The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-09-25
HITS AND MISSES.
CONTRIBUTED BY A. sPARRER.

1NN~NN~N~
A most enjoyable "rock party" was given
not long since-was given this way.
Ny old friend Croaker and myself happen
ed to meet on the summit of the Rocks OF
Deer Creek, and having met we INDUCED in
an old-time chat.
had strolled of, il must be confessed in
search of ideas, while Croaker informed me
lie had come to see the truth about the re-
ported dissertation of this romantic hilltop.
Casting my mental notebook aside for the
nonce | settled myself comfortably at the
foot of gnarled old veteran of the woods,
which had Swallowed generations Of setimen-
tai whisperings.
Croaker struck belligerent attitude and
commenced with-"Wel, Sparrcr, hope you
will let 'em have il about this dreadful, dis
graceful, shocking way they are doing, rip
ping and tearing at the side of these poor old
rocks steam engines and ropes and pulleys,
and steam whistles blowing and putting and
Whit Hit EN- good this time, make it hot
for EN- and tell"
Here l mildly interposed, fearing my
friends capacity for wrath. His eyes popped
slarmingly and he hoped frartically back
and forth.
Just stop moment, my dear fellow, take
breath or two, and tell me more quietly
what this fuss is all about"
"Sparrer, you are enough TO try the nerves
of any high-strung toad. Haven't you been
down 10 that engine house and haven't you
seen what's going on in there. set of men
cutting up antics fit to make one die laugh
ing, il it were not so serious.
Serious in what way p
why, in this way, don't you see they ale
blasting the rock away from the hillside, and
that in few years dreamy, goodfor- nothing
fellows like yourself will have no place to
come for literary tonic, and these sweet,
little bewitching girls will have no excuse for
days outing, so the boys may have chance
at little sentimental spooning and incoming.
Don't you see the Rocks will be q thing Of
the past, and while one of your craft has CIV
en- us a very neat little book on the subject,
Deer Creeks history, legendary and roman
tic, and" gasping, unkindest cut of all, ''have
you nothing at all to say about 1t ?"
"lf we're fond OF sarcasm, which am not,
my dear Crosker, might remark was just
waiting for chance to say that some of our
friends would have nothing at all to croak
about"
''Not while the Baltimore and Lehigh still
has the right of way" c. slyly interposed.
However, old fellow, I am in earnest, why
don't you write it up and create such sent-
ment as will force these fellows 10 leave"
ITO tell you the truth" replied, "the mat
ter was in my mind when you hoped up in
your wrath; but was thinking what a bt au-
iiful thug that engine house is with all its
appliances Inside and OUT
Beautiful p
Eyes, to my notion there is as much ro-
nance magic and beauty in the N achinery of
that engine, as in Deer Greeks story and
association.
I'm the first place think of the wisdom and
ingenuity and invention which have preced-
the setting up of this engiue. We step
inside and marvel at belle, lands aud pulley
holding the polished revolving wheels in
place. Of the many nuts and screws, each
one has It's place. Not one can stop or break
thing does not feel it. One wonders more
how ibis thing whose power can lift Is tons,
is kept secure in its place there, on the
hillside, perched in a cleft of the rocks.
you can step back and see the connecting
chain fastened 10 huge staple which is sunk
down far enough, we fancy, 10 alright the
gnomes and sprites in the b pwels Of the earth.
Think not of the one brain which is d. |
recting his blasting, but of the generations
Of brain that made this work poss bic.
Then look across and you may see other
gnomes. flying back and forth in space-well
riding on the cable car, a very aerial car with
no, much sense Of terra frma about it.
Then at that huge BOULDER, weighing no
IN. knows h' W many tons, waiting, cl aim
ed, until trade and will call for it. when it
will be lno>.d, cut and quariied, and finally
laid on the streets eneaih our f. et.
Il tell YOU it's wordeIful and beautiful.
IT'S the witchcry of science and mind
irjumphing over mere matter. And il will
be many aud many year before they will
s"ake King and Queens seat long after you
an | are turned to dust, he croaked,"
My friend conicnted himself with grunt.
~
Do YOU ever read Ru ku? No? Well
he's what you might call leading light,
pillar tor the upholding of the true, the teau.
tiiu and the good
while ago he got into wIangle about
this same thing.
He said good deal hat is true and sll he
says il beautiful, but be grows slightly ny
te,ical in Sesame and Lilies when he says
"Ihe French Ievoia. ionsis made stables of
the cathcdrals OF France; on have made 7, ce
courses of tie caIhedrals of the earth
Your one conception of pleasure is to drive
in railroad carriages round their aisles, and
eat # their affairs" Meaning that the beau
tiiul places of the old worlds witZerlsnd
Italy, South GeImany-are true cathedrals,
places to be weren't in, and that we drive
through ihem, eating and drinking al their
most sacr, places. He was talking to the
English people aboat the way they had rail
roaded inside and over the Alps, and filled
the quiet valleys of England with smoke and
coal ashes. Continuing, he says, "The Alps
themselves, which your own poets Used 10
love so revertnty, you look upon as scared
poles in bear-garden, which you set your
selves to climb, and slide down again, with
''shIieks Of delight"
***
True, but the common workaday world
has some ris hts better the poet lose some of
oh.