That Ben himself would renounce any such association as Mr. Brown suggests few will doubt, since it is safe to assume that Ben outgrew church at an early age. In later years, he was quite vocal in his decrying the influence of religion in its keeping people away from Sunday matinees at the movie house. In addition, there is the well-attested tradition that when the "little woman" took it into her head to have the local parson over for supper, Ben would climb out a back-window to join the waiting car of a pal, by which means of conveyance, the two would seek refuge at the card room or pool hall.

Mr. Brown would evidently seem to be one of those aery-headed persons who believes in "Art for Art's sake," when for those who knew Ben it was always and clearly "Ben for Ben's sake." The misrepresentations of this charlatan are a telling example of how authentic history can be mangled and distorted beyond recognition in order to serve dubious motives. It is in no small part to combat this problem then that, with the utmost circumspection, we unfold and present to you the true story.