The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-07-30
NOVELTY.


brighten beauty. This is seen in the ordering
and arrangement of things about us. 1t Is a
law of our nature to become tired of things up
on which we are constantly gazing. The
monotony caused by the constant assocla-
ton with certain objects, is broken by
things which are new, novel. We are crea-
lures ever longing for new enchanting scenes, we
stop to catch the echo of new sounds, we love
to feed on new thoughts, or to express old ideas
in new forms.
We turn away from the landscape, with its
slopes, trees, and flowers to scramble up the
rocky sides of some towering mountain. But
we are not satisfied with that; we haste from
those giddy heights to enjoy the novelties OF
the grandeur of Niagara. Though the sight OF
those falls awaken feelings of the sublime, yet
we do not wish to always gaze upon them. We
seek again the fertile plains or the quiet vale.
We rush across the Rocky mountains to catch a
glimpse of the marvellous beauties of Yosemite
valley. Yet our appetite for new things is not
appeased Nor does a sojourn among the
flowers of ambrosial fragrance, in southern
climes, seem to satisfy our longing for the
novelties of sight But our vacation Is over,
and we return to our toll, hoping, by another
year, to enjoy the novelties of other scenes.
Again, we close our ears to the thunderous
peal of the great organ, only to listen to the
sweet tones Of the harp. Wea-e enchanted for
awhile by the majestic sweep of harmonious
sounds bursting forth from thousand brass
instruments, then bend with eagerness TO catch
the sweet cadences of some human voice tuned
to awaken the strongest emotions Of the heart
Those wearied by the incessant din and tumuit
of the crowded city, haste to the quiet of the
country, where they can retire to the deep rich
shades of the verdant woods whose suggestive
silence is only broken by the carolling of the
summer bird, or by the soft murmerS of some
silver stream.
There is a ncwness of melody in the "whit
what" of the rife as it is drawn over the edge
of the farmers grass scythe; and there is sweet
music in the soft refrain OF the reaper's song.
Thus there is a novelty in the transition
from one sound to another, the effect of which
is to produce pleasant sOberness.
Then again, it is a novelty to listen to sounds,
the grating of which produces impressions of a
ludicrous character. For instance, the croak-
ings of the old bull-frog are anything but
musical, but it is the novelty of sound occa-
stoned by the vibrations of his vocal chords,
that detracts from their unpleasantness. We
often laugh at the belabored mules u" the
orphan'') bray. We cannot suppress a smile
when we hear the members of that numerous
race of digitigrades, the cat, disturbing the
peace of the community by their nocturnal
brawls There is a town in New Jersey, in
which there is caninery. The occupants OF
this establishment fill the midnight air with
howls, hideous and doleful. To me- when in
that town, those howls were at first a novelty,
somewhat disagreeable-more ridiculous than
ludicrous. So we have exceptions to the rule
that novelty always pleases. Were the pro-
phecies of witchcraft fulfilled, this little town
in New Jersey would long ago have been
depoPulated; for the bowling of a dog you
know is sure sign of a new coffin. The screech-
ing voice of gossip ping woman CRATES hard
upon the ear. But then we don't mind that
since the novelty of her pensiye( voice is Sc
laughable. don't mean to say that such per-
sonages are scarce and therefore novelty but
that the crow-hke melody of her voice is q
novelty when we are in constant association
with those whose accents are sweet music
Joaquin Miller in his interesting letter from
Italy short time ago, stated, that he never
saw such land of dreams as about the bay OF
Naples. Gwen the dogs refuse to bark and
the poor belabored mules forget to bray.
Incredible as it may seem, even the women OF
Naples are silent half the time. | saw a cat
in the silver moonlight on the adjoining hotel
last night, curying his spine and rolling his
splendid eyes but never word said he" The
novelty in these cases, consisted not in the
sounds produced, but in the strange silence of
the actors.
To Be continued.
ADoLPRUs.
Port Murray, n. J., July %.