Dear Mentor: I have recently become a member of the Association, and possessor of the five bound volumes of The Mentor. The following may be of interest to you:
On the New York Post Office, on a coping surmounting the portico, there is an inscription: “NEITHER SNOW NOR RAIN NOR HEAT NOR GLOOM OF NIGHT CAN STAY THESE COURIERS FROM THE SWIFT COMPLETION OF THEIR DUTY.”
My attention was attracted to this last August, when passing through New York. I could not find out whence it came, until in January of this year, while at Headquarters of the 62nd French Division, at a small place named Rouez, about four miles from La Fere, on the Oise, my orderly found a volume in a rubbish heap, and as it had the appearance of having been a handsome library volume, he brought it to me, and asked if it were any good. He held it before me, open, as it was wet and muddy. On the open page I read of the line of couriers established by Xerxes. The book, although evidently long exposed to the weather, was in a good condition. As I read the words, referring to the couriers, “QUE NI LA NEIGE, NI LA PLUIE, NI LA CHALEUR, NI LA NUIT N’EMPÊCHENT DE FOURNIR LEUR CARRIERE AVEC TOUTE LA CELERITE POSSIBLE” (that neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor night shall prevent the completion of their course with all possible speed), I realized that in this “History of Herodotus,” and in the couriers of Xerxes, some four hundred years before Christ, I had found the source of the inspiration for our postal service.
EDWARD H. PLUMMER, Brigadier General U. S. Army, Fort Sill, Okla.
Editorial Note.—These lines are credited to Herodotus on the front of the Post Office building. The name of the Greek historian appears in small letters just after the quotation.
It may be of interest to you to know that I came across a mutilated copy of The Mentor in a small outpost station in the Kalahari Desert, Southern Africa. How it ever got there, I can’t tell, for the nearest railway station is several hundred miles away. The pages were a solace to me on a very tedious journey in a wagon drawn by oxen. On account of the mutilation I am unable to give you the full title of the issue of The Mentor, but I recollect that with it were four photogravures of famous composers. I further clearly remember that Beethoven was among the four. He was a favorite composer of mine, and, just at that time, I was trying to grasp the philosophy of his Ninth Symphony. Further, I can remember that I was greatly interested in the publication, so strangely come upon in this desert place, and I made a mental note that should I ever come across its home address, and conditions were more convenient, I would endeavor to become more clearly acquainted with The Mentor.
BERTRAM ADAMS, New York City
THE MENTOR
A NEW VOLUME
It gives us much pleasure to advise our friends that the sixth volume of The Mentor Library is now ready for delivery. It contains numbers one hundred and twenty-one to one hundred and forty-four inclusive, and is, in every particular, uniform with the volumes now owned by our members.
One of the great advantages of The Mentor Library is that it continues to grow from year to year—giving an endless supply of instructive and wonderfully illustrated material that it would be impossible to obtain elsewhere. As a new volume is added each year, this constitutes one of the most valuable educational sets that you could possibly own, and at a small cost.
The beautiful numbers of the unique Mentor Library will never be out of date, as every Mentor is built on an important subject of enduring interest. The concise form in which scores of subjects are covered makes it of the greatest practical value to the business man, to the active woman who appreciates the importance of knowledge, and to children, who will find it of untold value in their school work. You surely will want Volume Number Six, which will complete your Mentor Library to date; that you may receive it you need only send the coupon or a post card without money.
The Volume will be forwarded to you all charges paid. You can remit $1.50 upon receipt of bill, and $1.00 a month for only six months; or a discount of 5% is allowed if payment in full is made within ten days from date of bill.
We urge you to act at once.
Very truly yours,
THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, 114–116 E. 16th St., New York
The Mentor Association,
114–116 East 16th St.,
New York.Gentlemen:
I am anxious to have the new volume of The Mentor Library. Please send it to me all charges paid, and I will send you $1.50 upon receipt of bill and $1.00 per month for six months—$7.50 in all.
Very truly yours;
Name _______________________________________________________________
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Town _____________________________________ State ___________________
A discount of 5% is allowed if payment in full is made within 10 days from date of bill.
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