The Washington times., 1894-03-25
THE PEOPLES Forum.

The story is told Of a raw Irish recruit
gaunt and awkward, standing six-foot two,
taking his first set-up drill under the instruc-
tion of an old sergeant, who had grown fat
and sententiously pompous in his years OF
service, but who was barely up to the service
standard of five-foot five. His first ebulition
OF self-asserting importance was addressed to
this conspicuous figure. Heads up there,
me man; eyes to the 'front.'" at the same time
reaching up to give his subject forceful
chuck under the chin, all Of which was
taken kindly; but the irrepressible tendency
inherent in the Irish mind to inquire fur
ther into the reasons why broke out.
can is it all the time I'm to hould me he'd
and Dyes in this way?''
''Yis. me man, y're to try an look loike q
soldier If ye are not one."
see ye my more"
So you may be called a raw recruit-a sort
of hopeless Johnny Come Lately;-' but II
you have the blood and bone to stay, to live
cheerfully on half rations when you can't get
full ones; if you keep your courage, your in
dustry. and determination to serve the people
instead of the self-elected masters of the peo-
PIE; if you dare to pin your conscience on
your sleeve for all the conventional, time
serving ''daws to peck at" instead OF put
ting it safely at the bottom Of your Exit"
where it can never be discovered except on sin
spectioa days." then your title is good one
and your successful life will extend over "a
time, and times, and half a time
The great mass OF the thoughtful American
public is hungry for newspaper that COM
bines ability and fairness and honesty. No
more sectionalism, no more partisanship,
no more can't no more special pleading for
this or that monopoly as against the interests
Of the whole people. II your purpose and
determination Is to fill this bill, then, like our
Irish friend you can safely bid many of your
successful purse-proud contemporaries good
bye, for you will never look low enough to
see them "any more" few such regu-
lar contributors as the Hon. John Davis, and
you will never lack readers, while that tune
full embodiment of infinite similitude-your
editor-is always ready with few touches OF
his pen to make face OF beauty appear on
the front Of any rough hickory nut' of fact
that comes to his mind. And many of the
topics OF the day require this delicate
handling to render them savory to the public.
Apropos of similitudes, l wonder your edi-
tor does not overhaul his well-thumbed vol
ume of Bobby Burns and speculate over the
relationship of lout and prophet, or in n
more matter Of fact frame of mind he might
declare there is nothing new under the sun
History repeats itself. THAT which has
been shall be- but at all events the current
topics of the day cannot fail to make him re-
read Holy Willie's Prayer" Let me refresh
his memory by quotation from the Scottish
bard's eulogy on that silver-tongued defender
of orthodoxy:
Lord, thou kens what zeal bear,
When drinkers drink and swearers swear,
And singin there and dancing here
WI great and sna.
For am keepit by thy fear
Free frae them a.
But yet, Lordi confess must
AT times I'm fash'd wi feshly lust
An sometimes, too wi worldly trust,
Vile self gets in;
But thou remember we are dust,
Dehrd in sin
May be thou lets this feshIy thorn
Beset thy servant cen and morn,
Lest he owre high and proud should turn,
Cause he's sac gifted,
II sac, thy hand maun cen be borne,
Until thou lift it
Lord, hear my earnest cry and prayer,
Against that presbyt'ry ] ayr;
Thy strong right hand, Lord, makest fare
Jpo' their headsi
Lord, weigh it down, and dnna spare
For their misdeeds.
But Lord, remember me and mine
Wi mercies temp'ral and devine.
That for gear and grace may shine
Excelrd by name;
An a the glory shall be thine,
Amen, Amen
Any of your readers desiring the completion
OF the similitude is referred to a nan-expur-
gated edition of Burns.
We have no evidence that the original
Willie was not a successful defender OF the
orthodoxy of his day and generation. We
may safely infer that any unfortunate Briggs
would have suffered under the infiiction of
the lash Of his silver tongue. 1t is well to
keep in mind that personal religion is never a
factor in doctrinal controversy, and silver
tongue, tuned to the proper key a little rheto
ric. telling amount of personal magnetism,
and strong physique are all that can be re-
quired in discussion in regard to matters
from which free thought is excluded.
VETERAN.