Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-08-07
sELF-PossEss1oN

monty denominated "brass," "cheek,"
and impudent assurance in this world,
which passes current in many quarters
for true self-possessiou, yet q greater or
more honestly detrimental mistake
could hardly be made. Thus it is that
smooth-faced rogues, hypocrites, conf
dence men and genteel sharpers often
make their way iu good society, where
a truly honest, straightforward man fails
to be recognized or appreciated. But
so it ever has been, and so we suppose
it ever will be. There seems to be no
help for it, and the smartest rascols are
those who ore never detected.
A very good instance Of ''brass" was
that of the fellow that walked briskly
up to q gentleman who had just arrived
at q picnic, riding n fine horse, took
hold of the bride, invited the gentle
man to dismount-telling him that he
took charge Of all horses-gave him an
old brass dog.tag by way of "check,"
leaped into the saddle and rode of.
This was all satisfactory enough until
the gentleman wanted his horse to ride
home, but still less satisfactory when
three or four weeks afterward he met
the fellow in a neighboriug town and
got a terrible threshiug for merely call
ing him a horse thief.
Then there was the sanctimonious
"cheeky ) old sucker in q seedy suit o.
broadcloth who wandered into q Down
East country village, passed himself fot
q missionary from Delaware about lear.
ing for Hindostau, preached them one
of Ward Beecher's sermons on "Faith,
Hope and Charity"-passing it of fol
his own, of course-sponged his living
for a week among the best Of them,
made practical love to the deacon's
wife, collected o few hundred collars
for the benefit Of the "poor heathen'
and then went on his way rejoicing amid
the farewell good wishes Of the entire
community. There was "cheek" fol
you.
Goodness and %composure under all
circumstances, however exciting or dis
advantageous, are very commendaole
qualities and should be practiced by al
whenever feasible. A pattern in thai
respect was the awkward young man a
the dinner party, where they would in
sist on making him carve n very tough
old turkey. He couldn't beg off, SO hi
| did his best under the circumstances
He sawed, dug and pried, stopping and
scattering the gravy and dressing abouI
until with one unlucky wrench he SEM
the old fowl spinning across the table
into the lap Of a lady opposite. Not in
the least disconnected he held out the
| platter toward her, with the coolest,
blandest smile imaginable, and said
Miss, will you please pass me thai
turkey?
True self-possession and cool decitive
judgment in the hour of peril or where
great and important contingencies occur,
involving the fate of thousands Of our
fellows of mankind, is IN important
quality possessed by but too few among
US. It is an attribute only of great
minds and substantial, true merit. II
is particularly observable, for instance,
in him who is to be the next President
Of these United States Ulysses s.
Grant. Look at his war record and see
everywhere outcroppings Of hat emf
men. degree of good sound common
sense which is ever present with him
. and which never allowed him to sc
astray in anything. Ever cool and self
possessed, be calmly watched the issues
presented, and made all his moves with
that brilliant yet quiet decisivenes:
which led him irresistibly onward &c
final victory, and which is destined
simply BY the laws of human nature
and deserved precedence to make him
chief ruler Of this great American ma
ton. The handwriting is on the wall,
and of what use is it for the poor, mis-
cradle, pu~sillanimous Democratic party
to try to find a man to match him. In
opposing him they simply rebel against
the immutablc DEGREES of fate. They
might as we'll try to stop the Mississippi
River from flowing into the Atlantic
Ocean.