greens; he
don't know enough to slop hogs.' Just then he noticed the boy's father
sitting behind the stove. Old Bill had overheard Andy's talk. Andy
endeavored to square himself. In an apologetic tone he said: 'But,
taint' your fault, Bill; tain't your fault; ye ain't to blame. You
learnt him all you know.' You can't tell anything about human nature and
the better plan is to make yourself as agreeable to those you respect
and love and to keep others at arm's length. When you feel that folks
have any objections to you, beat them to it. They soon come over."

"Do you remember a boy that was raised in Brownsville, worked in
Snowden's Machine Shop? Do you remember he worked his way up? He entered
the ministry. He became a very good preacher, quite eloquent. There was
a movement inaugurated by some of his boyhood friends to have him
brought to Brownsville to fill the pulpit of a church. The women of
taste were sort of running things. The Brownsville boy who had become a
preacher was turned down. Do you remember why? Well, his parents were
very humble people. The taste of many of the members revolted at the
idea of the pulpit of the church being filled by one whose father worked
around the town in his shirt sleeves. Do you remember the trade of his
father?"

"No, I have forgotten."

"Well, he was a carpenter." The uncle did not perceive the application
at once. After a moment he nodded his head a half dozen times, very
slowly as he framed the question: "What became of--?"

"He is living in retirement with his children in Houston, Texas. He
became a noted man in the ministry of that state. He never visited his
old home after the slight put upon him by the taste of a part of the
congregation."

"Well, Alfred, your experience has been of great value to you. You have
met all manner of people."

"Yes, and in all walks of life. And my estimate of them is, that human
nature is about the same in all men, although some of them possess the
faculty to a greater degree than others of concealing it. The first
President I ever met to talk to was General Grant. I had always read of
him as the Silent Man of Destiny; but he did about all the talking for
all those about him the few moments I was in his presence."

"I met Ben Harrison, but that was before he was President. It was during
a political campaign in Indiana. He seemed to me to be about as cool and
level-headed a man as I ever met. I stood beside him on a car platform.
In Pet