The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-02-23
SLIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.
How They Have Led to Grave and
important leeuee.
Cho m l,orasa J0urua1

How They Have Led to Grave and
Important 1eeuee.
Chambers's Journal.
It is stated that when Leopold van
Ranke began to collect facts for his
history, singular accident occurred
in his native town. A bridge gave
way one morning, and some persons
were swept away in the cure mt be
meath. Van Ranke, who was absent
at the time, on his return inquired in
to the details of the catastrophe. Il
saw the bridge FALL" said one of the
neighbours. "a heavy rain had just
passed over it and weakened it. Two
women were on it when it fell. and
soldier on white horse" II saw it
fall" declared another; "but the
rain had passed over it two hours
previous. The foot passengers were
children. and the rider was q civilian
on black horse" "Now, argued Van
Ranke. 'if it is impossible to learn
the truth about an accident which
happened at broad MONDAY only
twenty -fours hours ago, how can de-
clare any fact to be certain which is
shrouded in the darkness OF ten CEN
turies." To this trivial incident,
which to many persons would have
borne no lesson, was due much OF his
caution and impartiality.
A few moments consideration will
convince any one that some ofthe most
momentous crises in history have
hinged upon very slight circumstances.
A glass OF wine, for instance, changed
the history of France for nearly
twenty years. Louis Philippe, king OF
the French, had a son, the Duke OF
Orleans, and heir to the throne, who
always drank only q certain number
OF glasses OF wine, because even one
more made him tipsy. On a memoir
able morning he forgot to count the
number of his glasses, and took one
more than usual. When entering his
carriage he stumbled, frightening the
horses, and causing them to run. In
attempting to leap from the carriage
his head struck the pavement, and he
soon died. That glass of wine over
threw the Orleans rule, confiscated
their property OF 100000, 900, and
sent the whole family into exile.
If Mr.. Grenville had not carried, in
1865, his memorable resolution as to
the expediency of charging stamp du-
ties on the plantations of America. the
western world might still have
been under British rule. In
connection with this matter,
there is another slight, albeit
remarkable, circumstance, which
may be told in Thackeray's own words.
"It was strange" says he. "that, in a
savage forest of Pennsylvania, a
young Virginian officer should fire a
shot, and waken up a war which was
to last for sixty years, which was to
cover his own country and pass into
Europe, to cost France Ter American
colonies, to sever ours from us. and
create tue great western republic; to
rage over the old world when extin-
pushed in the new; and OF all the myr-
lads engaged in the vast contest, to
leave the prize of the greatest fame
with him who struck the first blow"
If the nose OF Cleopatra had been
shorter, says Pascal, the condition OF
the world would have been diff
ferent. His meaning is, that if
Cleopatra had had nose short to de-
fornlity she would have failed to at
tract Antony, who would not have
been drawn into tie conduct
which eliminated in the loss of the
battle of Actium, which loss made
way for the close of the Roman repub.
lie in the inauguration Of the Roman
empire.
Dyspepsia has been the cause Of
many momentons crises. A leg of NUT
ton is said to have controlled the tide
of Leipsic's battle; and the consequent.
ces OF the Indigestion OF a certain
duchess are proverbial.
The great failure OF the potato crop
in Ireland cannot be called slight
circumstance, yet it was comparative
ly slight compared with the momen-
tous changes which it brought about;
tor the repeal OF the corn-laws was has
tened by the potato famine. As Lord
Beaconsfeld has observed: "This
mysterious but universal sickness of
single root changed the history OF the
the world"
Many men have been drawn to their
destiny by the most trivial occurren-
ces. Fennimore Cooper became a
novelist through his wife's challenge.
One evening, while reading novel,
he threw 1t down, saying: 81 believe l
could write a better book myself" "Let
me see you do it," said his wife with q
smile. In few days he had written
several chapters of 'Precaution,"
which, when finished. he published at
his own expense. The novel attracted
little attention; but it gave Cooper an
inkling OF his capacity for story
writing, and the "Spy," his next nov
ell, appealed SO strongly to the patri-
otto sympathies OF his countrymen
that it became great success. Haw.
thorne, too. was induced to write the
"Scarlet Letter" by remark OF his
| wife.
If Cowley had not found the Faery
Queen IN his mothers parlor it is just
possible that he would never have
been a poet. Giotto, one OF the early
Florentine painters, might have re-
manned a rude shepherd boy if sheep
drawn by him upon q stone had not
attracted the notice OF Clmabue.
Opie might have persisted in obscurity
if he had not looked over the shout
der of his companion, Mark Oates,
while he was drawing butterfly.
Had his friend and companion es-
capped the thunderstorm at Erfurt,
Luther might have been a lawyer.
Geese as Weather Prophets.
A New Jersey farmer who was con-