The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-11-05
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NEWSPAPERS.

NEWSPAPERS.
Wonderful to him who has eyes to see il
rightly is the newspaper. To me, for exam.
pie, sitting on the critical front bench Of the
pit, in my study here in Salem, the advent
of my weekly Journal, is that of strolling
theatre, or rather a puppet show, on whose
stage narrow as it is, the tragedy, comedy
and farce of life are played in little. Be.
hold the whole huge earth sent to me heb
domidally in brown wrapper.
Hither to my obscure corner, by wind, OF
steam, on horseback, on dromedary back, in
the pouch of the Indian runner, or clicking
over the magnetic wires, troop all the ia
nous performers from the four quarters of
the globe. Looked at from point of crit
icism tiny puppets they seem all, as the ed
tor sets his booth upon my desk, and Off
cates as Snowman. Now can truly see
how little and transitory is life. The earth
appears almost "a q drop of vinegar, on
which the solar microscope of the imagina-
ton must be brought to bear in order to
make out anything distinctly.
The animalcuie there, in the pea Jacket, is
Louis Philippe, just landed of the coast of
England. That other, in the grey surtout
and cooked hat, is Napoleon Bonaparte
Smith, assuring France that she need not
apprehend interference from him in the pre-
sent alarming juncture. At that spot, where
you seem to see II speck Of something in
motion, is an immense mass meeting. Look
sharper and you will see man bvaudishlng
his mandibles in an excited manner. This is
the great So and-so, defending his position
amid tumuItuous and irrepresslble cheers.
That infnitessimal creature, upon whom
some score of others, as minute as he, are
cnzing in open mouthed admiration is Il ia
nous philosopher, expoundlng to select
audience their capacity for the infinite. The
scarce discernibie puiiet Of smoke and dust
is a revolution. That speck there is re-
former just arranging lever with which be
iss to move the world. And 10 there creeps
forward the shadow of skeleton that blows
one breath between its grinnIng teeth and
all our distinguished actors are whisked off
the slippery stage into the dark beyond.
Yes, the little show box has its solemn
suggestions. Now and then we catch a
glimse of grim old man, who lays down a
and hour glass in the corner while he shifts
the scenes. There, too, in the dim back
ground, wierd shape is dalyius. Some
times he leans upon his msttock, and gazes,
as a coach whirls by, bearing the newly
married on their wedding jaunt, or glances
carelessiy ut 4 bable brought home from
christening. Suddenly (for the scene grows
larger and larger as we look) bony hand
sna,ches back performer in the midst of
his part and whom yesterday two inlnises
(past and future would not suffice, hand.
fu! of dust is enough to cover ard silence
NJ, RI cbl Gv
gers opening to clutch the showrla himself,
and guess, not without shuddcr, that they
are lying in wait for spectators also.
Think of it for two dollars year buy
a season ticket to this great Globe Theatre,
WI ose curtain is rung down, by Death.
Such thous hts will occur to me sometimes
rs | am tearing off the wrapper of my news
raper.--Then suddenly that otherwise too
often vacant sheet becomes invested for me
with a strange kind Of awe. Look! Deaths
and marriages, notices of Inventions, discov-
cries, and books, lists Of promotions, Of
killed, wounded, and missing, news of fires,
accidents, Of sudden wealth, and as sudden
poverty. | hold in my hand the end Of myr-
lad invisible electric conductors, along
which trembe the Joys, sorrows, wrongs,
triumphs, hopes, and deSpaIrs of as many
men and women everywhere. So that upon
that mood of mind which seems to isolate
me from mankind as q spectator Of their
puppet pranks, another superyenes, in which
feel that !, too, unknown and unbesrd Of,
am yet of some import to my fellows. For
through my newspaper here, do not families
take pains to send me. an entire stranger,
news of a death among them? Are not here
two who would have me know of their mar
rage? And, strnngest of all, is not this
singular person anxious to have me know
that he has received Il fresh supply of Dim
lty BroisglDsI But to none of us does the
present (even for moment discerned as
such) continue miraculous. We glance
carelcssly at the sunrise, and get used 10
Orion and the Pleiades. The wonder wears
off, and to. morrow this sheet, in which
vision was let down to me from heaven.
shall be a wrapage to bar of soap or the
platter for bcggar's broken victuals.--
James Russell LoreH.
WEBSTER'S SECOND SPEECH on FOoT'S
RE>OLUTlON
Mr.. Everett, in his Grafton on the occa-
sion of the Inauguration of the Webster
Statue, at Boston, said Of the greatest and
most celebrated parliame entery effort of Dan
'-t N-ohs.er.
Well DO recolloct the vv,,.~. ,,
scene. 1t was truly what Wellington called
the battle of Waterloo, n conflict Of giants.
passed an hour and a half with Mr.. Web
ster, at his request, the evening before this
great effort and he went over to me from a
very concise brief, the main topics of the
speech, which he had prepared for the fol-
lowing day. So calm and unimpassioned
was the memorandum, so entirely was he
at ease himself. that was tempted to think,
absurdly enough, that he was not sufficient
IL aware of the magnitude of the OCCASION.
But | soon perceiy ed that his calmness was
the repose of conscious power. lie wasnot
only at ease, but sportlve and full of auec-
Jote; and as he told the Senate, playfully,
the formidable assault of his gallant and
Condo slept on the eve Of the battle CT Ro-
eron; SO Alexander slept on the eve of the
battle of Arbcla; and SC they aWoke to deeds
Of immortal fame.
AS saw him in the evening, Cif may
borrow an illustration from his favorite
amusement,) he WAS unooncerned, and as
free of spirit as some here have often seen
him while floating in his fishing boat along
"a haxv shore, gently rocking on the tranquil
tide, dropping his line here and there, with
the varying fortune Of the sport. The next
morning he was like some mighty Admiral,
dark and terrible, casting the long shadow
of his frowning tiers far over the sea, that
seemed 10 sink beneath him; his broad
pendant streaming at the main, the stars and
stripes at the fore, the mizzen and the peak;
and bearing down like tempest upon his
antagonist with all his canvass strained to
the wind, and all his thunders roaring from
his broadsides.
BETTER FIGHT THAN RUN
':That which thou hast to do, do it with
all thy mi Ight," said clergyman to bis son
one morning.