Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-12-01
NOT EXACTLY NEWS.
A Few General Remarks ami Familiar
Reflections

The much heralded comet did not ap
pear Sunday evening according to sched
ule Neither were there anywhere OBJ
served those great showers of meteor:
which figuring astronomers had led the
people to expect. The cloudy weather
may, however, have obscured these ex
pected showers. Many thousands OF
people were actually apprehensive OF
disaster from the earth's collision with
the celestial wanderer, and there are re-
ports of several deaths from mere fright
Some people are always ready to absorb
any rumor of mysterious danger, and get
excited and nervous about it. What would
it matter anyway if We were sure that a
vast comet would dash into the earth
and kill us all? We would all go togeth-
er into that undiscovered country. Death
would be robbed of half its terrors by
the knowledge that we would not be its
solitary victims. There would be none
of the stinging fear of being forgotten,
nor the sickening care of getting affairs
in order for world that is to 60 on with
out us. And the comet would only have
anticipated for US our demise by few
years Indeed, with this view of the
matter, an universal slaughter by a
rushing star would not be half as bad a
thing for us as'individuals.
But astronomers unite in saying that
if we had pounced on the comet, or if we
meet him later, he will have the worst of
it, and be smashed into star dust. So it
is probable that Mr.. Biela took alarm,
and to save his old comet, hauled it off
the track.
There have been times when good
books were too rare and high priced fer
for general reading. But no such excuse
can now be plead by the man who does
not read, or by the person who reads only
trash. This Christmas season, as never
before, immortal names appear on the
backs of almost countless editions, rang
ing in price from aludicrous pittance for
volumes fairly readable by eyes bent on
knowledge to the hundreds of dollars
asked for the dainty and elegant edition
de haze. Thackery, Fielding, Scott Dick
ems, George Eliot, Hugo, Dumas-what
list of glorious story tellers for almost
nothing. Then the glittering array of
poets and essayists, the copyright of
whose books has expired, but whose in
fuence will never expire. Buy good
books. They are good company to have
in the house. Let physical comforts go,
if necessary, but never neglect to minis
ter to the needs of the soul by the choice
food which the writers of good books
place before you. The most of us squan
der on trifles far more than enough to
richly furnish our brains, and waste in
idleness the time that would have mas
tered library.
Dr. Riker, of Wheeling, has been get
ting himself into hot water by preaching
a sermon against sensational plays. The
reverend doctor handled the subject
without gloves, naming names and places
and things not usually found in the
euphemistic vocabulary of the sacred
desk He is then taken to task for so
doing. not on account of his views, but
on account of his plain language, his
critics saying that purity and innocense
would be subject to less contamination
by attending many of the denounced
plays, than by listening to such discources
as that delivered Sunday night. The
critics have the best of it. Sensational
ismwill not do inthe pulpit. There is un-
bounded freedom for the denunciation
of evil and the presentation of good, but
when the emissary of God talks in such
manner that the form offends, and caters
to a debased and sensational-loving
taste, it is time to call a halt. Only all
that is high, exalting and Christlike be-
longs to the pulpit.