Do Not Forget the Old Men
Do Not Forget the Old Men.—The tendency in these days is to ignore or set aside the old men. It is manifest in state, in business, in church. Don't do too much of it. They may not be quite as active, but oftentimes their judgment and experience is much better, if they are encouraged to use it at all. Sometimes they can do deeds of action equal to those of youth. When the Baltimore fire had been raging twelve hours, and the fire chief had been disabled by a live wire, leaving the firemen without a leader, "then William C. McAfee, veteran fire chief, retired for age and accounted an old man, offered his services to the mayor. They were accepted. Donning his oilskins and grabbing his trumpet the old chief went into action. At once the men knew they had a leader. They needed one. The fire was roaring down to the river bank where were some great rosin works filled with turpentine. And as they went so must go East Baltimore. "There will be trouble if the fire gets into that rosin," yelled McAfee through his trumpet. "If enough of you men will follow me, we'll go in there and dump the whole outfit into the bay." They followed the leader and they saved East Baltimore." Still remember the old men.