Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-08-11
"H0W Muci, did it Weigh. !"

4 -
The Chicago Journal says this question
has been asked thousand times, and thou-
sands of times has it been wondered at, and
| Il nevered." ! .ssas< .-A .-f...s
And what commodity is it that is "great"
at ten pounds. and marvel at thirteen?-
Don't mind the P rice Current, for isn't
there. 1t was o something bundled in
flannel blanket-the blanket securely pin-
ed and knotted at the corners-the some>
thing is in an active state of ssunrest' as
the transcedentals have it. The sreelyards
bad been call into requisition, and its bonded
iron was indeed "hooks TO hang hope on"
The little bundle was hung; the weight
clicked along the bar. @'1hat's the notch!
Eight and half" Eight ana half Of
what! Why, of-humanity. BY the
memory of Malthus, there's baby in The
blanket! So there is-a little voter, or if
not that, as Shakespeare says. ga child."-
Something that may cut figure in the
world, break heads or hearts-have great
name, and be man or women. Eight
pounds and half Of a hero or heroine, a
monster, or minister. Piety and patriot.
ism by the pound. Beauty. and baseness
by the blanketful. Queer measurement,
isn't it, but there are queerer things.
Time wears on npace with US all, and
the something in the blanket too. He is a
boy of FIVE. He stands erect as God made
him, "'that he may look" as a writer says,
'upon the stars" They are talking
again, bu. the s.eelyards hang undisturbed
in the cellar.way. No use for them now.
But they are talking, and we are listening
"Tallof his age-ssn't he?' "He looks
over the table like man-the high chair
was put away months agon'
Tall is he2 Three feet and an inch high,
and this is the altitude of humanity
Weight is out Of the question, estimates all
run 10 height. Ambition is but another
name for altitude, and success synonym
for getting higher" The boy is man
the man climbs rostrums to get higher;
Monuments go up; shouts go up; favoriles
60 up to court; conquerors go up to glory.
Height, height, every where height. Six
feet of glory; six feet two of honor and
dignity. Queer again don't you think so?
By and by-melapcholy trio-the form
is ben, little, and there goes an inch or
two from stature. He or she is looking at
some thing in. the dust. What can it be?
Surely it is not grave they look at. Eyes
grow dim, and they bend lower to see. To
seel What can there be to be seen, |
wonderl II.
By and by they weary, and throw Them
selves along the bosom of the dusky mother
Of US all. They sleep-sleep, but not
dream. Where is your altitude now, your
monuments and thrones4 Men take up the
sleeper, carefully, slowly, as if it were a
treasure. And so it is-a treasure of
dust. The old estimate is resumed weight
has come again; 'tis dead weight
nothing more.
And this would be queer, too, if only it
were not sad.
But they are talking again; s'She had
three numes-didn't she? Indeed, but |
remember but two. - =
Remember but two they say? Names
of whata Why, of ell that weight and
heightof fame, and love, and hope, and fear,
and thought and passion. =
Andt words-two breaths of air-two
murmurs are all that is left Of what was
once man, a woman.
Years elapse, and Age is talking again:
tsThere was-was-T cannot remember the
name now-well, h's what we are all com
ing to-" and the old man sighs sadly.
The last syllable of all has died on the
lip, is erased from memory, ripples on the
still and listening airs lost; not mur-
muir Of it fingers in s'the fearful hollow" of
human ear! "Pah! how the dust fies!"
Dust, do you sayq Listen and we will
whisper jus, word: That dust was warm
once, loved once, beauty once.
''Imperial Cesar, dead, and turned to clay, !.
Might stop hole to keep the wind away;
o, that the earth, which kept the world in awe,
Should patch world to expel the winters flaw"
What more significant comment upon
The vanity Of royalty could be given, than
Hamle.'s next worksq There is meaning
in them beyond speech:
"But soft! but soft! aside: Here comes
the King That dust again! There goes
a King, may be.
MERCANTILE QUESTIONS AND IRoNIcAL