New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-11
ne NEVER WET THT RBFP.

Two or three years ago tho Archduke Francis
Ferdinand of Austria. made a tour ~ the world.
visiting. among other countries the United
States oi America. Recently his diary has been
published and one inds there several references
10 our Nation and our people which are calcu-
lated t. gricye the patriotic heart and az the
same time to confuse the really thoughtful mind.
Wc very much doubt. FOR instance. whether We
follow the royal traveller when he rays tina. all
he saw Of the landscapes 81 North America were
mighty mouniains deep valleys endless plains.
enormous streams and waterfalls lakes that re-
"s,mblc seas and mm'asurahlc distances All
this bears an undeniahle stamp Of grandeur. but
cit is not grandeur glorided by poetry that son
'of old Europe Is accustomed 10 see. and by
(which nature touches the tcndercst chords In
"tho human heart 1t is grandeur coupled with
n proud circumstances Of power, which
"secms 10 defend the uncounted treasures against
"thc hand greedy II seize them. and thereby
CHALLENGES man to battle"
This may mean a great deal. and in all proba-
bilty the Archduke So Intended 1t, but his I'm
pcrial lilghncs, does not seem to be altogether
happy In impar,ine his meaning TO others. How
ever. there Is no mystery about the Princes re-
mark that the Americans were. flesh OF our
"ncsh ana blood Of our blood. yet the Americans
'of to-day are cstranged from us. They have
"assimilatci themselves with the country they
..c,naucr,I There Is an undenabe element of
grandeur in their character. though II Is often
"groicsque and even outrageous That means.
II it means anything that we are, In his opinion.
people destitute II the finer feelings. Of SYM
patty. Of warmth of character and sweetness
and dclicacy Of instinct. after ALL" says the
'Archduke. "thc peoples of the Old World also
fought the battle for existence. and yet they
did not lose their hearts or their souls which
are such softenlng and benehccnt factors side
"by side with reason and energy"
NO heart" mo soul" indeed II Archduke
Francis Ferdinand were In Washington now. and
IN "A position t. observe the conduct and fatho'n
the feelings OF a certain great man there whose
name Is Thurbcr. would he not rctruct That cruel
charge and beg for pardon on his Bonded knees
We think he would. Consider FOR one moment
the hottest rapture Of Thurbcr the tenderness OF
his feeling the beautiful and touching sensi-
bility Of his nature developed by this episode
OF the Measles in the Royal Family Look at the
pride with which he behed his own offspring
sharing the Measles with the Cleveland of
spring. or course the normal man doesn't de-
light In Measles for his children or course.
therefore. IT Is "A lofticr and more peucid sent-
ment than coarse grained man can feel which
/
causes them to sizZlc on his Consecratcd Cheek
in thinking OF the malady that has brought his
own family into communion with the Royal
Household Is there no heart and soul in this.
we should like To know? Can 1t be said. In the
presence of this solemn JOY that the people have
lost the "softcning and bcnenccnt factors OF
their character? An. these travelling strangers,
noble otherwise. will never know us, They
come to America. hurry about for two or three
weeks. see only our rugged exteriors and brusque
| ways. and then go home and write about us Ia
| displacement Some of them never Thurber
at ALL certainly thy never take the time to
| study him. to unfold the beauties OF his nature.
10 appraise the rich sto.e of his emotions and his
actuating sentiment. How can they under
stand us without having bcheld, investigated and
analysed Thurbcr? 1t required the tremendous
avalanche Of prehistoric glaciers to make CONT
| nents and oceans. 1t took case of Measles to
reveal to us the tenderness the rapture, the deli
| cate sensibiliy the sweetness and the softness
| the heart and soul of Thurber,