The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-28

fxlC1 ally 1OE lLS
N0I supposed laxity and loose
gg ness of living. That many
Bohemians are lax and
loose cannot be denied, yet in what
class will you not find individuals who
share such q failing? But in con-
sequence of this hasty generalization
the beauties of Bohemia are altogether
overlooked or swamped in this sweep
ing moral censure. Now what is not
generally known is that on the from
tier of that country there is set what
we may call the converse of a douane.
No importation Of any sort is illegal;
you may take in as many unbroken
boxes of cigars as you please, but
you and your luggage will not be
passed unless you have an unbrOken
box of kindliness toward your fellow
creatures. You must be sympathetic;
your willingness to condone, or at
any rate your refusal to condemn,
must be beyond dispute. That GER
tain acts and modes Of thought are
altogether foreign to your nature,
you must accept. You must be will
ling to concede that the world is wide,
and that there are many things about
which you are not competent to
judge. You must be tolerant, and
you must remember that you are a
man and brother; or, if you are not,
that it would be better if you were.
If you can comply with these require
ments, you may, If you will, wander
far and wide through Bohemia; you
may, If you will be naturalized, but
without them you cannot be. AS is
Bohemia, SO are Bohemians, and thus
I maintain that they have many good
points in their favor.
Jack Stanley was the best Bohe-
Mian 1 ever knew, but as he had none
of what are considered the cardinal
vices of that nation, The was never
elasSed as one. He was only consid,
cred rather odd.
We were sitting together in the win
dow of club one day late in July last
year, looking out onto the hot, dusty
street. The season was dying hard,
but had been emitting sundry galvan-
ic efforts to pretend it was quite frisky
still, in the shape of rather sparsely
attended dances. Jacks Bohemian
ism did not cut him off from his own
class, but he had been lamenting it's
want of originality compared to
what he called second circles.'
"The capital Of Bohemia" he was
saying, "is London, and the season is
from September to December Of
course, May to July is very lively, and
breakfasted off cherries this morn
ing in Covent Garden. Towzler gave
me them. Do you know Towzler
He is one of the proper old Covent
Garden men, and drives his own van
mp every night. 1 don't believe he
goes to sleep at all between April and
August. My dear fellow, you should
know Towzler. 1 don't approve of
his morals, but he is really original ~
Whats wrong with his morals ?''
I asked
20, haven't you heard? He was had
up for bigamy at Bow street. He got
off, but Towzler tells me it's Gods
truth
'.How did he get off?
That's TOwzler's concern. They
couldn't lay hands on the second wo-
man. He says he hasn't done her
any harm; she's only on a visit to
foreign parts, apparently. Poor old
Towzler, he had a rough week of it.
But his methods. are always simple,
and simplicity is the secret of art"
"But not a proof of it, though I
don't doubt Towzler is an artist
What time did you get home this
norning?'
about half-past five," saia Jack.
II left Lady Masingberd's at three,
and as it was a lovely morning 1
walked to Covent Garden, and
breakfasted with Towzler, as I said.
Three to four on q midsummer morn
ing is the loveliest hour in all the
year. So mankind snores then. I am
a fool, know, but must say that
have the sense to appreciate an
AQrlU r1i6crprnonYs
London looks washed" :.
A piano-organ struck up in the
street outside at this moment, and
Jack got up and went to the window.
1t was employed in cutting out the
"Intermezzo' from "Cavalleria Rus
ticana" with relentless accuracy.
II know that only one piano-organ
could have got that tune yet" mur-
nured Jack. He'll play the Lost
Chord next.
Now and then felt little irritated
with Jack. 1t is excusable to feel
irritated with man who says he
knows what tune a chance barrel
organ will play next.
II bet you two to one he doesn't, -
said I.
my dear fellow, it's not fair to
bet on certainties. It's Jim Planters
organ; I know Jim intimately. There;
1 told you so. Seated one day at
the piano-organ! How well the
music suits the words, and how bour-
geois they both are! They are sort
of meat-tea-music.'
He threw up the window. "That's
the most determined piano-organ in
London" he continued. "It stamps
the notes out like a steam punch,
and filings them down on the pave
ment-bang-. There! What an ex-
ample of industry and punctuality.
If there is a single moment to spare,
it sprints up to the top Of its COM
pass and down again, and is always