ‘‘green” | {ruits so harmonize with sarrounding color as to escape de tection. In fact, the hazel nat is envel- oped in a leal ht + p 1 3 » - Vv eNRt WwW hich renders in conspicaons. The nutritions albumen of the goed is oftep fortified by such im- pene triable she Is as {aes She coc nat and others, Perhaps theresa for raidable armament of prickles, as in the chegtuul, tincing hairs, as is the ease with some poas. Characteristic of immature fru disagreeable taste and consistenc Compare an waripe peach, sour stringy, with the same {rut i cious maturity. But all these ¢ an cos foil to repel certain m growing frnits. The appi~'s nousness, toughness anc 1 scurness are of little avail against the young progeny of LNERY WD FEED STABLE, FIFTH A VEX "FE. near Bock Hotel FIRST CLASS R IGS. OOD HORSES. PRICES REASONABLE. : ; t with ali turnouts if desired. IVE U S ATR JAL. POWDER FOR MINERS We are general PATTON and vicinit celebrated Dupont - THE BEST IN THE WORLD. Every keg g guaranteed te oon- | tain twenty-five pounds. Also. all kinds ; explosives, stich saved to Fuse, &c. Mone) JOHX YAHNER, HARDWARE. COOK and IEATING STOVES. Miners’ Outfits, Miners. Oil, Kerosene, ware. Tabocco and Cigars. . Corner Fifth and Magee Avernties A'TTON. PA P.P. Young & Bro, "FRESH M EAT OF ALL i Bologna, Lard. Ite | FIFTH AVENUE Pa. FirstNation'| Bank OF PATTON. Patton, Cambria Co.. Pa. TTR tee : ' + $ 1 Interest ped A. E. PATTON, President 8 Estray Notice. THe PTH LAUNDRY NEAR THE PATTON HOTEL “tunity. FASHIONABLE MAKING the genus homo.-—J. W. Folsom in Pop | nar Science Monthly. 3 i and Restaurant. H. E. KELLER. Proprietor. Fifth Avenue, Patton. Pa. Fresh Br sad. and Hrerytts line : 1 atl ail: times Powder. | k Dynamite, Judson Caps. Tobacco, Cigars and Contec- - 1 tionery Fresh Shell Oysters, => Price s Are R Right PFAFF& NOLF, LIVERY, SALE and FEED STABL E MAG FE AVENTFE. Opposite. the Station, P: ATTY IN, Pr irposes GOOD HO RS {roti Grive Horses | DON'T FORGET T¢ | ! | Bi | I Y { : : ar § i 1 Opposite Beck's Hotel Beck. H. C. Beck, Prop'r. T TT NNT ~~ s eT - PATTON. Cambrun Co. Pa FIRSTCLASS : F 7 pe g YSVINIT iN A 3 TS APrL iY re wr TC —uGIVE US A CALL. ~~] CREAT SACRIFICE SALE OO F- = CLOTHING! = Hav ng decided to yrnieh of ®our business entirely, We are pre. I yared > 1 (} ofter the peoj 3 I out the Cle thing de of Patton the BIGGEST BARGAIX They CVer hes at and below® disposed of. on't MISS Wiis oppor- Our must go. ECONOMY ONE Avenue, Opposite . Hote All cools Vi ll he = 1 entire Stock CAPITAL PAID UP, £560.000.048 NI oh A j t | Clothing . EPRICE STORE. 1 Beck, PATT N PA dimensions of the New Store 00DS. (yroceries, Xe. | | ! - - : LE rn spcond foor which is } 2 : 3 | + line of CARPETS. and foor will net accom- ' . Pu rgilase $2 lor { ASH - . 1 “en ier we Thal Wiad - f= 1a 3a: PATTON. PENNA.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers