The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-23

our meals m Boston we really live in ancient
Athens often feel as if were two or three
| This explanatory interlude threw light on the
settled look that had noticed ON so many faces
too much housing in the past and not half
enough interest IN living thought
When the orator finished his sixth book with
quotation in Connecticut Italian, buzz of ad-
miration burdened the air. He sat down amid
his flowers. swamped in smiles. The audience
were greatly. pleased with him, but he was still
more pleased with himself.
The chairwoman thanked him in the most
overwhelming manner. He rose and bowed his
profoandest Acknowledgements. He also mur-
INJURED something so full of feeling that it died
away behind the flowers. He still stood n
other lady rose, and in trembling accents ex-
pressed her thanks for the precious privilege of
hearing the paper. From her words | gathered
that she had had an exceptionally happy life,
full OF joys blessings and opportunities but they
all paled in comparison with the pleasure of hear
ing Mr. Grindwell on dead poets. In fact, she
was well nigh overcome with the kindness of
heaven In being spared to make one OF the ia
vored company Mr. Grindwell seemed to take
it seriously, and grew more and more in love
with himself.
The scene began to take on startling like
ness to Patience" Bunthorne wasn't young
but ne was happy. One, two, three four more
women arose In turn to pour out their gratitude
for the flood of light east on dead poets. 1t was
touching. Mr.. Bunthorne still stood Then the
whole assembiage, realizing afresh how much it
owed him, united in a solid vote of thanks This
cleared the sky of the excess of gratitude, which
was fast choking everybody. When Mr.. Grind
we'll had again bowed his modest acknowledge
ments, another woman sprang up and implored
him to tell us something about the ideal" The
reverend gentlemen felt nervonsly in his vest
pocket without finding even fragment of the
IDEAL" and excused himself.
The meeting was broken and the intellectual
Bunthorne again received the bread of private
thanks, cut particularly thick and we'll buttered.
He also received six or eight huge bouquets and
went away as heavily garnished with flowers as
provincial debutante.
'"That's the way we acquire our culture" said
my satrical young friend, to which nothing re-
piled.
'sYes that's the way we exalt each other she
continued. IF anybody jumps on broonstick
here we all unite in declaring that no one else
could do it with such grace, elegance and art
And in day or two we assert that the same
person could jump over thousand broomstcks
and we believe it too Take any
thought and cherish it and it will have the
same effect. That is the kind of meat we feed
on to make us great in our own estimation. 1t
develops sef-confdence You might call it con-
celt or egotism But, you see, it keeps us all in
good humor with ourselves and in state of ad-
miration for each other"
l saw this fact still further exempliied I
went TO meeting of liberals, where splritualism,
occultism, Buddhism and various other 'lsms"
and 'pathvs" were to be discussed. They didn't
wrange, as fully expected they would and as
/ have seen professed liberals do many time
There was building up of argumentative
edifces FOR the next man to knock down.
On the contrary, it such friendly
turning Of neighboring grindstones as l
never expected to see this side of the
millennium. Men and women all gave each
other the most chearful and generous putfery
one could imagine. 1t was like reading of diff
ferent patent medicine circulars more than a
discussion Nobody contradicted anything.
No paid any attention to his own grind
stone, but ndustriously turned his neighbor's-
perhaps three or four of them. He could well
afford to be Indifferent to his own, knowing that
tae succeeding speaker would turn b.iskly for
him and hold the axe on with firm hand at the
same time. 1t was the greatest feast of broth
erly regard and gratuitous advertising /
ever beheld. The chief orator praised the
palmister. and threw in few fiatterng
sentences on the Weekly Hole in the Dark and
the Semi Weekly Nosegay. The palmister, in
turn spoke f1uenty of the chief orators legal
ability and dourishing practice. The editor of
the Weekly Holen-the Dark gave two three
mediums who were present handsome send
off. One of the mediums finished her remarks
with neat tribute to mind-cure practitioner,
who in turning her thanks, said good thing
about the light and colorcure doctor who was
present but silent.
This brought the original orator to his feet
again, who Endorsed everything that had been
said about everybody and also spoke in the most
commendatory manner of the magnetic ply
stefan who sat straight in front of him. A new
light was introduced who talked on
physical virus" and concluded with
f1attering eulogy of the massage
woman who sat behind him. Another speaker
a woman, thanked everybody for their kindness,
but took it upon herself to give homeopathic
friend his dues in the way of praise. Another
mind-cure doctor took the floor and read off a
list of books which nobody could afford to leave
unread. The theosophist called attention to
new paper and late pamphlet, giving the price
of both. He sat down amid applause These
things seemed meat and drink for the audience.
Many more testimonials were offered and we'll
received.
/ kept list of persons books, papers and
treatments recommended with such DISTINGUISHED
ardor When / got home / counted them up,
and found had fourteen addresses of these in
dispensabes. In addition to this, the table was
loaded with circulars of every possible phase of
oceultism, which boy kindly distributed to the
eager audience. Nobody wanted to be missed.
There was general grabbing of these precious
documents. No would consent to leave
without one of each
No such friendly airing Of neighbors' merchan-
disc ever came under my observation before.
went home to think about it, and am still think
ing.