Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-06-01

not forbear rendering him all the assis
tance | could to make him feel comfort
able. Yet l supposed, of course, that
he would act as though he knew him
self more tit to be an observer than the
observed. His conduct for the first
few moments justified my opinion. He
was quite silent, and after few pleas
ant remarks passed him by my wife he
was eft to himself.
Oleander is gentleman of fortune
as well as poet. He is decided
aristocrat. He is one of many Ameri
cans on whom the traditions Of the Old
World have greater influence than the
noble spirit of progress which charac
terizes our own Institutions. In an
imaginative being, however, such as he
| consider this less reprehensible. The
past must ever have halo which the
present has not He was mounted on
his hubby as Jones entered the room.
aud, | could perceive, was intensely
disgusted at his appearance and the air
of equality with which he shook hands
with him. 10. es must have seen ttoo,
but it was altogether insufficient to dis
turb his serenity and yet Oleander is
a great man He has been addressing
many of his late poems to my eldest
daughter, whom he regards with the
most refined affection. To this, some
what, | attributed his manifestations of
impatience as Jones seated himself be-
side her, and, apparently unconscious of
the poor figure be cut, made some pleas
ant observation. .r
AS soon as sufficient civilities had
been paid the painter Ol.anfer, ig-
noring his presence, saw fit to take up
his discourse at the point where it had
been broken off, and launched into a
gloriGcation of the feudal ages:
In that bright star of .lden time the
people held their proper place They
were the riehtful slaves of their noble
masters. That Difference was paid
station which its merits accorded. No
bility was transmitted from father to
son, and no aspiring denagngue could
seat himself beside it. Churls were
churls then-by themselves and all 9TH
ers SO regarded
Jones here interrupted the flow of
eloquence by saying, You forget, Sir,
that in that golden era all the more
noble professions were degraded beside
that of arms; the physician was but an
apothecary; the learned man of science
despised or dreaded as wizard poets
instead of divinely inspired
teachers, were looked upon as mere SER
wants .
This was outrageously impudent of
Jones Confound the fellow who was
he? A miserable dauber, who could
hardly support himself My wife gave
me a supplicant look. My eldest
daughter frowned and bit her lips; my
youngest laughed softly to herself.
There was an awful pause, and then
Oleauder, without reply, in calm disdain
proceeded. | could yet see he was en-
ragged, and knowing his sarcastic power.
felt sure the presumptuous Jones would
at length be brought to his proper
level
The system of caste was further
lauded. Oleander went more remotely
into history and extolled the ancient
Egyptians. Among them,' he observ-
ed, was carefully studied the natural
fitness of things. The carpenters son
must be carpenter, the plowman's
plowman. Among them were not seen
parents toiling hard and depriviug
themselves of comforts in order that
their children might reach another and
a higher position. No children de-
spised their parents in that their edu-
cation, their accustomed circumstances,
untitled them for the circle in which
their offspring moved
He talked splendidly, and we all
thought Jones completely anuihilated.
Every word uttered was stab at the
youngsters iusolence. How elegantly
it was done too. Oleander had oever
US more favorably. My wife
and daughters interchahged looks of
satisfaction No one of us
glanced in Jones direction out of pity
for his extreme discontinue. Imagine,
then, our astonishmen, when, in firm
and digufed tone, that individual again
our esteemed friends ora
tory
AS philosopher, Sir, you are, 1
must suppose, inclined to honor those
who love the truth. You will oblige
HE by throwing more light upon what
You have just uttered 1t appears to
me that the laws of God are higher than
those of man that where He gave
talent He meant it should be used. No
one, | believe, can deny that the CON-
mon people have p' oduced the greatest
geniuses What would not mankind
have lost had they been compelled by
law to devote themselves exclusively to
the parental profession y
jones spoke well-there was noques
tion Of that. But then what impudence
never saw the gentlemanly exterior of
Oleander SO discomposed. He turned
pale With Indignation and bit his lips
before he responded in frigid tone
Il know of no better illustl alton, Sir,
of the truth of my remarks than your
self. l bid you good-evenins.' He
glanced at the clock upon the mantle,
and added, gayly: Yes, ladies. your
pleasant converse has delayed me many
minutes beyond the time set for an ap
pointment elsewhere And bowling
himself out of the room he was gone.