The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-01
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
For Additional Local Items see Third Page.l

MOUNTING PEaAsUs-THE GRAND IN
LOCAL LITBRATURB.-Why a man who calls
cat a cat in speaking should call it "a feline
species of fauna" when he writes about it, has
always been to us cause of surprise. And
why a very young writer scorns Saxon, and
uses only Johnsonian expressions has never
been satisfactorily explained. Yet both these
propositions are true. The most astonishing
examples of fine writing that we have seen
occur in local departments of newspapers,
and some of these exhibit such overwhelming
Outbursts of genius that we pity the blind fate
which made their author a reporter instead of
historian or translator OF the classics. One
of the most alarming instances of a flow of the
genuine "hitalutln" occurs in morning con-
temporary, in story intended to harro up the
soul. 1t Is the terrible tale Of a youthful
negress, who Is favored with the caption of IAN
Extraordinary Career Of Crime" and which
''cr1meB" appear to have consisted in the rather
distinctive but by no means extraordinary
sport of setting haystacks on fire. A column
and half of her adventures is spread before
the reader. We are assured that the 'story pos
sesses many astounding facts, of terrible fires,
attempted murder, destruction of property
generally and how large section of country
was kept for some time in continual excitement
because OF the supposed invasion by Rebel
cavalrymRn, commissioned especially to burn
private property without distinction OF owner
ship"
We will not follow the rambes of this won
derful negress, who at the mature age OF ten
does all sorts of wonderful things. We cannot
imagine the phenomenon as described. We
quote the graphic repOrter:-"She was cheerful
in the retirement of the prison; her eye was yet
piercing, and its expression rather fascinating.
Little did the visitor think it was EVIL eye.'"
AS she was then nearing thirteen, the lOrce of
the word ''yet" is easily appreciated. At that
age the eyes OF children mostly begin to grow
dim
little further down, the following lines, de-
scriptive of a country garden, occur:-
Attached to the residence were two splendid
flower-gardens, that exhaled their perfume on
the passing breeze. Some of these choice offer
ings of the Floral Queen were exotlcs, while the
others were rare indigenous plants. Early on
bright June morn, the hoWery mon h of the
year, it was discovered that ali the flowers in
one of the gardens had been pulled up blythe
roots, or torn from the stems and scattered pro-
usely around"
We call attention to the delicate name for
June, and also TO the immediate connection OF
the "FlOral Queen" (whoever she is) with the
subject. But we cannot quote more at large.
The same delicate style of description abounds
throughout the article. The servant is not dis
charPed, nor does she leave iamily-she only
''retires from service.n A mother who has lost
her child suffered the affliction of having, ''fol
time, her reasoning powers entrelYdethroned.'
And so on through the column and half We
would merely held up the present case as 9
lesson, from which TO draw the conclusion thai
as the task OF the reporter is merely to tell facts
the simplest wording will save him from ap
pearing ridiculous. When he advances opi
Mons, or beauties his paragraph with high
sounding sentences Of foreign Derivation, h
grows sublime, but also appears absurd