N埃尔默·霍姆斯·博布斯特
ElmerH.Bobst
Once，whiletakingmyboatdowntheinlandwaterwaytoFlorida，IdecidedtotieuatGeorgetown，SouthCarolina，forthenightandvisitwithanoldfriend.AswearoachedtheEssodock，Isawhimthroughmybinoculars1standingthereawaitingus.Tallandstraightasanarrowhestood，facingacold，enetratingwind—trulyaictureofasturdyman，eventhoughinhiseighties.Yes，themanwasourelderstatesman，BernardBaruch.
HeloadedusintohisstationwagonandWeWereofftohisfamousHobcawBaronyfordinner.Wesatandtalkedinthegreatlivingroomwheremanynotablesandstatesmen，includingRooseveltandChurchill，havesatandtakentheircues.Inhiseighty-secondyear，stillahumandynamo2，Mr.Baruchtalkednotoftheastbutofresentroblemsandthefuture，deloringourignoranceofhistory，economicsandsychology.Hisonlyreferencetotheastwastotellme，withthewonderfulsarkleinhiseyes，thathewasonlyabletogeteightquailoutofthetenshotsthedaybefore.Whatisthesecretofthisgreatmansvaluetotheworld?Theanswerishisinsatiabledesiretokeebeingroductive.
Anotherfriendofmine，theheadofoneofourlargestcororations，agreatsteelcomany，isaroachinghismiddleseventies，andheisstillagreatleader.He，too，nevertalksoftheast.Instead，hetacklestheroblemsofeachdayinhisstride，brims3withlansforthefutureand，incidentally，shootsinthelowseventiesonanygolfcourse.Heisahaymanbecauseheisroductive.
Twoofthehardestthingstoaccomlishinthisworldaretoacquirewealthbyhonesteffortand，havinggainedit，tolearnhowtouseitroerly.Recently，Iwalkedintothelockerroomofaratherwell-knowngolfclubafterfinishingaround.Itwasinthelateafternoonandmostofthemembershadleftfortheirhomes.Butahalfdozenorsomenastmiddleagewerestillseatedattables，talkingaimlesslyanddrinkingmorethanwasgoodfortheThesesamemencanbefoundtheredayafterdayand，strangelyenough，eachoneofthesemenhadbeen；amanofaffairsandwealth，successfulinbusinessandresectedinthecommunity.Ifmaterialroseritywerethechiefrequisitesforhainess，theneachoneshouldhavebeenhay.Yet，itseemedtome，somethingveryimortantwasmissing；elsetherewouldnothavebeentheconstantefforttoescaetherealitiesoflifethroughScotchandsoda.Theyknew，eachoneofthem，thattheirroductivityhadceased.Whenafruittreeceasestobearitsfruit，itisdying.Anditisevensowithman.
Whatistheanswertoalongandhayexistenceinthisworldofours?IthinkIfounditlongagoinaassagefromthebookofGenesiswhichcaughtmyeyeswhileIwasthumbingthroughmyBible.Thewordswerefewbuttheybecameindelibly4imressedonmymind：
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Inthesweatofthyfaceshaltthoueatthybread.
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Tomethathasbeenachallengefrommyearliestrecollections.Infact，thebattleoflife，ofexistence，isachallengetoeveryone.TheimmortalwordsofSt.Paul，too，havebeenandalwayswillbeagreatinsirationtome.AttheendoftheroadIwanttobeabletofeelthatIhavefoughtagoodfight—havefinishedthecourse—Ihaveketthefaith.
有一次，我沿着内河独自驾船前往佛罗里达州。
到达南卡洛来纳的乔治敦时，我决定靠岸过夜，顺便去拜访一位老朋友。
船一进埃松港，我就从望远镜中看到他站在那里等我们。
朋友高而挺拔的身影像一支箭一样，站立在刺骨的寒风中，简直一幅健壮男子汉的画面，虽然画面中的人已年过八旬。
没错，他就是我们的老一辈政治家——伯纳德·巴鲁克。
伯纳德·巴鲁克的旅行轿车载着我们，径直驶向他那著名的霍布考大庄园用餐。
我们就座谈话的大客厅，曾有包括罗斯福和丘吉尔在内的许多贵客与政治家光临，与他交谈，倾听他的意见。
如今，巴鲁克先生虽然已经82岁，却依然活力充沛。
他对过去缄口不提，只谈论现在与将来的问题，并为我们对历史学、经济学和心理学知识的匮乏而深表遗憾。
他告诉我，昨天他只用10发子弹就射中了8只鹌鹑，这也是他提到的唯一一件“往事”
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