Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-02-12
THE pR0TEsr OF A WALKER.

10 be very much disturbed until greater de-
gree of politeness and unselfshness takes pos
session of the hearts of men. Still, one may be
permitted TO protest against an evil even though
he does not expect to see it abated. Listen,
then, o ye who ride and who seem to think that
walkers have no rights which riders are bound
to respect. The substance of this protest orig
mated in two circumstances, to one of which the
writer was a witness. The first was as follows:
A lady, who has the misfortune to be deaf and
dumb, started one day to go ON foot to the house
of a neighbOr. There was snow on the ground,
and no path except in the middle of the road
As the lady was walking in this path, man was
seen to drive up behind her. Without attempt
ing to turn his horse aside, he coelly drove
against her, knocked her down and drove off as
if nothing had happened This, too, in the land
of steady habits, where men are supposed to
know something of politeness and humanity.
The other incident occurred on this wise:-
The writer was walking towards a little village,
distant about half a mile. Snow two feet and
half deep lay on the ground, and there was no
path save one made by sleighs. A woman was
was observed to be just leaving it. The sleigh
was drawn by one horse and contained male
specimen of the genus homo. When the sleigh
and the woman met the rider turned his horse
not one hairs breadth, but compelled the walk
er to get out of the path into thirty inches of
snow, and let him drive by. There was selfish
ness of the smallest, meanest kind. Who could
help being indignant at such absolute heathen-
ism?
But to come nearer home. Go into the streets
of Fremont, or any other town, particularly
when there is good supply of mud, and you
may constantly see the walkers put at the mercy
of the riders or drivers. Great wagons are sta
toned exactly over the street crossings and are
kept standing there for hours, while ladies and
gentlemen must content themselves to pick their
way as best they can in the mud around. One
cannot help inquiring what has become of the
Ordinance enacted by our City Fathers last year
against this very nuisance.
Who ever sees rider hold up his steed to al
low walker to pass? or look out that he may
do no injury to passer by? Only short time
since the writer narrowly escaped being run over
by one of these fast drivers who was dashng
through Front street in total disregard of the
rights and safety ofpedestrians. Yet, although
the question Just asked seems to challenge re-
ply, there is occasionally to be found man who
is regardful of the rights of those who are weaker
than he is. A good many years of observation
have revealed just few riders who show po-
liteness TO those who walk.
OF course no man is willing to risk a collision
between his own person and a horse or vehi-
Gle of any kind, The chances are all decidedly
against him. The walker therefore will use his
best endeavors to get out of the riders way
But does this constitute reason why the latter
should drive along as if he were lord of the
highway? Because he drives horse must he
compel men and women to yield the path to
that horse? Genuine good breeding would teach
him that he should yield to those who have no
power to compel him, on that very account.
But the rider not only oppresses the walker.
The strong rider is equally tyrannical over his
brother-rider of more slender vehicle. Get you
horse and light buggy some day and try it.
See if those who drive heavy wagon will res
pect your rights, and give you "half the road?"
No! the major part of them will compel you to
give them the whole path. Why7 Simply be-
cause your vehicle is the weaker, and in case of
a collision, is the more likely to be broken
Submit to this kind of imposition for while
and you will be likely to sympathize with
certain gentleman whose indignation was al
ways excited when be was crowded out of the
road. He never failed to salute the offender
with, "Give me half the road, you scoundrel."
But, after all, the breach of good manners
against which this protest is written, is only
sample of what goes on in the world quite ex-
tensively. The powerful, the wealthy, the in
fuential, are often the riders; while the weak,
the poor, the humble, walk in the world, and of
consequence, are compelled to "give the road,'
and go in the mud. 1t is not always SO it is true
1t libel on humanity to say that none
have learned the lesson of unselfshness. Still.
unselfishness is not so common among men as 10
be unworthy of notice. 1t is yet rare enough to
be refreshing to the soul.
The most interesting thought connected with
q
wards his fellow men is to be seen the reflection
of what he is in his soul In the rider who
reins in his horse that he may yield the path or
the crossing TO the weaker walker before him
you may see true polteness, true cultivation
You cannot avoid awarding to his act tribute
of esteem as you pass on. But in the act of him
who is needless of his pedestrian neighbors you
can only see selfshness and boorishness True,
this style of character is quite as common as the
other. But it is not profitable to dwell much
upon it in thought. Better is it to be thankful
that the other style is not altogether unknown
in the world. And, indeed, this seems to be the
attitude of the walkers. They seem to take it
for granted that they are 10 be driven from the
path. If a rider ever yields to their defenceless
estate the path which his power would enable
him to mORopolize, they accept the courtesy as
rare sweet among life's bitternesses. They are
thankful for it as ray of sunshine in day of
clouds. Yet how much more pleasant, how
much more brotherly would life be, if the riders
would all learn true poIiteness towards the
walkers
While the foregoing thoughts were taking to
themselves form the following was fallen in with
1t is subjoined as testimony to the truth from
an independent witness. 1t is doubtless from
the pen of Timothy Titcomb."
WORD TO THOSE WHO RIDE
1t is law of physics that two bodies cannot at
the same time, occupy the same space One or
the other must yield. The stronger aud weigh
tier one usually controls the weaker and
lighter. 1t is choice principle Of ethics he;77-
ever that might does not necessarily make right
and when the millennium comes, right will be
respected for what it is in itself and not for the
power it can exert. A good many people seem
to think that our public streets, the crossings
and everything pertaining to them, were ex-
pressly designed for the convenience of those
who ride. Let man get upon coach or coal
cart, wagon or dray, and he claims to be the
monarch of the street. And wo be to the luck
less pedestrian who ventures 10 cross the street
for he needs more than the wisdom of a serpent
to effect crossing with safety to life and limb.
1t will be well for these despotic Jehus. who
look down with such contempt upon every one
wi doaSn' 4 own mr. drive borca tr rap,a,,,bo-