The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-20
RAvENNA TERREsTRIALIsMs.

Some of the changes in laws and customs are
matters of absolute ignorance to a certain class
of individuals in almost every community. They
have not been able to exchange the mental and
social antiquities inherited from their forefathers
for the advanced thought and usages of a more
enlightened and polite generation. Every son
to his fathers trade is no more true of the
Hindoo system of caste than every son to his
fathers thoughts. in this isolated portion of the
human race who are as efectually enclosed in
their battlements of mental stagnation as were
the Chinese by their famous wall from the bal
ance of mankind. No forces of scientific dis
covery, philosophical research or refnements in
living, have ever been able to scale the wall
and thus one generation after another of these
peculiar beings exemplify the prmeval char
acteristics of their remotest ancestry and lived
and died in sublime contentment with original
stupidity. The feaven of higher civilization has
| never gotten in their heavy dough.
There is no portion of the globe so free from
| these bookless beings as the Western Reserve.
Yet even in this favored region, where learning
and the muses. are almost universal guests, there
exists occasionally as if for the sake of contrast
one or more of these subjects of simplicity.
| A mild example occurred not long ago in the
person of since married individual, who walk
ed into the office of the Common Pleas Clerk
and requested the loan of a ' marriage permit, "
promising to return it as soon as the Probate
| Judge should unite him and his intended BRIDE
*x*
| A much stronger illustration occurred some
years ago, when the writer was riding up from
Garrettsville township to the County Seat in
| company with a countryman of great ability and
erudition, who entertained his companion with
| a good sized modicum of his wonderful knowl
edge. Presently they came alongside of uew-
ly constructed telephone line, and the learned
lucubrator at once branched off into a profound
| explanation of the modus operandi of the won
derful invention. He explained that the wires
were hollow, and that the words, confined ii
such small, tubular compass travelled on swift
ly and unmolestedly to the other end of the
line, where they rolled out into the ear of ar
| attendant operator. This, he said, was the fun
damental principle of its operation. but he had
heard it said by certain of his neighbors that
back of all this lay the invisible but potent agen
| cy of Witches who contributed their aid to the
success of the invention, for reasons best known
to the bogles themselves. However, he said
| that he himself had some doubts on this las
phase OF the subject and while he did not say
positively that such was not the case, he was no
quite prepared to accept the theory until he had
more light on the subject. He then gravely
asked the opinion of his companion
~
This is leap year, the.t time when abe timid
maiden assays to lay hold of the privileges it con
fers and to transport some favored youth into q
state of ecstatic rhapsody by dainty fragment
of lettered bliss, Eden-odored, penned in hel
own faultless chirography. couched in the shy
est of English graces. and forming the tiniest
missive imaginable, in which she delicately re-
veals to his enr aptured mind her desire for his
company that evening. What maiden ever ask
ed in vain for such boon, or waited long hours
on the ANXIOUS rack of an exquisite suspense, to
know the mind of the object of her preference
What youth ever refused passport to the heav
en- of his fondest hopes? Little danger of his
scrutinizing the darling missive for evidence OF
q undue forwardness r He very properly leaves
that for cranks and croakers, whose opinions he
as properly ignores and despises.
1t isl mot to be doubted that the privilege thus
transferred from man to maid is in excellent
keeping, for trust woman to use such privileges
wisely and discreetly 1t is also true that a
more literal acceptance of the leap year idea
prevails among the gentle sex than once
thought consistent with maidenly decorum or
modesty. The tendency seems to be to inter
pret seriously what was formerly regarded as a
mere creation of humorous fancy one of those
numerous subjects of mock railery between the
sexes, and to sanction the growing opinion that
woman may at least open her mouth first on the
subjects that concern her so nearly, once in four
years. and enjoy that small fractional portion of
advantage resulting from " first place in the
halcyon days OF courtship. And if the question
be asked Why not ?" who shall enter the lists
to answer it nay?
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