Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-04-20
THE TACT OF a BRILLIANT msy.

THE TACT OF A BRILLIANT AEAN
A chapter devoted to- DR.: Hague's
early impressions of that remarkable
parsonage in our American history,
Aaron Burr, deserves more than
passing notice: The family relation
ship to his accomplished and brilliant
wife gave the schoolboy almost daily
opportunities, for observing the charm
OF Colonel Burr's manner and CONVEX
sation. DR.. Hague enlarges with en-
thusiasm' upon the ease with which
that accomplished man put himself in
communication with the people of
every class, from the highest to the
lowest, from the most cultured to the
rudest, old and young alike; instinct
lively quick to adjust himself, as to
thought, tone, and manner, to any per-
sonal presence whatsoever, confident
in his ability to win responsive feeling,
and realize the aim, or even the within,
that may have impelled him at the
time"
For illustration he describes the en-
trance of the Colonel in the parlor,
once when he had himself been left
there for moment alone: CHS
physique. air, style of movement.
realize a boys highesti deal of the
soldier and the gentleman; while
his keen and genial glance and sunny
smile, expressive of personal in
terest as real as if had been q SEN
ator, awaken feeling quickly respon-
sive to the tone of cheer in his greet
ing: Well, Will, I'm glad to see you.
Have they left you here alone?' DIR.
Hague sums up the aggregate Of the
impression which this fascinating man
made upon him as boy, and says that
Colonel Burr realized to his youthful
conception "the highest type of cul-
tured manhood, and awakened an in
tense desire to appropriate and assim-
ilate the elements OF manly power of
which he was ever before me as the
most complete exponent"
DIR. Hague has made some attempt
to analyze the secret of the wonderful
social success of Aaron Burr, and as
cribes it to the never failing courtesy
and cordially which he manifested to
all, and to his readiness to adapt him
self to others and to express interest
in them and sympathy for them. He
pleased because, buoyant with life and
enthusiasm, he sought to please. A
careful consideration. of this chapter
might repay some of the young aspir-
ants to,social success at the present
day. For some years atype of charac-
ter that has long been known in Eu-
rope has begun to be. copied in this
country.
It consists in the adoption of a sort
of blase manner which seems designed
to announce that the happy individual
is SO profoundly impressed with his
own importance thathe cannot possibly
make an effort to please any one else:
that he already has seen everything in
the world that is worth seeing and done
everything that is worth doing; that
he has judged everything and has con-
cluded that there is nothing more that
can possibly interest him. With this
there is an effort to cultivate perfect
ineNpressiveness of manner and to look
down with kind of pitiful considera-
ton on the weakness of those who man :
ifest any capacity for hearty enjoyment
or any Indication Of enthusiasm or in
terest in anything. Aaron Burr GER
tainly did not affect a Buddhisrs stolid-
ity; and a profund contemplation OF
nothing is not the highest achievement
of tina human intellect L.. Kings
ley,. IN Nelc England.