Smyrna times., 1875-08-11
For the Smyrna Times.
The Witness.

weeks. | would not offer any but |
know that many have been disappointed,
looking for the appearance of him who
promised to tell them their faults in the
gentlest style, and afford them recreation
in seeing portrayed the faults of their
neighbors. My silence and nonappear
ance were not for lack of subjects or from
better opinion of mankind, but for the
time to fulfil the task with any sort of salts
faction to myself. Every writer should
satisfy himself first he, if he is a sensible
man, is the best Judge and critic OF his own
writings and he knows when he does badly
without being told of it, and when he does
we'll without applause. There are certain
class of would-bc writers who never do well i
and have not intelligence enough to discern
their faults. They rate themselves far
above their merit and get to themselves a
celebrity for many words and few thoughts |
If man writes only for Others, and not for
himself, he will remain what he is, or else |
degenerate, and soon become vender of
small fruits. He who writes for self -gratifi- |
cation and sclf-educttion, who delights in
bringing out some gem Of Thought, and
tin IL Giving it beautiful setting, enrchcs
himself and others, and is therefore more
beloved and appreciated. Many men write
ut So much y line. They have nothing
new or of importance 10 give the people.
No Thought has grown so big that it bursts
its bon.lS, but one can see on what they
wt.tr-ti,r w,.r Is b,.,ai and Lg9r'. Although
the Witness may not lave that power of
expression which is desirable. he certainly
ha, much to say, and he speaks for his own
benefit and that Of his readers. As the
weather gets cooler he hopes to testify to
greater length. You know that witness
stand is most uncomfortable during the
cheated term.
| have been told that there Is a man
living at Enmittsburgh. Nd, who has not
allowed water to touch any part of his
person for more than eight years. This
ccrentricity Of this unwashed individual
Leads nv Thought. out after the many per
sons in every community who continually
offend good lnannrr-, decency and moral
itv by what they name "eccontrlcity, and
therefore consider themselves eXcuSablc.
Indeed these very eccentriciticS are used in
some instances to hasten public notice. and
men are often deemed wise and great
because they cover their Ignorance and
Httlcness by their violations of the eStab-
T.hed laws OF society. The man to whom
we have referred goes farther than tins.
He sets aside the commands OF nature and
also of religion for nature Is ever purifying
herself. and certainly, if 'clcanliness is next
to codliness," this fellow is far removed
from the latter. If one should reason with
him he would probably give reply i'll
argument which he believes justifies his
course. You would not be able to convince
him that such filthy body is more liable
to disease than a clean one. He might tell
YOU that he has persevered in his intention
to bestow on his body an armor to protect
him against the shafts of disease, and IT you
assured him that he was walking nuisance
he would tell you that he had right tc
order his own private affairs according tc
his own Judgment. 1t is ever the case with
offenders of this class they are always able
to give a reason for their actions and justify
themselves by falling back upon the right
of private citizen, which, they tell us, are
to do as he pleases so long as he refrain
from the commission of that known a
crime, that so designated upon the statute
books of the commonwealth. You can no
arrest the man for not washing himself
and the State has fixed no punishment 70
uncleanliness of this sort. The man says h
has a right to wash or to remain filthy, a
he chooses.
passed one of the corners of our tow
the other night with lady, and judge
that numerous class of persons thin
they have a right to block up the sidewal
and become public atfrOnts to any lady VIII
walks out after dark. | suppose man Ia
a right to stop on the street; it may be o
a corner a few minutes with friend, bI
these loafers have no right to take posse
sion of the central portion OF our town an
make it trial for any lady to pass /
them. They suppose that they have pl
waite individual right to use obscene All
,nrofane language; to puff the smoke fro
very common cigars or nasty pipes in Il
face of the passers-by; to jOstlc Il lady, Sc
her skirts, tear her dress, and be a gener
nuisanee. Whether such things be priva
rights of the intelligent voters Of this lai
or not, 1 think it high time that our bett
citizens petitioned the town fathers to P
stop TO this outrage. This corner-loungl
after dark is an eccentrcity of an Afrlc
genius or a Caucasian loafer. This ls o
II,,stration of that class who do as tn
please, whether they offend others or n
There are people whose eccentricity g
EXPRESSION in a continual narration Of tn
ailments. They will stop you on the sire
at the post-office, in the church vestibu
anywhere, to tell you Of this pain or Il
ache, and are acquainted with all
patent medicines from Noah to Helmbc
There should be law against all su
The worst nuisances OF all, even worse u
II - Is Uufrlt