The Portland daily press., 1876-01-12

| news from the outer world crept in slowly, and
was matter of talk for month. 1t permea ted
| all minds, was viewed from all Sides was ru-
minated upon and inwardly dgested. Now
sensations succeed each other daily, drive each
other out of mind, give no time for thought
The whole bad history of the world for twenty
four hours is brought to them every evening;
and they cease to "wonder at crime" have no
leisure to condemn before a new wickedness
is brought to their notice, and content them
selves between mails with an occasional moan
over the evil days upon which they have fallen.
They are so busy reading of the wrong that
they have no time to fight for the right They
come to believe that the world is going to the
bad, so much more attention is given to the
chronicle of crime than to the record of the
rapid and wonderful progress in humanity,
and science, and culture. Greatest misfortune
of all, the rustic lad has ceased to be son of
the soil. He avoids good honest dirt as filth.
Years ago he went to school, pursued limited
curriculum, learned at least how to write and
spell and speak English; learned the four rules
of arithmetic; learned to measure cord OF
wood; learned to survey ten .acre-lo.; learned
to assess tax; read but few books, and made
them his own. Nov he cannot afford the time
to study. and is controlled by discomfort until
he is off to that bad brilliant world of which he
daily hears.
The people have fallen down to worship
god of brass and iron, the locomotive 1t is a
great and everyday pleasure for the young 1us-
tic to climb high hill back of the village and
listen to the whistle few miles off. Of late
lumbermen have cut paths through the woods,
and in the fall when the trees are stripped of
their leafy coverings which muff1s sound, the
sharp shrek of thu steam whistle is very dis
tlnct. Even the mature wood-chopper with
axe on shoulder stops to listen, and feels pleas
ure at sound of the strident wheeze. The
whole village is PREACHING out its arms to the
noise and hustle Of the great world. Every
mans manual of devotion is the railroad time
table, and over it he psrsistently pores. The
better sex too have caught the infection. All
new music is jingled on pianos lamentably out
Of tune, and girls sing, in voices like young
cats, the latest idiotic songs. Art is not neg.
lected, and Cencis with eyes awry and baby
faced Evangelines are stuck upon the parlor
walls.
The daily mail is responsible for much of
this, for it brings the daily paper. In the old
time only the weekly reached the country, and
in the hebdomadal sheet the news of seven
days had to be "boied down." A terrible
murder or other crime was dismissed with brief
mention. A rape or defalcation was given
but single line. Time was allowed for ru-
mors to be contradicted, for the truth to be es.
tablshed. Story and miscellany held the mai
or portion of the paper. In the daily the tele-
graph pictures crime with sickening minute
ness, and searches every corner of the earth for
the record of wickedness. The wise words of
the ancients, the best thoughts of the moderns,
have to give way to the ever encroaching ne VS.
SO the daily mail is not an unmixed blessing.
The world is doubtless wiser and better than
ever before, but the wisdom and the goodness
do not seek the telegraph wire. AS of old, truth
being naked, and wisdom and goodness, being
modest, shun the highway, and do not faunt
themselves in public places
The little village fancies its condition inn
proved. 1t is improved in matters material.
Business has revived. Stores have been opened
industrial occupations have started up. The
farmer finds reader market, the mechanic
higher wages. More money comes into town,
and people grow rich faster. Dalton's Corner
is now an industrious place, fast gaining in
wealth and numbers, and material resources,
and worldly prosperity. But its old charm has
departed forever. 1t is only thriving New
England village. NJ