St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-10-10

every dirhem Of her estate to the socie-
ty for the conversion of the French to
Mahomedanism. | never saw cent
of it.
This was somewhat discOuraging,
but | determined to persevere. Bio
hard had dwelt so strongly on the ne
ceSsity of absolute truth. that | could
not think of going back on it. So |
grittcd my teeth and waded in.
Il had an uncle, very rich man,
who WAS afflicted with poetry. He was
troubled with the idea that he was a
poet. and spent the bulk OF his time
hacking away ut it. He had finished Il
poem of thirty-six cantos, and he in
vited me to hear it.
my son. said he Il have confidence
in your taste and Judgment. Now. |
am going To show this poem to YOU, and
shall abide Your Judgment. If you say
it is good. shall 81 esteem II. and pub
lish it: if you say bad. shall except
the decision. and burn it,
Fire away | answered. i'll the
oriental style. which is more tervld
than your form of utterance i'll this de
Tho "ia Sc"ei"'""n read. and read,
and read. | struggled manfully To keep
awake. and succeeded. When he got
through he paused.
"'Iour honest judgment. my son
Il determined to give an honest Opin-
ion. but said TO myself. will draw it
mild. will not hurt the old gentle
mans feelings | will treat him ten
derly.
".Tncle.' said |. the poem may have
merits. but | fail to discover them. 1t
is defective in rhythm. utterly and en-
tirriv devoid of sentiment, and afro
ciouS in design. \ more stupid, sense
less performance. was never bored
vita. 1t is hog wash. 1t is idiocy--it
is Deliberate idiocy. 1t was conceived
in weakness. and brought forth III imam
ity. would. for your sake. that |
could call il lunacv. but il lacks the
strength and fire that an overturned in
tcllcct would have given it. cannot
say lunary in connection with 1t. for T."
say lunacy prcSuppoScs intellect. OF
which this performance gives no token.
1t is drool. 1t is drivcl. For the sake
of Your family. do not publish it,
Il did not expect this criticism L"
produce the effect it did. for it WAS en-
tirrlv honest and Just. But il did NOT
strike the old gentleman pleasantly at
all. He glared at me a moment fierce
". and raising Il chair. tellcd me to the
floor lie kicked me ont of the house.
protesting the while that Il more insult
imy dog than | WAS did not dwell in
lspahan.
He did publish the poem, how
ever. and the public of lspahan Sis
tanned my criticism. The wits of Is
pahan and Teheran made him theiI
butt for weeks. But when he died. he
left me. who should have been his heir.
a bound copy of the accur>cd trash.
Il followed mp this thing for a year.
| told an orator that his peroration WAS
ho>h. and his entire speech was clap
trap. told Il dervi>h that his whill-
ing and howliug We're only half as good
rs they had been year before. In the
most candid manner. | Informed an
actor who had invited me To witness
and criticiSe his performance. that he
VAS the worst ! ever >aw-in short. Ill
that wear made IN enemy of every
man. woman and child in Ispaham: and
what grieVcd me was that in all that
time ! held closely to the truth. never
drliating from il Il hairs breadth.
And finally ! cam" 10 blows with
Rlohard himself. He asked my candid
opinion of lecture he had delivered
and | told him what | thought. aS he
had instructed me. | merely remarked
that the badness of the thought was
only cUuallcd lay the badness Of the
execution. aud that both together We're
exceeded 10y the badness of the delivery.
Instead of thanking me. he flew int" a
rage.
My son. truth is not the highest
wisdom in ordinary hands. but silence
is. ONLY very rich men can afford to
spread Truth about rccklessly. Truth
is too precious fn every day use. When
Il rich man SAYS. i am Il plain, blunt
man. and am used to speaking the
simple truth call things hy THEN
right name. | do'->ct him down aS Il
di>agrcrahlc old brute. who goes about
making people uncomfortable. because
he c;gl do it safely. When poor man
SAYS that same. set him down as Il fool
| do rot advise lying. hut beware of too
free use of truth 1t needs To he hand
led iudiciuuslN Were the world per
feet were everybody aS free from
( weakness aS. for instance. myself. il
/ would answer. for truth would then hC
/ pleasant but as it is. beware of IL.
silence. my ingenious friend. i,
YOUR best hold. Silence will concca
/ the fact that You are an inferior being
1 and will offend nobody.
Let silence he Your rule-spcech the
exception. Then shall yom prosper an'
he counted as one of the wise. Bu
leave me now. for | would rest.
And Ahou. after the manner of th'
Eastern Sagcs. mixed him a tumbler il
he strong waters of the Giaour. will
lemon and sugar. and a very little water
for the water of Trenton is not good
and swallowed it, saving. "BecheSm
but it is good. 1t warns the midrii
and makes one charitable. For an cX
cusc to repeat, would he willing al
most. tn heave ont another chunk a
wisdom.
And with this oriental ejaculation h
clambered into his bed.
A HINT FOR GOUNG MEN.-Not lon
ago Young man of this city had Il mos