20 NORTH CAROLINA 



tance had practiced any such stratagem. 

 His attitude throughout was that of a learner ; 

 nor did he set himself to shine even in that 

 humble capacity, as one may easily do (and 

 there are few safer methods) in this day of 

 multifarious discovery, when the ability to 

 ask intelligent questions has become of itseK 

 a badge of scholarship. His inquiries fol- 

 lowed one another with perfect naturalness 

 and simplicity ; he simply wanted to know. 

 As for the more strictly personal among 

 them, they were only such as the most con- 

 ventional of us instinctively feel like asking. 

 " As soon as a stranger is introduced into any 

 company," says Emerson, " one of the first 

 questions which all wish to have answered 

 is, *How does that man get his living?*" 

 There was no thought of taking offense. On 

 the contrary, it was a pleasure to be angled 

 for by so true an artist. If any newspaper 

 should be in want of an " interviewer," — a 

 remote contingency so far as any newspaper 

 that I know anything about is concerned, — 

 I could recommend a likely hand. A candi- 

 date for the presidency might balk him, but 

 nobody else. My own conversation with him 

 is still an agreeable memory ; a man's mind 



