The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-05-10

", what q contrast 10 there, my coun-
trymenl
Gaze on that picture and on this. Be.
fore speaking-and after speaking. The
former breathing brightness. alert com.
prehension. the JOY and pride Of conscious
power and luminosity Of ideas, and the
well-nieh irrepressible desire for an oppor-
tunity to pour them forth in torrents Of
eloquenee. Tue latter-ashes OF Sodom
and shame unspeakable.
Infaadum Mnemosyne. jules rensrars
dolorem.
But there are two sides to this picture.
The man Of brains, though tongue-tied,
lie not always forsaken. There are times
when by a quick effort Of the mind he
dsshes past the danger point and calmly
and happily says all that he wished tn
say and much besides that is germane,
which presents itself o., with subject
well in hand and mental vision sweeping
the surrounding field Of thought, he holds
on his self-contained way.
And at such times the knowledge that
he is doing himself full justice lie en-
HANGED by the memory Of former failure.
We know pleasure and pain by con-
trast only; and II the lively spprehep-
sion OF what might have and should have
been forms background on which failure
is projected in lurid and hateful distinct
ness, the converse Is also true.
"Breathes there the man with soul 40
dead, who never to himself has said"
"give me life, with never such sharp al.
formations Of joy ard sorrow, rather than
existence. with the dull. dead tranquility
Of monotonous incapacity7"
And, after all! as has been most wisely
said: Life has its compensations."
There are some things Of which nothing
can deprive one. Thus, the KNOWLEDGE
Of gentlehood has proved an impregnable
stronghold, an sll-sufficient solsce to
countless thousands OF the unfortunate.
So the consciousness Of possessing ability
enables one to rise lin ones own estima-
tion) calmly superior to facile, and more
frequently successful, mediocnty or dull
ness.
There are those who, with the brains,
have also the gift Of intermediary are
twice blessed"
But what shall be said Of the laxative
bore, or the personifcation Of coherent
yerbosity. to whom little has been given
save thanmaturpic tongue, wherewith
to enthrall silly folk who are taken by
much talking.
To them, even though their tale be but
plausible bosh, or purposeless inanity, or
like that ''told by an idiot, full Of sound
and fury, signifying nothing" still it il
ever sweetest music In their own ears.
Verify, they have their reward. A re-
ward which the stammerrr envies them
not.
Others there be who are hardly less OBJ
jectionsble. The speaker who thinks he
is funny, but who could not tell joke
from proposition in Euclid; or the
funny speaker who il. nevertheless, not
nearly so funny as he fancies himself.
Or. again. the earnest speaker, who
rather unwillingly labors on without the
capacity TO make himself interesting, but
profoundly imbued with the idea that
he has something which 1t is his duty to
say. .He never succeeds in saying it, but
is not withou: the satisfaction OF having
made an honest effort to do 30. All these
lack the saving grace which would keep
them from proving q trial TO their
hearers. And concerning them and
others, what shall We more say than
echo the PADRES pious prayer: From
all such good Lord deliver u.s."
These reflections, while they may he
to some extent colored by an atrabilious
due to the congested condi-
ton of thing, were suggested by hearing
lat the reception recently given by the
club to the visiting editors)
one Of these gentlemen decline to speak
when invited to do so.
He was q man of brains, but with q
thorn in the flesh, which had been sent
10 buffet him.
He may be considered either as one
whose proper 20 pride overcsme his
sense Of politeness, or as an angel, who
freared 10 tread where tools rush in.
We started out with the intention OF
giving his speech just as it would have
been had he delivered it, and then as Il
would have been had his delivery
equalled his conception. But the pen is
an unruIy member and ran away with
ms. 1t may be that, as a writer. We have
laid ourselves open to the reproach and
abuse We have been so freely casting on
the fluent but immsterial speaker. The
gods have most mercifully hindered us
from seeing ourselves as others see US.
So, in those soft words which cast out
wrath, with malice towards none, with
charity for ALL" We forbear, and leave to
any one who has the desire the permits
sion to finish the unspoken speech as
fancy may dictate.