Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-05-21
Q hurmpM Gn1fmre G!|nb.
CONDUCTED BY
E, A. MATTHIAS.
I'Or.ia.


selves doubling this as we think OF his many
fine, strong characters, yet undoubtedly IN
more than one of his plays, his heroes are
eclipscd by their feminine counterpar's'
SHAKESPEARE was prophetic reader OF human
life; notice how invariably the catastrophe OF
the drama was caused by a man; the redemp
ton, where such is possible, is under the
guidance of o won,an's hand Such is Portals
gracious mission IN 1.-THE Merchant OF
Venice"
But as we cannot judge her wholly from
tho trial scene, let us seek her first III her
home. She is sad, and little wonder. Mar
rage, so frequently spoken of as lottery,
was never more SO than with Porta. Her
fathers viii bars her the right OF choosing
But the idea that she must take whatever
husband the fortune of the Baskets may allot
to her, does not discourage her checrfulness,
(for cheerful she is to the point ofwit) She
seems to find satisfaction in dutitu!ly honor
ing her fathers will and in trusting to the
wise and good disposal of Providence. Evl
uclllIy SllC % kHNIioou . b>'NA s''"' AA''J
men at their death have good INSPIRATIONS
Endowed with grace, good birth, and
stately courtesy, with the dignity of one &C
customcd to rule the household of magni-
ficcnt mansion, she has also woman's loving
heart, not wholly fancy free" But chance
is kind and sends as her husband, the man
she loves. As intelligent as the strongest,
she is as feminine rs the weakest in her scenes
with Bassanio.
Mrs. Kemble, the noted English actress,
wrote of her in 1876: "Shaksperc's Portia is
my ideal of perfect woman'' That she
Portia) has the strength of intellect and
nobility of character as well as the woman's
heart. to merit such words, is shown when
her husband leaves her to save his friend, II
possible. Mghtfully loving his honor equally
with himself she does not dea:n him; instead
her quick cycsight and ready wit have soon
devised way to help Clad in the attire of
Judge (since "coming events cast their
shadows before was she type of our
nineteenth century new woman?') she fol,
lows Bassanio to the courtroom and manages
AptOnlo's trial With cOnsummatc skill.
A writer, Mrs. Jameson, intimatcs Shak.
sperc to have been the only artist, except
nature, Who could make women wise without
turning them into men. Not one womanly
trait does Por,la sacrifice. Having to act for
once the part of a man, it would seem that
to go through the undertaking well, she must
have more self confidence than is woman S
usual possession; yet the poet has not lett
such an impression. There is nothing like
ostcntation or cOnccit of intellect about
Por,ia. Her CONSCIOUSNESS of power does
render her COOL collected and firm, but meyer
unfcminne.
Her noble character is srking(y shown in
her cndeavOr to owe An,onir's preservation
rather to just and liberal discharge of her
husbands debt than to Il riumph which Will
deprive Shylock Of every ducat But her
eloauencc, which amounts to genus, knows
its time perfectly; her appeal to the jew on
the score of mercy has been so often quoted
that it would long since have grown stale,
were it possible for age to wi'hcr or custom
stale" its grandeur Very few ind ed OF
Slaksprre's men in any play arc her equals
in intellectual power. Yet while to those
about her, the Judge like gravity and dignity
of department, the accuracy of her legal
knowledge and the depths of her moral re-
Elections, proclaim her 4 most noble judge
all the proprietles of her sex are perfectly
preserved; her womanhOod consccrates the
| disguise she wears. TO all her mental en-
| richment she adds the skill
$50 well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say .
Seems wScst >ylrtuuuSest discrcetcSt, best
| That her nature oyerhows with wit and
romance but adds an cnChanmcnt; it gives
her winning beauty and sweetness, and makes
her the erich souled creature Schlegcl calls
her. Shall we not agree W tn Jcssca?
"The poor, rude world hath not her fellow
With the last number the CurroN Ner'
entered upon its second decade. Under MIR.
Edward Rcslcr's management, the Ne'rs Is
an honor to journalism. 1t is pure in toni
and of decided interest and merit.
APPOINTED. Coy. Lowndes on Saturday
last named the Assessors at-Large for Fred
erick county. For this, the 9th district, winch
includes Creagerstown, and Emmitshurg
districts, Mai c.. A. Damuth, republican OF
Mcchanicstown and Geo. w. Myers, demo-
crat, of Crcagerstown districts received The
plum.
The mail route from fancy town to YORK
Road has been established with James A.
! Reid, Taneytown, contractor. The schedule
calls for leaving Taneytown daily except
Sunday at 4:40 a. H., arrive at York Road al
6 a.. M. Leave York Road after the arrival
of the train from Baltimore due at SOY Il. m
and to arrive in Taneytewn in II hours.
The contract to 60 into effect June 10th, and
is for one ycar.-Ec.
whats the matter with the p, r r.? Is
| il that the government desires to expedite
; the mails between these points?
! Clifford Miller, aged about II, son of the
VIM Henry Miller, formerly of Middletown
who resides with his mother on the Louis
Markell farm near Frederick, accidentally
shot and seriously wounded himself last
Sunday afternoon. He was attempting to
remove an exploded cap from Il 22-callbrc
revolver when in some manner the weapon
was discharged. The bullet entered his