Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-11
CHAPTER NN.

hourishing in the world, -Faithless,
Hopeless, Charltyless,-let us have at
them, dear 'riends, with might and
main !'-Thackeray.
Who can adequately describe the
thrilling excitement attending an arts
tocratic crush, - an extensive,
eping-of+old-scores lat home,
that scene of bewildering confusion
which might be appropriately set forth
to the minds of the vulgar in the once
popular ditty, Such a getting-upstairs
never did see!" Who can paint in
sufficiently brilliant colors the mere
outside of house thus distinguished
by this strange festivity, in which
there is no actual pleasure
rGwding of carriages-the shouting of
small boys and policemen?-who can,
in words, delineate the various phases
of lofty indignation and offence on the
countenances of pompous coachmen,
forced into contention with vulgar but
sood-natured ''cabbys "-for right of
way? who can sufficiently set
forth the splendors of q striped awning
dhCldS, llASu oll DOlA SluCS Will u wi
lection of tropical verdure, hired for
the occasion at so much per dozen pots,
and Illuminated with Chinese lanterns!
Talk of orange groves in Italy and the
languid light OF a southern moon!
What are they compared to the mar
wells Of striped awning! Mere trees
mere moonlight-(poor products of
NatureD do not excite either wonder
or envy-but, strange to say, an avn
ing avenue invariably does! AS soon us
Ii is erected in all its bland suggestive
less, no matter at what house, a small
crowd of street-arabs and nursemaids
collect to stare at it,-and when tired
of staring, pass and repass under it
with peculiar satisfaction; the beggar,
starving for a crust, fingers doubtfully
near ii, and ventures to inquire of the
inf 'l9nza-smitten crosSing-sweeper
whether it is a wedding or party?
And if Awning Avenue means matri-
mony, the beggar waits to see the
guests come out; if on the contrary, it
is for some evening festivity, he goes,
resolving 20 return at the appointed
hour and try if he cannot persuade one
swell" at least to throw him a penny
Ior his nights supper. Yes-a great
many people endure sharp twinges of
discomfort at the sight of Awning Az
enue, people who can't afford to give
parties, and who wish they could
pretty, sweet girls who never go to a
dance in their lives. and long with all
their innocent hearts for a glimpse
just one glimpse!-of what seems to
them ineXhaustible, fairy-like delight,
lonely folks, who imagine in their
simplicity that all who are privileged
to pass between the lines Of hired trop-
ical foliage afore mentioned, must
perforce be the best and most united
of friends-hungry men and women
PICTURE with watering mouths, the
supper-table that lies beyond the avn
ing, laden with good things, of the
very names of which they are hopeless
ly ignoraut,-while now and then a
stern, dark-browed Thinker or two
may stalk by and metaphorically shake
his fist at all the waste and eXatrava-
gence. useless luxury, humbug and
hypocricy Awning Avenue usually
symbolizes, and may mutter in his
beard. like an old-fashioned tragedian,
"a time will comet Yes. Sir Thinker!
it will most undoubtedly-it must
but not through you-not through any
mere human agency. Modern society
contains within itself the seed OF Its
own destruction,-the most utter Mini
ist that ever swore deadly oath, need
hut contain his soul in patience and
allow the seed to ripen. For Gods
Justice is a circle that slowly surrounds
an evil and as slowly closes on 1t with
crushing and resistless force,--the le-
yerish, fretting humanity, however
noLly inspired can do nothing either
to hasten or retard the round, perfect,
absolute and Divine Law. so let the
babes of the world play on, and let us
not brighten them with stories OF
EARTHQUAKES: they are mlseraple
enough as it is, believe it!-their toys
are so brittle. and snap in their feeble
hands so easily. that one is inclined 10
DitV them. Anu "A" hIue 2h'S1HSt 49,
its borrowed verdure and artihclal
light. is frequently erected Tor the use
of some Of the most wretched among
the children OF earth,-children VINO
have trifed and lost everything love
honor. hope, and faith, and who are
travelling rapidly to the grave with no
consolation save a few handfuls oil
base coin, which they must, pertorce'
leave behind them at the last.
So it may be that the crippled cross
lrg-sYeeper outside Winsleigh House
is a great deal happier than the mas
ter of that stately mansion. He has q
new broom, and Master Earnest WIN
slight has given him two oranges, and
a rather bulky stick of sugar candy.
He is a protege Of Earnest's-that
bright handsome boy considers IT
".olly shame"-to have only one leg,
and has said so with much emphasis
and though the little sweeper
himself has never regarded his afiiic.
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