Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-03-14

NN' " O4SSttS. tue beauties OF
hundred years ago, where are they nowP"
Dust" said Orestes, dust aud as
be said so he pressed his hand over his
pocket which held the miniature. "Do
YOU remember" said he in softer tone
than have ever heard him use, "do you
remember Story's exquisite poem. 'Prax.
iteles to Phryne? Ii you do repeat 10
me three verses--where he addresses
Pbryne and claims arts immortality for
her"
"Phryne thy human lips shall pale,
Thy rounded limbs decay
Nor love nor prayers can aught aval,
To bid thy beauty stay.
But there thy smile for centuries
On marble lips shall live
For art can grant 'cbdf lore denies,
And fix he fugitive.
And strangers when we sleep in peace,
shall say, not quite unmoyed
50 smiled upon Pravtiles
The Phryne whom he loved"
"Delicious human touchr' said Orestes !;
'the sculptor. with The instinct OF an
artist, looks down the centuries for the
spectator who is to sympathize with his
work o."
NO said Indignantly, 1.-The lover
seeks 10 charm the ages with the smile
OF Phryne"
"More dandelions " said the fell
Ores,es. "But do not intend to walk
primrose.paths this morning, intend
to talk sense; | wish to know why you
feel 50 little interested in what you call
nations birthday and, more than
that, why / feel SO little interested in
the Centennial"
IL think in my own case. that it
results from a lamenta5le ignorance of
The history of my own country; know
little of lis military and social history,
sill less Of its political history, and what
is worse, i, is impossible Tor me to read
anything with in,eres, about it. might
be ashamed to own this it | had not so
many companions in my ignorance Why
is Il? Is il because our story is so
modern ?'
"Ycs-parlly. History must wait AS
somebody said well in the morning paper,
but partly because no one has handled il
we'll might b, made picturesque, |
should think"
Yes; Hawthorne has contrived to
write gloomy, absorbing. morbid story,
from the cold puritan soil. in The Scarlet
Letter. bu: then We should be sorry to
pay tor such IN interest with such a
tragedy often. Besides unfortunately,
that particular tragedy does not belong
exclusively 10 any age OF the world. |
wish somebody would arise who could
tel me the story OF our early struggle,
aud our political conformation and
growth, 50 that it would stand out as
does the story OF Magma Chsria, for
instance"
Yes; you want some one 10 stand up
before an immense blackboard. and
chalk out for you ths outlines"
Exactly. want TO have the pTomi-
uent facts put before me in the Motley
manner. l never can lay down The
Dutch Republic any more than | could
have thrown aside the most enhancing
novel"
We'll no one has arisen yet who has
taken that trouble for you, and do not
believe any body will You have got to
study and study hard, to know the histo'
~ OF your own country. Truth to tell,'
continued Orestes, There are very few
picturesque incidents :"
"Oh. don't you think SOP l think
there are many incidents which arc pic.
turesque, and which. if def!ly woven in.
would make the warp and wool most
brilliant. Now, look at this, far back.
in 1919: Hitherto there had been but
few women in the colony; but Sir Ed
ward Sandys, convinced that pleasant
homes were necessary TO give perma'
nence 10 the settlement. induced ninety
Young women 10 cross the ocean, at the
expense Of the company, and they were
soon disposed of as wives 10 the settlers.
at the rate OF one hundred pounds OF
tobacco worth about seventy five dollars)
each. The next year sixty moro were
mt over. and the price OF wife rose to
one hundred and flly pounds OF tobacco.
From 1919 TO 1922, thirty five hundred
persons found their way TO Virginia. A
written constitution was obtained. and
trial by Jury and representative gov
ernment became acknowledged rights. '
Now, there you get important political
events tied on 10 very romantic story :;
for the idea of buying a wife. and o
pretty one. for seventy tive dollars, is
yery interesting. Poor girls! wonder
if they sent back pressed dandelions in
their letters to Englaud when colonial
husbands proved uukind? What a
romance is hidden under tue political
adventure of Sir Edward Sandys'
Yes, sevenly-fve dollars is high
price to pay for u wife. Why Pacahonias
was bought by Captain Argall from a
tribe where she was visiting for copper
kettle. Her father refused to ransom
her sud prepared for war. You see a
copper kettle is veIY useful article"
-, -. o.o,,la haaut;ful pocahontosi =