The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-13

mare" meaning to condemn and especially
meaning TO decide as wrong and worthy
OF punishment" And II Is not In the re-
mote days OF the earlier and possibly less
care fully selecting writer's OF holy writ
that we find the word used In this sense.
The scholarly Paul and the cautious Peter
alike employ 1t In predicting the fate OF
the unbeliever. Thus the man who. appre-
ciating the wickedness OF another, uses
the expression. ''he be damned" or some
collateral phrase. Is really on all fours
with the apostle so far as acknowl-
ment Is the due OF Of the Sa eviiy ds disposed % per
son. The difference. Of course, Is that
whereas Paul simply predicted what would
ensue. the modern user OF the word as
sumes to try the culprit and II not pass
Judgment at least wish him Ill, which Is
wicked and not to be tolerated.
10
The word damn" 1t may be incidentally
said in passing. Is obtaining quite vogue
"a sort OF renaissance-just now. being as
siduouSly propagated by the villain in the
high h-class society drama. Who in the last
ten years has not been present when the
voluminously beshirted and necessarily
smoking gentleman Of the fine white teeth
has bitten his mustache. glanced angrily
over his left shoulder, with an utter dis
regard for tradition concerning the new
moon. at the newly returned hero (who has
discovered in far Madagascar AN old de-
cree of divorce which forever settles him.
the villain) and ejucaluated in gentle
tOuc, bdIllu nlHn we nave all
heard this, and 80 the word has been ac-
cepted with respect, IL not Difference, for
society has taken 1t in.
-:O:--
There are some other words Of similar
lineage, as for instance that which was
earliest used to denominate the Internal
region. The employment of that, too. Is a
witness Of the truth of scriptural teaching,
hell. one ventures term signifying the
greatest possible measure of torrdity
One could say hotter than a blast fur
nace." a reasonably tropical concern. as
Ing to a man who never saw or heard Of Il
blast furnace and who had no conception
or the measure of Its heat. When one
mentions the home of his satanic majesty
speaker or listener are at once at COM
plete understanding with one another. In
the use Of that word one may imply that
ones interlocutor Is to some extent q stu
dent of scripture.
o.
Unfortunately, however, the users of
profanity are not thus logical and pains
taking In the employment of expression
and SO make themselves ridiculous. There
are. too abnormals who find vocal utter
ance quite insufficient for them. They have
an undue capacity for deep feeling, but
never had the opportunity to provide
themselves by study and research with the
We have in mind one Tom Peet. u forema n
of II switching crew in the Nandalisv yards
In East st. Louis. who one day received u
telegraphic order from the yardmaster
to switch out certain car from train
and deliver II to Il designated connection
With infinite trouble and some grumbling
the work was done, but scarcely had the
car. been set on the siding when IL second
telegram came instructing the man to dis
regard the earlier notice and put the van
back into the train from which 1t had been
| taken. Peet at receipt Of this stood erect
and for two minutes swOre vOlIminously
but somewhat tautologically at the red
signal lamp Of u switch stand. lie set the
car back, however, and had Just finished
up preparatory to taking dinner with the
rest of his crew when a third telegram
came telling him to Immediately switch out
that car and deliver 1t as first ordered. At
this Peet looked bleakly at high heaven
ran his eyes around the entire horizon for
inspira tiOn. shook his head like mad
bull, grabbed u handful of pebbles from
the track and placing them In his mouth
chewed them vehemently. leaped upon the
switch engine and seizing the iron handles
which operates the Whistles threw his
whole soul into one long. fifteen minute
blast. which consumed all the steam In
the old kettle; then turning the water into
the iire-box he leaped down and rushing
on foot to the yardmasters headquarters
three miles away whipped him and re-
signed. -...
On the whole, 1t is we'll that you have
AantI IaH N mi nj