The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-03-22
RANDOM WRITINGS.


Mr. L. W. Howe's FIRST venture in fiction, "The
Story OF Country Town" has been abundanty re-
viewed, and on the whole 80 favorably that he has
been encouraged TO bring out another novel, and
seems likely TO prove prolino as well as popular
writer. lie doubtless owes host OF readers TO Mr.
lloweiis, whose praise OF his book In the Century
naturally drew good deal OF attention to It. Mr.
llowells has produced so much charming literature
himself that we must believe him competent to
judge OF other peoples writings, and II he says a
book ls a good one most people would take his word
for II and read the book Nor would they be dsap-
pointed IN this case. The "Story OF Country
Town is 80 well worth reading that feels under
some obligation to the person who called ones at
tention to 1t. novel published at Atchson,
Kansas, and presumably by the authors own prnt-
ing establishment, might seem to be in danger OF q
very obscure career, but kind fortune or kind
critic provided larger destiny for it.
Although the book has been widely read, and as
widely reviewed, 1t seems TO that one OF the most
original and interesting chapters has never been
noticed. The author calls II "a rather tedious tenn
peranCe leCture,n and II contains his views en- the
temperance question. Very thoughtful they are too
and not at all tedious. lis too long to quote, but
few sentences may give the drift OF his meaning
| lie says:
We pet drunkards too much, and a halo OF senti-
mentality surrounds them instead OF the disgust
| aud contempt they deserve Ira man Is a noted
liar or noted vagrant society allows him to ind
his proper level and reform himself but II he drinks
too much great numbers OF men and women at
tempt TO reform him with Kindness. As a reason
why he should not disspate he Is told what dstin-
guished positions he could occupy but for the habit
and while this is well.intented the facts generally
are that the fellow Is entirely worthless. whether
drunk or sober. Many young men are thus led into
the false notion that great brains feed on stimuans
and regard an appetite as Intellectual.
To Nat n m m nj Ep
prevails in speaking OF the temptations to drink.
Temperance people dwell upon the allurements and
pleasures OF drink and the "gded palaces where
1t Is sold until young men and boys led into tenn
patton by the very persons who are trying to warn
them. The plain facts that drinking saloon is q
thoroughly unattracve place, that the society to be
found there is not only undesirable, but unntSrest
Ing TO an Intelligent person, and that liquor Is as
pleasant in the taking as in the effect, would be
more likely to impress our youth with the wholesome
idea that drinking is simply dscreditabe as idle
ness and viciousness, and will arouse nothing but
| contempt for those who form the habit. MIR. Howe
says:
1t is no more remarkable that men should drink
TOO much than that men should eat too much and
die before their time OF dyspepsia. The one we re-
gard as glutton, and despise him. but the other is
fondled and ptied. The result Is that men are
oftener cured of excessive eating than of excessive
drinking
He modestly adds that his theory may not be right,
but Is very obvious that the results Of those gene
rally held very unsatisfactory One cannot help
thinking that a wholesome change in public senti-
| ment toward drunkards would help the temperance
| cause amazingly.
If is true as reported in distant papers, that one
of our theatrical managers called upon President
Cleveland and placed box at his disposal, and that
Mr. Cleveland courteousy replied that he should be
glad to use box at the said managers theatre upon
hat hn nraf IN nj n A, ha
usual way and at the usual price, is very gratifying
indeed, and offers another opportunity to admire the
good sense, good taste, and manliness Of the new
Chief Magistrate; for there is no denying that, as
perquisites are dear to every human being who has
them, just so bitter are they to every human being
who cannot have them. There is an innate sense OF
justice firmly rooted in the breast of every Ameri
can citizen which makes him deeply tho privl-
| leges which other men enjoy without paying for.
For instance, who is nsensble the charm Of trav-
| cling on pass? But what Independent American
who pays his own railway fare falls to denounce the
niquities Of free passes? Who does not enjoy the
| theatrical performance the more for having COM
plmentary ticket: 1t is deeply rooted quality in
human nature and quite apart from economical mo.
| tiyes, and we have no doubt that II Cresus were
| ahye to-day he would be anxious to ingratiate
himself with managers, railroad directors, editors,
and like potential personages as the poorest OF us.
on the other hand the very fact that all recog.
nze 1t as very natural thing to take all the favors
that come in ones way, and have no doubt that we
should do 1t ourselves in the same place, enables us
| to admire the rare instances we meet where some
| intrepid person absolutely declines to receive any
thing without paying for it, No one fails to approve
such an action.
| In the same spirit and no less admirable Is The
| action of those new heads OF Departments who
have declined the pleasures Of carriage riding at
| the public expense and sold the livery outdt which
| custom allowed to them. This Department carriage
business one of the most odlous and least justi-
liable of the whole perquiste family, II manager
choose to offer the use Of his theatre TO prominent
person he does 1t Voluntarily and as it is an act OF
courtesy from one man to another there Is nothing
| Objectionable in its being accepted. But why the
Government should be made to provide q coach and
coachman free of expense to its heads Of bureau is
one OF the things that no fellow can ind out. The
Innate of justice above alluded 10 naturally
made the situation absurd II not oppressive TO
| the humble, hardworking clerk, walking home
through the mud after his days work, ana passed by
''the commissioners carriage" driven by an office
messenger. The whole equipage FORMS as he knows,
| a weighiy item in the "cOntingent fund" of the
| bureau 10 which he belongs, and it occurs TO his
| Che cerks) mind that there is no sufficient reason
| why this contingent fund should supply the COM
| missioner, who draws salary OF four or
! i've thousand, with carriage, and leave him
on a salary of one thousand to go afoOt. The clerk
argues that it is opposed to the true American spirit
of equality. II the commissioner can earn enough
| money TO enable him to keep carriage no one OBJ
jects-we all have chance to do the same II can
but to drive past me in an autocratc manner with
the Government paying his livery-stable bill, is un-
just and ridiculous. Nor does the clerks reasoning
| seem faacious to an outsider. The whole Idea
is wrong. The Government should pay its officials
enough 10 enable them 10 live in manner suitable
TO their station, and it should supply their wants in
| no way except by their salaries The fact that In
instances the salary attached to oice is In
adequate does not justify an attempt to exc 1t out
by privileges and favors. Let able and honorable
men decline to accept such position and the salary
will be increased in the legitimate In