Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-18
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
Now and Then.
aoueu AT THE OPERA HOUSE.


such crowd as only Cough can draw
together. 1t was filed to its utmost
capacity, not seat being left unoccu-
pied, andnumbers were obliged to stand.
The lecture was illustrated, pointed and
enforced by anecdotes, new and old,
told in Coughs inimitable style. The
audience were at times moved to tears
by his touching stories, held as if spell
bound by his lofty flights of eloquence,
and anon moved to the ost convulsive
laughter by his funny stories, told as
only he can tell them. The lecturer
was introduced by J. NJ. Haven, who
announced that the next lecture would
be given by w. s. Andrews, Jan. 9th,
on dialect Humor."
Mr.. Cough commenced his lecture as
follows:
"Now and then is term often used
10 signify occasionally-once in a while
but there are thoughts perhaps worthy
Of utterance suggested by its higher and
broader significance, as we stand ia the
now that is, and contemplate the then
that was, and look into the future that
win be- To-day we reap the fruit of the
workers of the past, and in the bye-and-
bye another generation shall garner the
harvest sown by the workers of to-day
We are preparingas nation to celebrate
the events of one hundred years ago, to
commemorate the birthday of our ma
ton, prosperous republic that has been
solving the problem of government by
the people for century, and now shall
we not call up the past, and refresh our
minds by brief review of the scenes
fraught with such mighty results to us
of to-day. The speaker here referred to
the fearful turmoil the stamp act created
in Boston, until it was repealed. Then
came more expressions the merchants
pledged themselves to use no British
goods recreant merchants were watch
ed assemblies were dispersed, until
the first blood of the Revolution was
drawn. The speaker then gave an ac-
count of that historic struggle and con-
tinued All this is history, and we might
tell of the struggle in long years after
ward, but forbear. We are bound to
cherish our free institutions, bought Cor
us with so much sacrifice.
The world has made wonderful adj
vancement within the present century.
Richer and more prolific discoveries have
been made in the course of fifty years of
our own life time than in all the pre-
vious life time of the race. In phil
osophy, poetry, sculpture, painting and
architecture, we have made but little
progress. We have not advanced on
Homer's poetry, or Phidias sculpture.
The speaker here referred to the wonder
full improvements In the arts of war and
of writing, and said: But it is in light,
locpmotion and communication that the
progress in this generation contrasts
with the aggregate of progress in all
generations put together since the ear
lest days of authentic history. The
speaker then contrasted the light used in
the time of Belshazzar and Marie Antoi-
nette with the calcium and Bude lights
of our day, and the locomotion of Noah,
Nimrod, and our fathers, when they
travelled at q speed of from three to
twelve miles an hour, with the locomo-
ton OF to-day, when we travel three
hundred miles in day easily. In 1929
1t took him sixty-three days to cross the
Atlantic, and now it takes nine. The
progress in the means of communication
is more remarkable than all. Washing
ton was no better off in this respect than
the consuls of ancient Rome or Julius
Cesar. Now, at our breakfast tables
we read in our morning papers all that
occurred of Importance the day before,
and the state of the weather the world
over. Here the speaker gave an account
of the telegraph, gas, and steam inven-
lions. There is much to stir our pulses
when we note now the giant-like stride
of progress in the last fifty years and
there is clear call to real festival of
hope, gladness and rejoicing in the pres
light. But what should be our attitude
In this steadily growing radiance? Is it
not the wisest course to take frequent
observations, look close to our reckon
Ing, while we are going so fast, and see
often just where we are? / acknowl-
edge 1t Is pleasant to conceive our own
era the grandest that has ever been, but
let us turn the cool, calm eye of reflec-
tion on our boastings, and see how much /
that seems gold shrivels into tinsel
In old times a couple married for love,
for happy home, a plain fireside, and
their best companions each other. Now
do not couple often begin in surround
ings where their father ended, and the
marriage relation is made matter of
barter and sale, and family life is meta
morphosed into wretched struggle for
fashionable display? Old Aunt Chloe
said, when asked, ''When is de married |
or single life de happiest?" "Dat de-
ponds on how dey enjoy demselves. 1t |
is hard for some people TO live peacea-
bly, together. If men and women would |
take as much pains to hold each other
as they do TO catch each other, there |
would be fewer unhappy marriages.
As people, we boast of our indepen-
dence. True, we are republican, and
yet we have a king. We are Christians,
and yet worship the meanest of all gods
and bow the knee to Mammon. Almost
any man who can command money
can command an entree to circles
called select, while a superior
poor man is debarred. The
colored woman was right when she said
''Faint de white, nor yet de black folks
dat hole de most influence in dis world,
its dc yaller boys" We do not boast
much of our political honesty; there
are honorable exceptions, but where can
be found more corruption than among
our politicians? Is parental government
acknowledged and enforced now as it