Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-06-25
OLD TIMES AND NEW.

The Persian, Abou ben Adhem, was In a
deep study one morning, when a PERSONA
male person-from the village In the neighbor-
hood came to him, for the purpose of con-
yersation.
"what wouldst thou?" was Abou's re-
mark.
~ would learn something." was the reply.
"rhat Is To say, you would drop the bucket
OF your ignorance into the well ofmy wisdom.
Wen, be chesin, drop away-what wouldst
| thou know"
"Great Abou, is there any way by which we
degenerate sons of noble sires can get back TO
the good old habits, manners and customs of
| our forefathers? Can We restore the simple
habits OF the olden time-the good old timc?"
"Whatl"
"Can we not 20 back few huu,l red years,
| aud"
"Ass twas Abous reply. "Oh, what fate
Is mime Such men as you come to me, and
as there is punishment for killing, am COM
+, PEELED 10 convert. Well, submit.
| "Nou sigh for the good old times, do you >
DO You know what those good Old times were
| bt course you do not. Such men rs YOU never
do. You have an idea in your wooden heads
that men were simple, honest beings, who wen.
about in doubtlets, knee breeches and hose,
| with silver buckles on their shoes, and that
women were ditto-a but the brooches and
doubllets. lou have got the notion that as the
| world grows older wlckedness increases, and
that all humanity is tending 10 CHASTITY hell.
| "Oh, imhecile, oh, gnoramus oh, unphil-
osophiral reader of bad poetry. Don't You
Know that human nature was precisely the
same live hundred years ago that 1t is how
| that humanity perpetually yearns for some
thiug better and higher and nobler, and that
| precisely AS knowledge increases 81 does good.
ness" You want to 90 back to the good old
times do YOU What good cid times To
the good old times of Moses and Joshua, who
had habit when they made war OF slaughter
ing all the men, women and children who fell
| into their hands: No. they reserved the
| women but il was no compliment to the NOR
ais of these people that they omitted that much
OF hloodshcd. DO You want TO 70 back to the
good old times Of the old French kings, say
| Francis and the earlier Louises, when the peo-
pie were slaves, permitted black bread only,
anu not hall enough of that, ard the nobies
we've iyrants, welding supreme power and
ROBBED in yclvets and silks. Have YOU a fancy
| Tor the good old times in Germany, when the
| harons, when they cane in from hunting, had
a cheerful habit of having a peasant killed and
| MS bowels taken out that they might warm
| their feet in the cayityo Or do YOU prefer the
good old times in England, when King and
Court Were 50 shameessly dissolu;c that no
pletcnce OF virtue was made-when chastity
| was Scoif, aud conccalmcnt of sin ioke-when
fLondon was ruled by common stabbcrs, when
might was right, and safety was only found in
cunning VI strength? How would YOU like TO
trade your steamship for the old high popped
sail vessels, the railroad for the cumbrous wag-
on--thc macadamized road for the mud, the
cooking range for the barbarous tireour cuisine
for the fearful crockery, Crpton water for mis-
cradle wels,gas for torches CT lieht-wood; safety
for danger comfort fot non-coinfort, civilization
for harbarism- l-shou."
There wasn't any such thing as humanity
III those days either in theory or practice. If
man got tired of his wife, he simply dissolved
the matrimonial tie by cutting her throat il A
woman got tired of her husband, she limited to
her paiamour the fact that Sir Henry was a
u~some old mum, and Immediately Sir Henry
had rapier ran through him.
"How vast the improvement OF these later
DAYS Now, the party disguised, simply goes
TO Indiana or Chicago, and in a perfectly legal
manner the Judge disSolves the connection, and
the party returns and marries the new object Of
lis or her choice, and everything is as serene
As the face OF a mill pond.
In the good old times Of which you are so
enamoted, if man got embarrassed, pecuuiali-
ly, he mounted his horse and loaded his pistol:
they didn't have beautiful revovers then-and
putting an ugly black mask over his face, rode
out on the highway and stopped the numbering
old coach, and took purses al the muGle Of tie
pistol.
Now, how does such an individual doe-
Why he gets y contract from the Government
lie starts lite Insurance company or, II he is a
great genius, genuine descendant OF Dick rur-
pin OF Jack Shepherd, he gets into Congress and
votes As his conscience aud interest dictate, OF
he gets hold of the Ellie Railroad or but why
enumerate > You see the difference, and how
much to-day is better than the days three hun.
dlsd years age
, 10 bring down i little later. how would
, You like to 60 back 10 the DAYS Of the Puritan
fathers, these GStimable old liberals, who haj