The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-04-05
VERY eLleHT CIRCUMSTANCES.
Instances Where They Have Led to Grav,
aud Important Issues.

Instances Where They Have Led to Grave
and Important Issues.
II is stated that when Leopold van
Rankc began TO collec, facts for his
history. a singular accident occurred in
hi native town. \ bridge gave way one
morning, and some persons were swept
AWAY in the current beneath. Van
RankC, who was absent at the time. on
his return inquired into the details Of the
catastrophe. II saw the bridge fall,
sid one Of the ncighbors IA heavy
vain bad just passed over ii and weak
Cucd IT. Two women were on il when il
fell, and n soldier on white horsc.n IL
saw il fan, declared another: "but 2he
vain hal passed over it two hours IRE
viUus. The foot passengers were children,
and the rider was Il civilian on black
horGc.n "Now,' argued Won Rankc, "if
1t is impossible 20 learn the truth about
an accident which happened at broad
MONDAY only twenty-four hours ago, how
can declare any fact to he certain which
is shroudod in the darkness Of ten cen
turirs.' To this trivial incident, which
Ia many persons would have borne no
lesson, was due much Of his caution and
impIrtiailty.
\ few moments consideration will
convince any one that some of the most
momcntous crises in history have hinged
upon very slight circumstances. A glass
of wine, for instance. changed the his
tory Of France for nearly twenty years.
Louis Philippe. king Of the French. had
u son. the Duke of Orleans, and heir to
the throne. who always drank only
certain number OF glasses Of wine, be-
cause even one more made him tipsy.
On memorable morning he forget 10
count the number of his glasses. and
took one more than usual. When enter
ing his carriage he stumbled, frightened
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 overthrow the
Orleans rule, COnii,cated their property
of $50, 900, 600, and sent the whole fam
lily into exile.
II Mr.. Grenvillc had not carried, in
1865, his memorable resolution as to the
cXpcdiency of charging stamp duties on
the plantations of America. the western
world might still have been under Brit.
ish rule. In connection with this mat
ter, there is another slight, albeit re-
markablc, circumstance, which may he
told in Thackerays own words. at
WAS strange says he. ''tuat, IN a savage
forest OF Pennsylvania, young Virgin
i'm officer should fire q shot, and wal,en
up a war which was to last for sixty
n..rj which was 10 cover his own egs,artlty'
ana fttftss1hto Ttnuln, 10 cost Fnnce her
American colonies, 10 sever oiSs from us
| and create the great western repuDiIr To
rage over the old world when extin-
glishcd 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, tl;r condition of the
world would have been d!iTcrcnt His
meaning is, that if Cleopatra had had a
nu"c short TO doG0rmity Snp would have
failed 10 attract Antony, who would not
have bccp drawn into the conduct which
eliminated in Hc loss of the battle Of
Actium, whirh loss made way for the
c.u-2 q the Roman republic in the inau-
gGr2tion Of The Roman empire.
Dyspepsia has been the cause of many
momcntuous crisis. A leg of mutton is
said To have controlled the tide Of Lcip-
sic's battle; and the consequences Of the
indigestion Of a certain duchess arc pro-
verbal.
The rrcat failure of the potato crop in
Ireland cannot bc called a slight circum-
stance, yet it was comparatively slight
compared with the luomcntous chances
which it brought about; for the repeal Of
the corn laws was hastcned by the potat 10
famine. AS Lord Bcacons.ield has OBJ
served: "This mysterious but universal
sickness of single root changed the his
tory Of the world"
Many men have been drawn TO their
| destiny 10y the most trivial occurrences.
| EvniiAorc CoorCr became Il novelist
| through his wifI's challenge. One even
/ ing, while readir" a novel. he threw il
down, saying: Il believe could write a
/ better book myself" Let me see YOU
do it, said lis wilc with II smile. In q
/ few days hc lad written several chapters
OF 'i'ycyau,ion, which, when finished.
he published at his own expense. The
novel attracted Little attentions; but il
gave Cooper an inkling oc his capacity
for story writing, and the Spy" his
next novel, appealed 80 strongly 10 the
patriotic sympathies Of his counlymen
| that it became II great success. Iaw-
| thorne, too, was induced to write the
"Scarlet Letter 10y remark Of his
wiic.
II Cowlcy had not found the "Faery
Queen in his mothers parlor it is just
possible that ho would never have been a
| poet. Giotto, one of the early f'lOrentine
| painters, might have rcmained a rude
shepherd boy il n sheep drawn by him
upon Il stone had not attracted the notice
of Cimabue. Opie might have perished
in obscuri'y il he had not looked over the
shoulder Of his companion, Mark Oates,
while he was drawing IA Lutterly. Had
his friend and companion escaped the
Thunderstorm mt Erfurt, Luther might
have been n wyer.-ChamLers Jour