The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-10-01
Individual, Social and National
AS Seen
FRomA Humoalsr'ss STANDPOINT
Prof. N. N. Riddell Phi. D. Entertains
Large Audience at the MethO-
dist Church.

The M. E. Church was crowded last
night to hear what Prof N. N. Riddel
Pm. D., the celebrated lecturer and en-
tertainer, had to say of "The Blunders
of Life, as Seen from the Humorists
Standpoint" The lecture was full of
telling truths, that were interspersed with
great deal of mirth and humor that
kept his audience in almost continuous
laughter. He took up the blunders as
made by the individuals, those in the
social world and in our nation at large.
Among the iblunders made by the lndi-
vidual dwelt on were: The idea that
person can succeed in life without
proper preparation, There may be such
thing as luck but most of luck is born
of pluck. Another mistake 10 made by
waiting FOR a pulp and looking for an
easy position. Again a blundcr is made
in getting a wrong start. When boy
gets beat in footrace he always says
it is because he did not get a good start.
Concentration of forces is what is need
ed for success. Mind is limited guam
tity and the more you spread'it the thin
ner it gets until after q while it be-
comes as thin as church fair soup or a
kiss over telephone. Did you ever try
this friends, it is very thin.
Among the social blunders taken up
were those of the artifciafity of the age
If young ladies would only take one-half
the time in decorating the inside of the
head as they now do in the outside, they
" ouid be far more attractive than they
are nowadays. There are girls who are
50 homely that they have to get up three
times night to let their faces rest and
yet they have cultured minds and sweet,
pure souls that make them attractive and
interesting. Some of the absurdities in
ladies dress were dwclt on, that result
from the incongruities of women of all
sizes and appearances conforming to the
one style. These give us creatures that
resemble a turtle just trying to draw
his head into his shell, or a half dressed
turkey. The dude in courtship, who has
to part his hair in the middle because
doubtless his brains are so light that his
head would tip over If he didn't, was pict-
rred forth, and the inability of the dude
to secure a woman of high intellectually
and character The mistakes made after
marriage were taken up Too many neg
lect the little acts after marriage that
made them attractive before and We seen
a couple who by their actions cause the |
crude, crusty old ~batchelor to say,
They're married. and of another,
They're courting." Again fathers do
not keep close enough to their boys |
hearts: Too many boys father is sim
ply THE man that stays here Sundays"
Among the national blunders pointed |
out was the idea of looking upon woman
as the inferior of man intellectually !
Some think her inferiority comes from
her being born after man. Nonsense! |
True. she came after man, and has been |
after him ever since, and goodness knows /
what would have happened to him if she
hand't been. This idea of woman's in
feriority causes us to deny to her the
ballot. This was a grave mistake and
the twentieth century will find the intel
ligent women of our land express their
views by the ballot. Again we are max
ing our ballot too cheap, by giving 1t un-
restrdctediy to the pauper, ignorant, and
criminal classes. In. many of our
large corporations the proprietor
casts the vote, of all of his men. Again
we are making a serious mistake by
looking back over our glorious past in
stead of turning about and facing the
live issues and problems of the hours
that must be settled or our nation totters
to fall.
AT the close of the lecture several pub
lie delineations of character We're made
by the professor that were we'll given
and the hits made much appreciated by
the friends of the parties in the audi
ence. Tonight the subject of the lecture
is, 'The PHILOSOPHY Of Life"