ady for
hard work. It was not that there were privations and difficulties, for
he has always found difficulties only things to overcome, and endured
privations with cheerful fortitude. But it was the humiliations that he
met--the personal humiliations that after more than half a century make
him suffer in remembering them--yet out of those humiliations came a
marvelous result.

"I determined," he says, "that whatever I could do to make the way
easier at college for other young men working their way I would do."

And so, many years ago, he began to devote every dollar that he made
from "Acres of Diamonds" to this definite purpose. He has what may be
termed a waiting-list. On that list are very few cases he has looked
into personally. Infinitely busy man that he is, he cannot do extensive
personal investigation. A large proportion of his names come to him from
college presidents who know of students in their own colleges in need of
such a helping hand.

"Every night," he said, when I asked him to tell me about it, "when my
lecture is over and the check is in my hand, I sit down in my room in
the hotel"--what a lonely picture, tool--"I sit down in my room in the
hotel and subtract from the total sum received my actual expenses for
that place, and make out a check for the difference and send it to
some young man on my list. And I always send with the check a letter
of advice and helpfulness, expressing my hope that it will be of some
service to him and telling him that he is to feel under no obligation
except to his Lord. I feel strongly, and I try to make every young man
feel, that there must be no sense of obligation to me personally. And I
tell them that I am hoping to leave behind me men who will do more work
than I have done. Don't think that I put in too much advice," he added,
with a smile, "for I only try to let them know that a friend is trying
to help them."

His face lighted as he spoke. "There is such a fascination in it!" he
exclaimed. "It is just like a gamble! And as soon as I have sent the
letter and crossed a name off my list, I am aiming for the next one!"

And after a pause he added: "I do not attempt to send any young man
enough for all his expenses. But I want to save him from bitterness,
and each check will help. And, too," he concluded, naively, in the
vernacular, "I don't want them to lay down on me!"

He told me that he made it clear that he did not wish to get returns
or reports from this br