The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-23
BOB AN OPTIMIST

NEW YORK, June 22.-Col Robert G.
1ngersoll contributes an article to the
Sunday Advertiser. on the tendencies Of
the age. He Says, in part:
This is said to be an age of money.
getting. of materialism, of cold, unfeeling
science. The question arises: Is the world
growing less generous, less heroic, less
chivalric?
Let us answer this. The experience of
the individual is much like the experience
of generation or of race An old man
lmagines that everything was better when
he was young-that the weather could
then be depended upon-that sudden
changes are recent inYentions So he will
tell you that people ussd to be honest: that
the grocers gave full weight and the ner-
chants fuH measure, and that the bank
cashier did not spend the evening of his
days in Canada. He will also tell Won
that the women were handsome and virtu-
Gus. There we no scandals then, no
divorces, that in religion all were orthodox
mo infidels Before he gets through he
VIII probably tell you that the art of
cooking has been lost-thst nobody can
make biscuit now and that he never
expects to eat another slice of good bread
de mistakes the twilight of his own life
Tor the coming of the night of universal
decay and death. He imagines that that
has happened to the world which has only
h"ppCACA 10 nun. II ucSS not occur To
Elm that millions at the moment he is
talking are undergoing the experience of
his youth, and that when they become old
they Will praise the very days that he
denounCes
The Garden of Eden has always been
behlnd us. The golden age, after all is
the memory of youth-it IS the result of
remembered pleasures in the midst of
present pain. To old age youth is divine
and the morning of life cloudless So now
thousands and millions of people suppose
that the age OF true chivalry has gone bv
ana that honesty has about concluded TO
leave the world. As matter of fact. the
age known as the age of chivalry, was the
age OF tyranny, of arrogance Eand coward
ice. 1he ideas of justice have grown
larger and nobler Charity now does
without thought what the average man
lew centuries ago was incapable of i'm
aSinlng. 80 II seems to me that the
world Is more chivalric, more gener-
Gus. nearer Just and fair. more
charitable than it ever was before.
thlnk that the action of the
Uood samaritan would hardly be noticed
IN our day. There are few men in the
United States who would think of passing
a wounded man IN the road. unless it NAV
be some member OF the general assembly
that recently met at Detroit-provided the
wounded man was heretic have heard
ana known or many pohler examples than
tnat OF tie Good Samaritan. A little
While aoo / heard the story of a Good
samaritan and this story should be known
ana when once known il will not De for
&otten. hardly feel At liberty to tell the
game of this Good Samaritan, although
received the story from his lips. l Will
tell IL without giving the name | NAV
ger MS consent, and if so will give his
name hereafter
A lew years ago-no matter where in
rms country, though--a gentleman
physician driving two horses attached To n |
sleigh alone along lonely road az nicbt
partially benumbed with cold. was snd, |
Denly startled by man who Crasned his |
horseS by the bride and said: Throw mn |
your hands! The doctor saw the CLEAN ~ |
the revolver, knew his danger, but instead !
OF throwing up has hands drew his own |
revolver as quickly as be could. but before /
ne could fire, the robber fired and the l,ul . !
let penetrated his left wrist. The doctor
then nred and the bullet entered the side /
cI the hlghwayman, who fell Instantly 10 |
the earth II took some time 10 ger the |
horses quieted, so that the doctor could |
I0oA oack 10 see what had become of |
Inc Inc man. de was lying in the road 1
ne doctor drove up to him, got ont OF |
she sleigh and found him sIin alive, /