Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/737

 gled closely up to her, and unconsciously rubbed his dusty feet against her dress, when she leaned over to a woman on the other side of the little boy and said shortly, "Madam, will you kindly make your little boy take his feet off my dress?" The other woman said, "My boy? He isn't my boy." The little fellow squirmed uneasily, seemed to be greatly distrest, and looked disappointedly into the face of the woman who had disowned relationship to him. The woman whose attention had thus been called to the little boy presently observed that the child's eyes were fastened upon her with a peculiarly wistful expression, and she said to him, "Are you going about alone?" "Yes, ma'am," he replied, "I always go alone; father and mother are dead, and I live with Aunt Clara, and when she gets tired of me she sends me to Aunt Sarah, to stay as long as she will keep me; but they both tire of me so soon, I keep changing from one to the other; they don't either of them care for little boys like me." The woman's heart was drawn to the motherless boy, and she said, "You are a very little boy to be traveling alone like this." "Oh, I don't mind," said he, "only I get lonesome sometimes on these long trips, and when I see some one that I think I would like to belong to, I snuggle up close to her so that I can make believe I really do belong to her. This morning I was playing that I belonged to that other lady, and I forgot about my dirty shoes. But she would not let me belong to her. Do you like little boys?" The pitifulness of that appeal overcame all restraint of the woman's feelings, and regardless of a car full of spectators, she put her arms around the tiny chap, hugged him close, and kissing him, said, "Yes, and I only wish you wanted to belong to me." The boy looked at her with rapturous content, and replied, "I do." And she said, "You shall," and she adopted him.—, "Character Lessons."

(3156)

SYMPATHY, ROYAL

King Victor Emmanuel returned to the ruins of Reggio to-day (January 1, 1909), and he has been indefatigable in succoring the afflicted. He traversed the ruins from one end to the other, comforting the sufferers and cheering the rescuers. At one point he came upon a man buried up to his waist in débris. He encouraged the unfortunate while the soldiers were digging him out. In the midst of the efforts at rescue the man cried:

"Sire, I can wait for deliverance, but for God's sake give me food and drink."

Meeting a group of photographers engaged in taking pictures, the King chided them for their occupation.

"You had much better turn your efforts to succoring the afflicted," said his Majesty.

(3157)

Sympathy Wasted—See. SYMPATHY WITH ONE'S OWN CREATIONS A writer in The Critic says:   I once saw it recorded of George Eliot, as a thing marvelous, incredible, and unique, that she actually wept over her own creations. This fact, so stated, made me wonder at the ignorance of the writer. Does anybody suppose that a moving situation was ever yet depicted, the writing of which did not cost the author anguish and tears? How could he move his readers if he were not first moved himself? It is an elementary maxim; you may find it in Horace. But it is a sign that one possesses imagination if one can laugh over the fortunes of one's own puppets. (3158)  SYNCHRONISM  There is a divine standard by which every man in the world can accurately regulate his life as these clocks are regulated. The ease with which any number of electric clocks may be operated in synchronism is an advantage of no small moment. In factories, mills, and large manufacturing plants, where it is essential to have the exact time in all the rooms, the electric clock will prove of peculiar value. By removing the pendulums from all but one clock, with the others connected in circuit, the exact time can be kept with all the clocks in the plant. Furthermore, the regulation of timepieces by electric power from some central station is thus greatly simplified. With a wire running to the main clock of the plant, an exact regulation of all in the series could be instantly obtained. (Text.)—The Electrical Age.

(3159)

Synchrony—See.

Syntax, Absurd—See.