The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-07
THE PRESS CONVENTION.
An Eloquent Plea for Something Good
TO Eat and Drink.

selalla Democrat
On the 18th day Of next May, iusta little
over three months away, the Missouri An.
nual Editorial Convention meets in
Sedalia. A meeting OF this sort means at
least $50 editors, and the wives, the
daughters and the lady friends Of editors.
1t may mean more this time, 1t may mean
200. Sedalias name and fame have gone
abroad over the State broadcast. The
prairie is a sea, aad the sea always attracts.
1t has voice which, when it becomes
articulate, is always attractive. One also
sees vision on the sea that appears no.
where else in the world. At night they
gather about ship in multitudes; some
with long flowing hair trailing along the
water, and some that lift themselves up
with wet, bare bosoms, this one it may be
the re.rsen Venus, and that one the dead
Leander brought to life. Hence those
editors who live far from the prairie, and
there are many, will come first to- enjoy
all the green and glory OF a prairie in May,
with lis multitudinous voices like the
voices OF the sea; and, second, to learn
for themselves all about Sedalia, that
daughter OF the prairie, queen by the
spring on her head and the emerald gar
ments which engirt her.
All pastoral people are hospitable.
Something in the earth they till, and
something in the toCks and herds they
mingle with, make them Arabs. He,who
touches their salt is sacred. Wete he
thrice accursed, and were there thrice
upon his garments the blood Of kindred,
there for the trusting conner would be the
milk, the dates, the holy guest chamber.
Sedalia is the peculiar creature OF pas
toral race. They are about her on every
hand, they fill her streets, they throng her
markets, they penetrate her with the per-
feet freedom oil uniettered life and make
her feel the precious obligations those
feel who commune eternalIy with nature
and thereby commune eternally with God.
Therefore, Sedalia's welcome must be ss
warm as her May winds and as perfect as
her pride OF growth and position. She
must make every one OF her guests feel
perfectly at home. There must be q
banquet fit for those who fight long,
weary, never ending battle in favor OF all
things good, and true, and eleyating. No
corn cake and butter-milk affair, one-half
friendly and the other puritanism. No
Flat Creek water affair, Us demure as a
dumb man and as dangerous as green APP
pies. Good cheer is the watChword.
Something that will warm up is the watch
word. Wine is the watchword. People
talk about people getting drunk. They
may feel the blood to flow faster; the
pulse to beat quicker; the castles in Spain
to stand out in holder relief, each tower
like. some mighty standard OF king,
rising more gradually through the lances
OF the sunset; retrospections to crowd
ever thicker and fairer; half forgotten
faces to appear more life-like, the touch of
q vanished hand to grow warm again the
sound OF voice that has been still oh so
long, 10 make itself heard once more, as
though it was spoken as Of old by the gar
den; fanCy's winding rivers TO have a
deeper flow; the shapes OF all the past's
sweet things TO gather as tide and bear
one backward until all his childhood finds
him on the hills OF home-but this is all.
Is this too much? Won't our guests love
US all the better, and think OF US all tho
more kindly II we show them how
thoughtful we can be OF their food and
drink and entertainment? Do we not
at home, when company comes, strive
to add dish or two here and bot
tie or two yonder? AS is the family
SO Is the city. True hospitality Is
true cosmopolitanism. 1t is not every
mans wish to take wine, then very
well, there is abandoning coffee, milk, tea,
or water2 1t is not soHmuch the wine at
last, as 1t Is the spirit in which 1t il offered.
We propose to give every indication pos
sible OF the genuineness OF our welcome,
and We cannot stint our guests in one
single thing They arc also coming to see
the town and it is our duty to show it to
them. Every editor who wants a carria Q
must have one. Not only that, but he
must be induced or pursuaded to take one
and see for himself what great metropolis
has grown up here without one.hali the
State knowing anything about It, and the
other half too Credulous to believe 1t even
il 1t had been told them.
This is a subject, however, OF many as
poets, and we shall return to it often and
often.