Then the newspapers heard about it and where formerly in their
columns was nothing but dull and harmless war news my picture
began, to blossom forth like the flowers that bloom in the spring,
tra la!
Pretty soon, Uncle Peter, every man, woman and child in the world
began to know me and I couldn't walk out in the public streets
without being snap-shotted or bowed to, or barked at, according to
the age of those present.
Of course, we all know, Uncle Peter, that my theory has wormholes
all over it, but didn't I make good?
We do not need a book or history to tell us that Julius Caesar was
over forty before he ever saw the base of Pompey's statue; that
Brutus and Cassius were over forty before they saw a chance to
carve their initials on Caesar's wishbone; that Cleopatra was over
forty before she saw snakes; that Carrie Nation was over forty
before she could hatchet a barroom and put the boots to the rum
demon; that Mrs. Chadwick was over forty before she opened a bank
account; that Jonah was over forty before he saw a whale; that
President Roosevelt was over forty before he saw a self-folding
lion; that Kuropatkin was over forty before he learned to make five
retreats grow where only one retreat grew before; that George
Washington was over forty before he was struck with the idea of
making Valley Forge a winter resort; and so forth, and so forth,
world without end.
But these suggestions only prove the rule, Uncle Peter, and the
rule is this:
Some advertisement now and then
Is relished by the greatest men!
Don't worry, Uncle Peter, because you are getting to be a has-was.
You may do something in your old age which will make people think
less of you than they do now--you never can tell.
With these few words I will leave you, Uncle Peter; wishing you as
much age in the future as you have had in the past.
Yours with love,
WILLIAM OSLER.
After getting this letter Uncle Peter began to breathe easier and
two days later he was quite able to resist the desire to crawl
under the bed every time a bottle of soothing syrup arrived from
the drug store.
Uncle Peter got very gay the day after Admiral Togo won the battle
of the Sea of Japan.
Fifteen minutes after the last Russian battleship had been slapped
on the cross-trees Uncle Peter had a letter written to Togo.