Show the old settler my dear sail safi Jda ners from early childhood one of my most thrilling moments has bp been en when I 1 awoke in the morning to contemplate the pursuits and arcs pacts from which I 1 was driven away by darkness or weariness the night before and when I 1 awoke that m morning aning in a strange bedroom bed I 1 began at once to contemplate the splendid values around me in the shape of many new acquaintances quain I 1 could make especially the white haired man whom the people of this town reverently called the sage ho he looked to me like a sage a wise man a prophet he impressed me as being one of the very few men I 1 had ever seen who had found taun d in life the values for which life was instituted the things without which men will always be dissatisfied and will eventually come to a climax of disappointment when on the previous evening I 1 had seen that silvery haired man wal walking kino thoughtfully along the street he somehow reminded me of a great rock I 1 had known ana and loved in the desert that rock keeping its long vigil over a wide cf sand near the colorado river river had bad been to me a symbol of all that is basic and solid and substantial I 1 and I 1 had often rid dea far out of my way to rest on itsu its firm base and consider thern the mute ute message fro from m its towering bacs today I 1 would go 90 out of my way to visit that venerable sage I 1 had a pronounced impression that his love and wisdom would reward d all the effort I 1 might make I 1 found him at his barn currying in and petting an old gray horse to which he was talking as to an old friend and he failed to notice me tilli spoke im right glad to see you he beamed shaking my hand when I 1 had told him my name tell me what I 1 can do f for or you just hw how he knew I 1 was not an agent for books life insurance or patent medicine I 1 do not know but as he held my hand I 1 knew new he understood 1 I know you can tell me things that are vital to my well being I 1 said why I 1 came let us go into the house he sugg suggested ested and I 1 followed him into his study a small well lighted room mom where his desk stood between tween two cupboards of books setting me in front of him he studied me appraisingly for two full minutes before he spoke I 1 was beginning to run low on the psychic fortitude by which such sear searching ching scrutiny is endured I 1 when he spoke again like doctor samuel johnson Juh he be began 1 I may be able to offer a reason but I 1 can not provide men with an understanding I 1 shall offer you my best in the simplest and plainest language I 1 can command and then it is for you to grasp it or not according to your desire or your capacity for the truth you see there are but six books continued on page 8 the old settler irom from za nag 1 I on that top shelf he proceeded very deliberately those books deal with the vital problems which should be our first concern always the books on en that next shelf deal with matters most closely related to them and books on the other shelves range away in importance that thatis is the pattern of the life I 1 am trying to live I 1 maka no bids for values that come to an end I 1 will bother with nothing indulge nothing which does not contribute to the central purpose of my existence on earth no food no drink no nd pleasure of any kind that is for today only any hope bope however bright it may seem which yet has ahead of it a time when it vanishes into n nothingness ss is as the proverbial bou house se built on the sand my greatest joys of today are my assurances of better and more enduring tomorrows I 1 knew his time was precious and I 1 thanked him when I 1 arose to go he put his hand appealingly on my shoulder have you really heard what I 1 have said he asked it will always echo in my mind I 1 said and I 1 will try to grasp it ALBERT R LYMAN |