Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-02-08
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY
SATURDAY NIGHT sOLILOQUIEs.

tional popularity Of that ridiculous
song, Down went McGinty to the
bottom of the sea?' What II the
secret Of that popularity? II
was not success, for one climax oi
misfortune succeeds another, until
at last suicide finishes the career o
man of sorrows, tho that career
be described IN doggerel, and its
misery he spired with hum ". Is
there not wOndrous fOunt Of SYM
pathy IN misfOrtunes that links All
true humans together? Is there not
a touch Of nature about sorrow that
makes us all akin, and brings Us up
on common level, even tho 1t be
In laughter, around poor old Nc
Ginty's watery grave? What more
pathetic, simple and touching than
the record of his evil days, when
the verses of the song are stripped
Of their ridiculous furblsh-
ings and we are told Of his
surprise and joy at becoming thu
father Of child; his determination
to invite his friends to a cup Of con-
ISOLATION with him--for your true
Irishman ever wants 10 share hi
pleasure with his friends; the series
Of misfortunes by which he Is In
nocently cast into prison-who has
not had just such run Of luck-not
landing you in Jail, tho perhaps
guilty Of reguery ten times worse
and the final release TO find that
the flithless woman has abandoned
him, with the child he has never
seen. To some this may only give
occasion for laughter, but to those
whose souls are not above profound
and reverential sympathy with the
common aud everyday sorrows OF
the masses, there Is lesson that
teachesa common lot Of humanity
tIlhb tfbubitb ntNti NpihV oibh ~ .
Who does not sympathlze with the
man or woman against whom for
tune seems 10 have grudge. Ill
winds only seem TO blow for such an
one. Disasters lie In wait to trip
them up. "The slings and arrows
OF outrageous misfortune" are dlrec-
ted against them, until they can
stand no longer, and down they go
10 the bottom OF the sea Of troubles,
like "poor old McGinty." Do they
then not sink, are they not allowed
to fall at last because there Is not a
closer brotherhood Of humanity Is
It not mans inhumanity to man
that drives the weak victim of the
storms of life at last to the bottom of
the wall? A few weeks ago an old
man came to the governor OF an
eastern state 10 plead for the pardon
OF his only son who was In states
prison for life, convicted Of man
slaughter. Now we know we have
many readers who have no sympathy
whatever with criminals, aud we
respect their views. Yet In Il
broader sense the prison population
ls only the weaker debris that Is
caught up from the flowing stream
OF the vices Of the age, AS q
preacher said the other day; The
fellow In Jail is only sort o
distorted image OF the fellow out q
it---as seen by looking iuto mIrroI
called society But TO return to oul
Incident. The father plead for hli
sons pardon. He had obtained let
ters from the murdered mans com
panlon showing that he had bough
weapons and had threatened 4
shoot the old mans boy; that I
was clearly In self-detence an,
over the haud Of a strange, bI
fascinating woman that they fought
on her wedding night, both mat
with jealousy; that this had ne
appeared on the trial; that the ole
man could not be at the trial bu
was at home at the bedside of
mother dying with grief and
broken heart over the news tina
her son was murderer Al this IN
old man poured INTO the governor
ears, his figure trvmbled aud hi
white hair shook as he plead for lh
release OF his only SON before he, To,
should wander into grave that wa
ready for him. The governor wa
moved and n pardon WAS granted
The old man yrasped Il In his feyel
ish hands 10 rush To the prison Will
out the city wall, and bear his sol
home flee man. The goyerno
kindly stepped outside with hin
Newsboys were crying the even
Ing papers. ''Ierrlble riot at th
prlsonl Guards have killed fy
menF' The first man on the II,
was his son. The old man fell 0
the steps dead. The load Of hi