Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-10-12

Jehoram was AtnallaD, 10 JOnn Nelsey
was Mrs. Welsey, to Samson was
Delilah. While the most excellent and
triumphant exhibitions Of character we
find among the women Of history. and
the world thrills with the names OF
Marie Antoinette and Josephine. and
Joan Of Arc and Maria Theresa and
hundreds Of others, who have ruled in
the brightest homes and sung the
sweetest cantos, and enchanted the ma
tions with their art and swayed
the mightest Of scepters, on the
other hand the names Of Mary
the First OF England, Margaret OF
France, Julia OF Rome and Elizabeth
'Petrowna of Russia have scorched the
eye OF history with their denominations,
and their names, like banished spirits,
have gone shrieking and cursing through
the world. In female biography we
find the two extremes OF excellence and
crime. Woman stands nearest the gate
of heaven or nearest the door of hell.
When adorned by grace she reaches a
point % Christian elevation which man
cannot attain, and when blasted of
crime she sinks deeper than man can
plunge. Yet / am glad that the in
stances in which woman makes utter
shipwreck of character are compare
lively rare.
But, says some cynical spirit, what
do you do with those words in Ecclesi-
astes, where Solomon says: behold,
this have i found, saith the preacher,
counting one by one TO find out the
account; which yet my soul seeketh, but
/ find not; n man among q thousand
have L found; but q woman among all
those have l not found?'' My answer is
that IL Solomon had behaved himself
with common deceney and kept out of
infamous circles he would not have had
so much difficulty in finding in -egrity
of character among women, and never
would have uttered such a TRADE. Ever
since my childhood l have heard speak
ers admiring Diogenes, the cynical phil
osopher, who lived in a tub, for going
through the streets of Athens in broad
daylight with q lantern, and when asked
what he did that for, said: IL am look
ing for an honest man." Now / war
RAM that that philosopher who had such
hard work to find an honest man was
himself dishonest. / think he stole
both the lantern and the tub. So, when
/ hear a man eXpatiating on the weak
ness of women, | Immediately suspect
him and say there is another solomon
with Solomon's wisdom left out. Still,
| would not have the illustrations |
have given of transcending ~eXcellency
in female biography lead you to suppose
that there is no perils in woman's path
way. Gods grace alone can make an
Isabella Graham, or a Christian Alsop,
or a Fidelia Fiske, or a Catherine OF
Siena. Temptations Turk about the
brightest domestic circle. 1t was no
unmeaning thing when God set up
amidst the splendors of his word the
character OF infamous Delilah.
Again, this strange story of the text
leads me to consider some OF the ways
in which strong men get their locks
shorn. God, for some reason best known
to Himself, made the strength OF Sam
son TO depend on the length of his hair;
when the shears clipped it his strength
was gone. The strength OF men is vari-
ously distributed. Sometimes it lies in
physical development, sometimes in in
t~ellectual attainment, sometimes in
heart force, sometimes in social posi-
ton, sometimes in financial accumula-
ton; and there is always a sharp shears
ready TO destroy il. Every day there
4 aAo "a % 90 a. ~
man start in life under the most cheer
ing advantages. His acute mind was al
home in all scientific dominions. lie
reached not only all rugged attainments,
but by delicate appreciation he could
catch the tinge of the cloud and the
sparkle of the wave and the diapason OF
the thunder. He walked forth in life
head and shoulders above others in
mental stature. He could wrestle with
giants in opposing systems of philos'
ophy and carry of the gates of opposing
schools and smite the enemies of truth
hip and thigh with great slaughter. But
he began 10 tamper with brilliant free
Fthinking. Modern theories OF the soul
threw over him their Establishments.
Skepticism was the Delilah that shore
his locks of, and all the Philistines Of
doubt and darkness and despair were
upon him. He died in q very prison OF
unbelief, his eyes put
Far back in the country districts
just where l purposely omit to say
there was born one whose fame will las
as long as American institutions. Hi:
name was the terror of all enemies Of
free government. He stood, the adj
mired of millions; the nation uncovered
in his presence and when he spoke sen
ates sat breathless under the spell. The
plotters against good government at
tempted to bind him with green withei
and weave his LOCKS in a web, yet h'
walked forth from the enthrallment
not knowing he had burst a bond. Blu
from the wine cup there arose adestroy
ing spirit that came forth to capture hi
'oul. He drank until his eyes grew
dim and his knees knocked to
gether and his strength failed
Exhausted with lifelong dissipa
lions. he went home TO die. Minis
tiers pronounced eloquent eulogiums
and poets sung, and painters sketched
and sculptors chiseled the majestic form
! into marble, ana the world wept, bu
everywhere it was known that it wa
strong drink hat came like the infa
nous Delilah and his locks were shorn
From the Island of Corsica ther,
started forth a nature charged with un
paralleled energies to make throne
tremble and convulse the earth
Piedmont, Naples, Bavaria, Germany
Italy, Austria and England rose up +
crush the rising man. At the plunge O
his bayonets bastiles burst open. Tn
earth groaned with the agonies of Ri
Volt, Austerlitz, Saragossa and Eylau
Five million men slain in his wars
Crowns were showered at his feet, ant
kingdoms hoisted triumphal arches t
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