The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-22
OF co URsE HE'S GREAT.
How Man Discovered He POSSESSED All
Tho Good Qualities.


Tho Good Qualities.
From the Colored American journal.
l, Theophilus Thingumbob, might have
existed always in the belief that was a very
ordinary parsonage, had l not fortunately
taken to reading the lives of other great men,
notably DR.. Johnson, Goldsmith, Foote,
Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds. There dis
covered what my envious and inferior associ-
ates would never reveal, and what |, in nv
confiding innocense had never suspected, that
| was not only the possessor the qualities
OF any one of these great men but OF them all
combined! And now, with that generous for
getulness OF self which you will find spattered
profusely over and around my orbit In life, 1
propose to tell how found out my greatness.
This first thing that set me thinking was read
ing that DIR. Johnson was Of "poor, but hon.
est parents" "Why," thought I, $50 am /.
| declare" DIR. Johnson breathed heavily
when eating, and was great elutton. NV
parents, not knowing this to be the indication
OF greatness, often reproved me for the same
thing. DIR. Johnson was not neat in his dress;
my worst enemy will testify the same of me.
DIR. Johnson was eloquent so am /. never
make speech without half of the audience
leaving before am fairly Started--overcome
by their emotions. Reading of Goldsmith,
that he ''wrote like an angel, and talked like
poor Poll.' reflected that many times the
latter statement has been said of me, conse-
quently, seasoned my acute mind the first
part is true of me also Goldsmith was often
hard up for money; l am always hard up.
Some of Goldsmith's early writings were used
by the publishers; all of mine have been.
Then Foote-Foote was comedan; know
l am, tor many persons in ungarded moments
have dropped the remark. "He can act the
fool to perfection" They referred to some
noted comedy mean to try soon. Foote
was witty; know am, for never venture a
remark in company without everybody's
laughing. Sir Joshua Reynolds was great
painter OF landscapes; | am great painter of
houses. Sir Joshua was deaf; / have no
doubt that am too. Take our own Edgar A.
Poe, said to be unsettled in mind; have no
hesitation in ascribiDg the same merit to nv
self. His Raven" is said to be weird; I
have written a companion piece called "The
Buzzard, which is just as weird, indeed; il is
the same, word for word, except that insert
''Buzzard" where Raven occurs. WASH
ington Irving wrote ''Knickerbocker's His
tory Of New York. have read that identi-
cal history; George Washington was the father
OF his country; am not old enough 10 be the
father OF that big thing, but have no doubt
as to my ultimate parental relations to such an
infant, il a mother able TO bear him could be
found.
could pile on the proofs of my greatness
mountain high, but you will be convinced by
these already given.
. THE City Council decided at its last meeting
to purchase as the representative body of the
city a certain tract of land and then give il To
the Woman's Benevolent association. to he
used as site for Home for Friendless
Women. The object of the association is un-
doubtedly good one and the LIGHT has no
intention OF rejecting on the association or
de,racting in any way from the laudable work
it has undertaken, but the proceeding of the
Council is so conflicting with a statuta,orv
provision that comment is deemed necessarv
to prevent complications from arising in ths
future and causing considerable an noyance 10
me ASSOCIATION and to the city. What the
Iouncii proposed to do was in excess of its
authority Here is the law on the subject
Mo county, city or other municipal CORPORA
ton shall hereafter become a subscriber 10 The
capital OF any private corporation or associa-
ton, or make any appr ,priation or donation 10
the same, or in anywise loan its credit. . Go
reads section grid of article NJ of the State
Constitution. The LIGHT is informed ,hat
the association spoken Of is private associa-
ton, and if the information be correct IN.
giving OF the land as proposed would he q
donation; hence such a donation would h.
manlfesty unconstitutional. The Civ Council
should be careful to conform 10 the Copstitu-