Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-11-29
saint Earg's Beacon.

and invent something, generally re-
iigion. In addition to these qualities
he and she, she especially. are Psrme-
ated with desire for a titls. Wheih-
er life on this earth anywhere is worth
living, certainly thi. part under the
star.spaESled bsEuer aud screaming
eagle would be suicidal but for the
hooe and happiness found in handle
to one name.
In Response 20 this healthy demand
We have tie country filled with ma
iors. colonies, generals, judges, gov
ernors and honorables.
At the eud of the civil war tho
rash for epaule.s was wider-sPread
than the gallant enlistment Of volun-
teers during the conflict, and the
great War Secretary, Stanton, with a
cynical sense of humor peculiar to
him, brsvetted all the suffers, wagon
makers, commissaries, contractors,
uuartermasters-in word, every
body soliciting the honor. A humor'
ist once said he could no, cast stone
in a crowd without hitting a military
title. Another wag, wishing to get
= seat in a crowded hall, cried out,
Colonel, you are wanted, and a
hundred and fifty hastene.i out.
This 10 our Amsrican human nature.
We inherit the trait from our English
ancestors, who with all their heroic
qualities are born snobs. An Eng
lishman who has brave the dangers Of
the deep, and fought unmoved by fear
in all the battles of the world, will
bump his head upon the floor in the
presence of a lord. He can scarcely
breathe in the presence Of royalty.
He gasps and shuts his eyes when he
says, Your Gravious Majesty" We
would bump our skulls and gasp, had
we a chance. When any scion Of troy
al family visits our shores, our men
ose their heads and our women 60
mad. We have seen a roomful Of the
last named with their sight glued, as
it were, to prince, and they seemed
to be tasting him in their mouths.
When our l4borers combine to look
after their interests, they call them
selves knights of Labor" 1.-The
Sons of Toll would be more appro-
pirate and influential. But the word
knight has a high. toney sound, al
though it was held by the meanest
sneaks and cut throats o! Europe.
Knights of Labor indeed Much the
original pests labored They sought
to live on the labor Of others, and
were not nice as to how they accom-
plished that comfortable result-gen-
orally by violence ahd always through
fraud.
We once saw some FIVE thousand
men parading the avenues Of Wash
ington. They went through the moet
complicated maL1uvres. They were
dressed most gorgeously, with swords,
and sashes, and ostrich feathered
cooked hats, and called themselves
Knights of something. We thought
Last knight, or knight before last,
would be more appropriate. We
learned that they were all good, hon
est, peaceable citizens. mostly tailors,
hat;ers, and shoemakers, who were
banded together for benevolent pur.
poses. But why knights? Why not
good Samaritans or Brothers-iu-law :?
The word knight. however, sounded so
grand. 1t was such comfort to be
called "Sir Knight" Think Of re.
tail dealer in alIspice, pepper, salt,
and soap, in little shop which stout
man could run stick through, shout
der up, and march off with, being got
up in ostrich plumes, cooked hat
sword, and sash, and being addressed
as "Sir knight T. The honest CT izen
of the grocery would be amazed to
know that he had taken or himself
the form Of swssh buckler and pub.
lie nuisance. knights, indeed? But
men are children Of larger growth"
There is much in a name. One Of
the most effective and powerful organ
izsstions in the United States is the
Brotherhood Of Engineers" and it
owes much to its title, for it indicates
Intelligence and purpose.
Our official titles in The civil service
are more indicative Of snobbery than
aught else. The word Honorable has
come TO be the last resort Of ambitious
imbecility in that direction. \ man
who serves three days in any official
capacity in the Legislature is an Hon.
orable for the remainder of his life.
We read in Washington journal an
obituary notice of the sudden death
IL Tia Hon Omar StnLn. urLn u.as