Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-24
COMMONPLACE PEOPLE.
a WRITER'S SIGH FOR TIE DAYS
OF HIS ANCESTORS.

Of ITO HiNCSO St.O
Time Was When We Nodded Our Heads
| Neighborly to Everybody-The Present
and the Fnture-A Foreigner in Amer
ica-Averag.ng Upward.
Tho commonplace person is something to
US, l think, as a commonplace landscape.
Travel is often most delightful when the
scenery is very dull, and the land fat and
Smooth. This is contrary to what tho tour
lists tell US, but l assure you that if you are q
nervous person you should not go the Alps,
but to Holland. What can be less exciting
than Holland landscapea The gardens are
all alike, and the people, and the houses con-
slider that there is no sin so great
as originality. You may take up ono
Gretchen and change her for another
five miles away, and she will fit exactly tc
the vacancy. 1t is difficult to understand
how these people can possibly know them
selves without label to look at There is
not an original in ten thousand. 1t is de.
liciously restful in such land; but if you
travel in any part Of our own land you are
sure to get constantly interested in some one
or some thing. There arc points to every
~
but draw lightning, and it is destructive to
all pleasure in travelling in the long run, but
l assure you you viii travel in Holland for
one month with your eyes only one-quarter
open, and there will not be a start or jar
given you all that time 1t is country Of
delicious commonness.
am fond of my ancestors and Of the last
century because people lived averaged lives.
+ Il ~
like his neighbor. Among 200 towns people
any one was as likely to be selected for jus
tice Of the peace as another. lean remember
when every one grew marigolds, bachelors
buttons, and saffron, and caraway; and
every one not only went to church, but to
the same church; and there was quiet uni
formity Of faith and deed that, il it did not
merit heaven hereafter, at least made SEM
blance Of heaven here think should like
to get back to tho days when ran about
bare footed and bare legged, and every other
boy did just the same | can not imagine
any one in those days who did not eat dough
nuts, and there was not one boy who did not
drive COWS to pasture and go for them at
night. | cannot think of single startling
event for whole years at times. It was o
sunny land of common folks, and average
good things. No one was very poor and 10
one was very rich. Our homes were ALWAYS
open to the poor, and TO the stranger; and
cur lots averaged up as fer as possible
" nat q fellowship vas that compared with
our nowadays greatness ard lowliness
We did not know how to waste Every
thing had its value. Perhaps we had no
great notions; our small ones were useful.
Speculation had only been heard Of at q
great distance. We all believed in work.
Not to work seemed impossible. It IS very
restful for me to look backward into those
days am less anxious to anticipate rest
ahead There was this comfort in thoss
days. We were near enough together TO all
know each other. Nowadays there are folk
who can neither give nor get sympathy No
one was out OF speaking range, and we nod
ded our heads neighborly to all the world
have been looking backward; but it will
not do to look too far backward. or we shall
come upon the high mightiness of old royal
ties. The declaration that ''All men arc
born equal" is only century old There IS
no doubt but the day of equality is rather
ahead than behind. By and by everybody
will have his own private balloon, which
never yet came true Of horses and carriages,
and we will all be averaged up to the tele-
phone, and telegraph and heaven knows
what else, as we have all got averaged I'D to
the postofice and railroad
do not wish to advocate averaging peoD!s
downward on any occasion, but averaging
them upward A person who may be set
down as thoroughly commonplace now, 100
years ago would have passed for scholar,
If not genius II this world goes on, and
what reason have we for supposing it will
nots the genius Of today viii be but an OF
binary person in another fifty years When
George William Curtis tells us that irarnicra-
ton is watering the lie blood of the na-
ton il sets ne thinking very soberly, for It
seems to be true
Hans has been over here three years He
has learned to write and to speak English
with twaDg and twist, but he has learned
something else, and be did not learn It ell
over here. He has learned to abhor being
lost in the crowd Re must be individuated.
lie waits to be marked man. Hans does
not have much moral force, but good
deal Of physical grit be certainly does
possess. He naturally turns to physical
force as his lever VIXEN he looks around.
with his passion TO be free, be kicks
and stor1lA Hans has been under a good
deal Of repression abroad, but here he enjoys
what be calls being trec-that is free to be
himself, all over and over, ard everywhere.
Ee does nos see that be cannot be quite Kim
seH withou. preventing others from bang
quite themselves, AID il they are quito unre-
strained It viii e-craach on him The JAS
sion of individuality Is abroad 1. is ths
spirit Of the air ws breathe HaSs revels IN II.
said we shall, By ara by, average ID, ard I
up to 8 level vastly higher than that Of To-
day, where Cur present geniEs VII be very
and where cur present mira
c,es VIII te every day efairs, AID Our .rsse...
luuries viii be co-u.oa comforts This i
viii surely come about. fox we shall bs wiss 4
enough 70 let l. co-ss about, and. II
necd be, 70 make Is 90 cone about i
We are TOO Ear gune 70 20 bacE I
and give up cur love io- being Dis |
tingu.shed We r1s: 81 90 something:
81 DO marked b. achievement. This VIII I
work rsh. II We can keep ths average 1
ambition for wha. Is intelligent aad Iaorai. .
and lot e. /. po.u: fer brute forco d-ssaac- I
tica-.E p Pc Ia Glcbe-DsnoC-.