my memories of eighty years-第73节

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jack。　　One　of　them　while　in　town　had　his　jug　filled；　and　on　the　way　home　saw　a　friend　leaning　over　the　gate　and　looking　so　thirsty　that　he　stopped　and　handed　over　his　jug　with　an　offer　of　its　hospitality。　　After　sampling　it　the　neighbor　continued　the　gurgling　as　the　jug　rose　higher　and　higher；　until　there　was　not　a　drop　left　in　it。　　The　indignant　owner　said：　　'You　infernal　hog；　why　did　you　drink　up　all　my　apple…jack？'　　His　friend　answered：　'I　beg　your　pardon；　Job；　but　I　could　not　bite　off　the　tap；　because　I　have　lost　all　my　teeth。'〃　　The　aptness　of　the　story　was　the　success　of　the　evening。

Some　years　afterwards　there　was　a　meeting　of　the　alumni　to　form　a　live　association。　　Among　those　who　participated　in　the　organization　were　William　Walter　Phelps；　afterwards　member　of　Congress　and　minister　to　Austria；　Judge　Henry　E。　Howland；　John　Proctor　Clarke；　now　chief　justice　of　the　Appellate　Division；　James　R。　Sheffield　（several　years　later）　now　president　of　the　Union　League　Club；　and　Isaac　Bromley；　one　of　the　editors　of　the　New　York　Tribune；　one　of　the　wittiest　writers　of　his　time；　and　many　others　who　have　since　won　distinction。　　They　elected　me　president；　and　I　continued　such　by　successive　elections　for　ten　years。

The　association　met　once　a　month　and　had　a　serious　paper　read；　speeches；　a　simple　supper；　and　a　social　evening。　　These　monthly　gatherings　became　a　feature　and　were　widely　reported　in　the　press。　We　could　rely　upon　one　or　more　of　the　faculty；　and　there　was　always　to　be　had　an　alumnus　of　national　reputation　from　abroad。　　We　had　a　formal　annual　dinner；　which　was　more　largely　attended　than　almost　any　function　of　the　kind　in　the　city；　and；　because　of　the　variety　and　excellence　of　the　speaking；　always　very　enjoyable。

The　Harvard　and　Princeton　alumni　also　had　an　association　at　that　time；　with　annual　dinners；　and　it　was　customary　for　the　officers　of　each　of　these　organizations　to　be　guests　of　the　one　which　gave　the　dinner。　　The　presidents　of　the　colleges　represented　always　came。　　Yale　could　rely　upon　President　Dwight；　Harvard　upon　President　Eliot；　and　Princeton　upon　President　McCosh。

Of　course；　the　interchanges　between　the　representatives　of　the　different　colleges　were　as　exciting　and　aggressive　as　their　football　and　baseball　contests　are　to…day。　　I　recall　one　occasion　of　more　than　usual　interest。　　It　was　the　Princeton　dinner；　and　the　outstanding　figure　of　the　occasion　was　that　most　successful　and　impressive　of　college　executives；　President　McCosh。　　He　spoke　with　a　broad　Scotch　accent　and　was　in　every　sense　a　literalist。　Late　in　the　evening　Mr。　Beaman；　a　very　brilliant　lawyer　and　partner　of　Evarts　and　Choate；　who　was　president　of　the　Harvard　Alumni　Association；　said　to　me：　　〃These　proceedings　are　fearfully　prosaic　and　highbrow。　　When　you　are　called；　you　attack　President　McCosh；　and　I　will　defend　him。〃　　So　in　the　course　of　my　remarks；　which　were　highly　complimentary　to　Princeton　and　its　rapid　growth　under　President　McCosh；　I　spoke　of　its　remarkable　success　in　receiving　gifts　and　legacies；　which　were　then　pouring　into　its　treasury　every　few　months；　and　were　far　beyond　anything　which　came　either　to　Yale　or　Harvard；　though　both　were　in　great　need。　　Then　I　hinted　that　possibly　this　flow　of　riches　was　due　to　the　fact　that　President　McCosh　had　such　an　hypnotic　influence　over　the　graduates　of　Princeton　and　their　fathers；　mothers；　and　wives　that　none　of　them　felt　there　was　a　chance　of　a　heavenly　future　unless　Princeton　was　among　the　heirs。

Mr。　Beaman　was　very　indignant　and　with　the　continuing　approval　and　applause　of　the　venerable　doctor　made　a　furious　attack　upon　me。　　His　defense　of　the　president　was　infinitely　worse　than　my　attack。　　He　alleged　that　I　had　intimated　that　the　doctor　kept　tab　on　sick　alumni　of　wealth　and　their　families；　and　at　the　critical　moment　there　would　be　a　sympathetic　call　from　the　doctor；　and；　while　at　the　bedside　he　administered　comfort　and　consolation；　yet　he　made　it　plain　to　the　patient　that　he　could　not　hope　for　the　opening　of　the　pearly　gates　or　the　welcome　of　St。　Peter　unless　Princeton　was　remembered。　　Then　Beaman；　in　a　fine　burst　of　oratory；　ascribed　this　wonderful　prosperity　not　to　any　personaI　effort　or　appeal；　but　because　the　sons　of　Princeton　felt　such　reverence　and　gratitude　for　their　president　that　they　were　only　too　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　contribute　to　the　welfare　of　the　institution。

The　moment　Beaman　sat　down　the　doctor　arose；　and　with　great　intensity　expressed　his　thanks　and　gratitude　to　the　eloquent　president　of　the　Harvard　alumni；　and　then　shouted：　　〃I　never；　never；　never　solicited　a　gift　for　Princeton　from　a　dying　man。　I　never；　never；　never　sat　by　the　bedside　of　a　dying　woman　and　held　up　the　terrors　of　hell　and　the　promises　of　heaven；　according　to　the　disposition　she　made　of　her　estate。　　I　never；　never　looked　with　unsympathetic　and　eager　anticipation　whenever　any　of　our　wealthy　alumni　appeared　in　ill　health。〃

The　doctor；　however；　retaliated　subsequently。　　He　invited　me　to　deliver　a　lecture　before　the　college；　and　entertained　me　most　delightfully　at　his　house。　　It　was　a　paid　admission；　and　when　I　left　in　the　morning　he　said：　　〃I　want　to　express　to　you　on　behalf　of　our　college　our　thanks。　　We　raised　last　evening　through　your　lecture　enough　to　fit　our　ball　team　for　its　coming　contest　with　Yale。〃　　In　that　contest　Princeton　was　triumphant。

The　Yale　Alumni　Association　subsequently　evoluted　into　the　Yale　Club　of　New　York；　which　has　in　every　way　been　phenomenally　prosperous。　It　is　a　factor　of　national　importance　in　supporting　Yale　and　keeping　alive　everywhere　appreciation　and　enthusiasm　for　and　practice　of　Yale　spirit。

My　class　of　1856　at　Yale　numbered　ninety…seven　on　graduation。　Only　six　of　us　survive。　　In　these　pages　I　have　had　a　continuous　class　meeting。　　Very　few；　if　any；　of　my　associates　in　the　New　York　Legislature　of　1862　and　1863　are　alive；　and　none　of　the　State　officers　who　served　with　me　in　the　succeeding　years。　　There　is　no　one　left　in　the　service　who　was　there　when　I　became　connected　with　the　New　York　Central　Railroad；　and　no　executive　officer　in　any　railroad　in　the　United　States　who　held　that　position　when　I　was　elected　and　is　still　active。

It　is　the　habit　of　age　to　dwell　on　the　degeneracy　of　the　times　and　lament　the　good　old　days　and　their　superiority；　but　Yale　is　infinitely　greater　and　broader　than　when　I　graduated　sixty…five　years　ago。　　The　New　York　Legislature　and　State　executives　are　governing　an　empire　compared　with　the　problems　which　we　had　to　solve　fifty…nine　years　ago。

I　believe　in　the　necessity　of　leadership；　and　while　recognizing　a　higher　general　average　in　public　life；　regret　that　the　world　crisis　through　which　we　have　passed　and　which　is　not　yet　completed；　has　produced　no　Washington；　Lincoln；　or　Roosevelt。　　I　rejoice　that　President　Harding；　under　the　pressure　of　his　unequalled　responsibilities；　is　developing　the　highest　qualities　of　leadership。　　It　is　an　exquisite　delight　to　visualize　each　administration　from　1856　and　to　have　had　considerable　intimacy　with　the　leaders　in　government　and　the　moulders　of　public　opinion　during　sixty…five　unusually　laborious　years。

Many　who　have　given　their　reminiscences　have　kept　close　continuing　diaries。　　From　these　voluminous　records　they　have　selected　according　to　their　judgment。　　As　I　have　before　said；　I　have　no　data　and　must　rely　on　my　memory。　　This　faculty　is　not　logical；　its　operations　are　not　by　years　or　periods；　but　its　films　unroll　as　they　are　moved　by　association　of　ideas　and　events。

It　has　been　a　most　pleasurable　task　to　bring　back　into　my　life　these　worthies　of　the　past　and　to　live　over　again　events　of　greater　or　lesser　importance。　　Sometimes　an　anecdote　illumines　a　character　more　than　a　biography；　and　a　personal　incident　helps　an　understanding　of　a　period　more　than　its　formal　history。

Life　has　had　for　me　immeasurable　charms。　　I　recognize　at　all　times　there　has　been　granted　to　me　the　loving　care　and　guidance　of　God。　My　sorrows　have　been　alleviated　and　lost　their　acuteness　from　a　firm　belief　in　closer　reunion　in　eternity。　　My　misfortunes；　disappointments；　and　losses　have　been　met　and　overcome　by　abundant　proof　of　my　mother's　faith　and　teaching　that　they　were　the　discipline　of　Providence　for　my　own　good；　and　if　met　in　that　spirit　and　with　redoubled　effort　to　redeem　the　apparent　tragedy　they　would　prove　to　be　blessings。　　Such　has　been　the　case。

While　new　friends　are　not　the　same　as　old　ones；　yet　I　have　found　cheer　and　inspiration　in　the　close　communion　with　the　young　of　succeeding　generations。　　They　have　made　and　are　making　this　a　mighty　good　world　for　me。







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