St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-06
TALK.


our social system. Why, said he, look at his
enviable immuni.ies! We posed before him
in schools, fire departments, churches, and
state house. We gave him to understand
that these demonstratiye results were the
climax of civilized effort and expense as far
as we had gone. We put him in proscenf-
um box at the opera house, and he saw our
beauty and cur chivalry in the glow of mean
descent lights. What do you suppose he
thought of our exposition in his innermost
heart? Think you he would prefer cycle of
| st. Paul to fifty years on his native beat. or
hunting ground! He would hardly make the
swap. Perhaps while we were enjoying his
stolid and granting establishment, he, too,
was bordering problem that has puzzled all
his kind, viz: that a dominant race, great in
all the discoveries and in material progress,
should neverth eless be so little in moral OBJ
legations toward the Indians, and SO per-
| tidious in all business relations with them.
Doubtless he felt that it wasn't good for him
to be here, and mayhap looked upon his So
journ as sorto quarantine, only to be lifted
when he breathed the familiar air of the big,
free, wholesome upper country.
haven't pretended to give the language
Of the brilliant interlocutor. could not. 1t
took the varied hues of history, poetry, senti-
ment, justice, and sociology. 1 can merely
hint at the drift of his statement.
But it trenches on much discussed sub
ject at the present time. 1t comes up to ex-
plain some suicide, some failure, and some
| nh oof{ riff or
or it is used to account for the mediocrity of
intellect in public men. The subject is that
of nerve exhaustion which is undermining
the social world. The modern neurose has
its physicians whose fees are considerable
since the malady they treat exclusively Is
mainly known among the wealthy and the
great
The excitement of modern life is the cause.
There is no such thing as calm in it. Its
routine is described as being in the racket,
and catching on' is a process which means
the experiences that keeps up with the velocity
of the times.
The persons who realize the peril to nerve
power, keep out of the swift current, and
are able to do well the work appointed for
them to do. Retirement and solitude are the
necessary atmosphere of greatness. The per-
sons doomed to spend their lives in the pub
lie eye in exciting work, and exciting pleas
ures, drop out of existence suddenly or break
down from over work, tits said. Suicide
without the direct intent should be the tacit
verdict in such cases.
Examples are cited to us of men who seem
| IN no rnorya1c Of m durapna hut If tha trIlth
were fully known they are not exceptions to
the order of self sacrifice but rather illustra-
lions of it. Bismarck, whose nerve strength
has been declared Herculean, is said to be
the victim of brain fatigue and a martyr to
the subtlest cruelty Of neuralgia. And no
wonder. The Chancellor of Germany man
ages the internal administration of the en-
pire, decides its commercial policy, directs
the telegraphs and posts of all the states save
Bavaria and Wurtemburg, prepares subjects
to be submitted to the federal council, has
cognizance Of the finances, customs and
debt, manages foreign affairs and looks after
the Reichstag, making a speech when the
| spirit moves him, and, so doing the work of
hundred men, he has rashly counted upon
the fibres which were called ''iron'' for SO
many years of strain upon them, but which
can now vibrate to neuralgia.
| have been amused at the severe drubb ng
Mr.. Bronson Alcott got for his declaration
of sparing himself any ruinous
nerve exhaustion. Says the sage of the Con-
cord Summer school: II early determined
not to put my life as pledge for fine furni-
ture, for luxuries, etc. We lead simple life,
Mrs. Alcott and IL eyes" says the woman
editor of the Indianapolis Raiew, 'the lived a
simple life, but she was obliged to work like
slave. < x Mr.. Alcott's simple life
did not take in the gross material cares of
providing for his family-that vulgar duty fel
upon his wife and family. His daughter
Louise hired out as a nursery-maid before she
took up the pen, and since then has entirely
supported the family. Oh, no; Mr.. Alcott
never put his life as pledge for the material
surroundings. He unused and medtated
whilst his family scratched up something for
him to eat His simple life must seem very
beautiful to those who never knew the labor
ious and anxious life his wife and children
led"
Next to Bismarck the most nerve-jaded
man in Europe, beside whose work that of
the great chancellor seems easy, is Mr.. Worth,
the dress maker A recent Paris letter in
the New York IHail and Express gives tn is
picture Of him:
''The other day I saw Worth come from his
| place of hiding to talk with person of import
ance. When he had finished and was about to
| go, wall of supplcation broke forth: MIR.
WORTH you will think of me- Mr.. Worth. you
| will do something for me, Mr.. Worth, give me
! just one minute At that moment, for it seems
Mr.. Worth's retirement had been genuine, sew
eral employees came in eager also to catch his at
| tention. First one and then another asked him
hastily some whispered question. Others,
| trailing samples of rich silks, held them
inquiringly before his eyes, Suddenly his face
| grew purplish red, the veins Of his forehead
swelled, he closed his eyes, shut tight his hands,
as if in great tension, the gesture of a man put
ting, with great effort, restraint upon himself,
| holding himself together, so to speak.
''They are killing me, )" he murmured ''They
are all on my back; they are weighing me to the
earth" The employees fell back awe-stricken,
| the wall of the women ceased and dead silence
fell on the room. The moment was really solemn,
for the suffering of the man was too evident
These are some of the risks of figuring
prominently and excitingly in modern civil
cation. You break down, or die long before
your time. The rapid pace of life despoils
enjoyment of its finest charm, and takes
from effort its best artistic finish. Steam,
electric telegraphy, and all the quick inven-
tons for getting ahead in everything, have
brought about feversh conditions of exist
ence and nervous distempers, for which NOR
phine, chloral and hydropathy are recon-
mended.
"Why," says Mrs. Harris, show thankful
one should be for belonging to the common
people, for they are exempt from this mod
ern neurose you speak of, in leading quiet,