the ways of men-第1节

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The　Ways　of　Men

by　Eliot　Gregory



Chapter　1　…　〃UNCLE　SAM〃


THE　gentleman　who　graced　the　gubernatorial　arm…chair　of　our　　state　when　this　century　was　born　happened　to　be　an　admirer　of　　classic　lore　and　the　sonorous　names　of　antiquity。

It　is　owing　to　his　weakness　in　bestowing　pompous　cognomens　on　　our　embryo　towns　and　villages　that　to…day　names　like　Utica；　　Syracuse；　and　Ithaca；　instead　of　evoking　visions　of　historic　　pomp　and　circumstance；　raise　in　the　minds　of　most　Americans　　the　picture　of　cocky　little　cities；　rich　only　in　trolley…cars　　and　Methodist　meeting…houses。

When；　however；　this　cultured　governor；　in　his　ardor；　　christened　one　of　the　cities　Troy；　and　the　hill　in　its　　vicinity　Mount　Ida；　he　little　dreamed　that　a　youth　was　living　　on　its　slopes　whose　name　was　destined　to　become　a　household　　word　the　world　over；　as　the　synonym　for　the　proudest　and　　wealthiest　republic　yet　known　to　history；　a　sobriquet　that　　would　be　familiar　in　the　mouths　of　races　to　whose　continents　　even　the　titles　of　Jupiter　or　Mars　had　never　penetrated。

A　little　before　this　century　began；　two　boys　with　packs　bound　　on　their　stalwart　shoulders　walked　from　New　York　and　　established　a　brickyard　in　the　neighborhood　of　what　is　now　　Perry　Street；　Troy。　　Ebenezer　and　Samuel　Wilson　soon　became　　esteemed　citizens　of　the　infant　city；　their　kindliness　and　　benevolence　winning　for　them　the　affection　and　respect　of　the　　community。

The　younger　brother；　Samuel；　was　an　especial　favorite　with　the　　children　of　the　place；　whose　explorations　into　his　deep　　pockets　were　generally　rewarded　by　the　discovery　of　some　　simple　〃sweet〃　or　home…made　toy。　　The　slender　youth　with　the　　〃nutcracker〃　face　proving　to　be　the　merriest　of　playfellows；　　in　their　love　his　little　band　of　admirers　gave　him　the　pet　　name　of　〃Uncle　Sam；〃　by　which　he　quickly　became　known；　to　the　　exclusion　of　his　real　name。　　This　is　the　kindly　and　humble　　origin　of　a　title　the　mere　speaking　of　which　to…day　quickens　　the　pulse　and　moistens　the　eyes　of　millions　of　Americans　with　　the　same　thrill　that　the　dear　old　flag　arouses　when　we　catch　　sight　of　it；　especially　an　unexpected　glimpse　in　some　foreign　　land。

With　increasing　wealth　the　brick…yard　of　the　Wilson　brothers　　was　replaced　by　an　extensive　slaughtering　business；　in　which　　more　than　a　hundred　men　were　soon　employed　…　a　vast　　establishment　for　that　day；　killing　weekly　some　thousand　head　　of　cattle。　　During　the　military　operations　of　1812　the　　brothers　signed　a　contract　to　furnish　the　troops　at　Greenbush　　with　meat；　〃packed　in　full　bound　barrels　of　white　oak〃；　soon　　after；　Samuel　was　appointed　Inspector　of　Provisions　for　the　　army。

It　is　a　curious　coincidence　that　England　also　should　have　　taken　an　ex…army…contractor　as　her　patron　saint；　for　if　we　are　　to　believe　tradition；　St。　George　of　Cappadocia　filled　that　　position　unsatisfactorily　before　he　passed　through　martyrdom　　to　sainthood。

True　prototype　of　the　nation　that　was　later　to　adopt　him　as　　its　godfather；　the　shrewd　and　honest　patriot；　〃Uncle　Sam；〃　not　　only　lived　loyally　up　to　his　contracts；　giving　full　measure　　and　of　his　best；　but　proved　himself　incorruptible；　making　it　　his　business　to　see　that　others　too　fulfilled　their　　engagements　both　in　the　letter　and　the　spirit；　so　that　the　　〃U。S。〃　（abbreviation　of　United　States）　which　he　pencilled　on　　all　provisions　that　had　passed　his　inspection　became　in　the　　eyes　of　officers　and　soldiers　a　guarantee　of　excellence。　　　Samuel's　old　friends；　the　boys　of　Troy　（now　enlisted　in　the　　army）；　naively　imagining　that　the　mystic　initials　were　an　　allusion　to　the　pet　name　they　had　given　him　years　before；　　would　accept　no　meats　but　〃Uncle　Sam's；〃　murmuring　if　other　　viands　were　offered　them。　　Their　comrades　without　inquiry　　followed　this　example；　until　so　strong　did　the　prejudice　for　　food　marked　〃U。S。〃　become；　that　other　contractors；　in　order　　that　their　provisions　should　find　favor　with　the　soldiers；　　took　to　announcing　〃Uncle　Sam〃　brands。

To　the　greater　part　of　the　troops；　ignorant　（as　are　most　　Americans　to…day）　of　the　real　origin　of　this　pseudonym；　〃Uncle　　Sam's〃　beef　and　bread　meant　merely　government　provisions；　and　　the　step　from　national　belongings　to　an　impersonation　of　our　　country　by　an　ideal　〃Uncle　Sam〃　was　but　a　logical　sequence。

In　his　vigorous　old　age；　Samuel　Wilson　again　lived　on　Mount　　Ida；　near　the　estates　of　the　Warren　family；　where　as　children　　we　were　taken　to　visit　his　house　and　hear　anecdotes　of　the　　aged　patriot's　hospitality　and　humor。　　The　honor　in　which　he　　was　held　by　the　country…side；　the　influence　for　good　he　　exerted；　and　the　informal　tribunal　he　held；　to　which　his　　neighbors　came　to　get　their　differences　straightened　out　by　　his　common　sense；　are　still　talked　of　by　the　older　　inhabitants。　　One　story　in　particular　used　to　charm　our　boyish　　ears。　　It　was　about　a　dispute　over　land　between　the　　Livingstons　and　the　Van　Rensselaers；　which　was　brought　to　an　　end　by　〃Uncle　Sam's〃　producing　a　barrel　of　old　papers　　（confided　to　him　by　both　families　during　the　war；　for　safe　　keeping）　and　extracting　from　this　original　〃strong　box〃　title　　deeds　to　the　property　in　litigation。

Now；　in　these　troubled　times　of　ours；　when　rumors　of　war　are　　again　in　the　air；　one's　thoughts　revert　with　pleasure　to　the　　half…mythical　figure　on　the　threshold　of　the　century；　and　to　　legends　of　the　clear…eyed　giant；　with　the　quizzical　smile　and　　the　tender；　loyal　heart；　whose　life's　work　makes　him　a　more　　lovable　model　and　a　nobler　example　to　hold　up　before　the　youth　　of　to…day　than　all　the　mythological　deities　that　ever　　disported　themselves　on　the　original　Mount　Ida。

There　is　a　singular　fitness　in　this　choice　of　〃Uncle　Sam〃　as　　our　patron　saint；　for　to　be　honest　and　loyal　and　modest；　to　　love　little　children；　to　do　one's　duty　quietly　in　the　heyday　　of　life；　and　become　a　mediator　in　old　age；　is　to　fulfil　about　　the　whole　duty　of　man；　and　every　patriotic　heart　must　wish　the　　analogy　may　be　long　maintained；　that　our　loved　country；　like　　its　prototype；　may　continue　the　protector　of　the　feeble　and　a　　peace…maker　among　nations。




Chapter　2　…　Domestic　Despots


THOSE　who　walk　through　the　well…to…do　quarters　of　our　city；　　and　glance；　perhaps　a　little　enviously　as　they　pass；　toward　　the　cheerful　firesides；　do　not　reflect　that　in　almost　every　　one　of　these　apparently　happy　homes　a　pitiless　tyrant　reigns；　　a　misshapen　monster　without　bowels　of　compassion　or　thought　　beyond　its　own　greedy　appetites；　who　sits　like　Sinbad's　awful　　burden　on　the　necks　of　tender　women　and　distracted　men。　　　Sometimes　this　incubus　takes　the　form　of　a　pug；　sometimes　of　a　　poodle；　or　simply　a　bastard　cur　admitted　to　the　family　bosom　　in　a　moment　of　unreflecting　pity；　size　and　pedigree　are　of　no　　importance；　the　result　is　always　the　same。　　Once　Caliban　is　　installed　in　his　stronghold；　peace　and　independence　desert　　that　roof。

We　read　daily　of　fathers　tyrannizing　over　trembling　families；　　of　stepmothers　and　unnatural　children　turning　what　might　be　　happy　homes　into　amateur　Infernos；　and　sigh；　as　we　think　of　　martyrdoms　endured　by　overworked　animals。

It　is　cheering　to　know　that　societies　have　been　formed　for　the　　protection　of　dumb　brutes　and　helpless　children。　　Will　no　　attempt　be　made　to　alleviate　this　other　form　of　suffering；　　which　has　apparently　escaped　the　eye　of　the　reformer？

The　animal　kingdom　is　divided　…　like　all　Gaul　…　into　three　　divisions：　wild　beasts；　that　are　obliged　to　hustle　for　　themselves；　laboring　and　producing　animals；　for　which　man　　provides　because　they　are　useful　to　him　…　and　dogs！　　Of　all　　created　things　on　our　globe　the　canine　race　have　the　softest　　〃snap。〃　　The　more　one　thinks　about　this　curious　exception　in　　their　favor　the　more　unaccountable　it　appears。　　We　neglect　　such　wild　things　as　we　do　not　slaughter；　and　exact　toil　from　　domesticated　animals　in　return　for　their　keep。　　Dogs　alone；　　shirking　all　cares　and　labor；　live　in　idle　comfort　at　man's　　expense。

When　that　painful　family　jar　broke　up　the　little　garden　party　　in　Eden　and　forced　our　first　parents　to　work　or　hunt　for　a　　living；　the　original　Dog　（equally　disgusted　with　either　　alternative）　hit　on　the　luminous　idea　of　posing　as　the　　champion　of　the　disgraced　couple；　and　attached　himself　to　Adam　　and　Eve；　not　that　he　approved　of　their　conduct；　but　simply　　because　he　foresaw　that　if　he　made　himself　companionable　and　　cosy　he　would　be　asked　to　stay　to　dinner。

From　that　day　to　the　present；　with　the　exception　of　　occasionally　watching　sheep　and　houses　…　a　lazy　occupation　at　　the　best　…　and　a　little　light　carting　in　Belgium　（dogs　were　　given　up　as　turn…spits　centuries　ago；　because　they　performed　　that　duty　badly）；　no　canine　has　raised　a　paw　to　do　an　honest　　day's　work；　neither　has　any　member　of　the　genus　been　known　　voluntarily　to　perform　a　useful　act。

How　then　…　one　asks　one's　self　in　a　wonder　…　did　the　myth　　originate　that　Dog　was　the　friend　of　Man？　　Like　a　multitude　of　　other　fallacies　taught　to　innocent　children；　this　folly　must　　be　unlearned　later。　　Friend　of　man；　indeed！　　Why；　the　〃Little　　Brothers　of　the　Rich〃　are　guileless　philanthropists　in　　comparison　with　most　canines；　and　unworthy　to　be　named　in　the　　same　breath　with　them。　　Dogs　discovered　centuries　ago　that　to　　live