The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29

voice. However. even nature, in this COM
mereial age, is not always free TO Us. Last
a mile TO show my little girl water fall
that was turned ca when you paid quar-
ter.
in business. time and space have become
so precious that the former conventional
forms OF politeness are abandoned. There
is no time for inquiry as to the health or
happiness of friend you meet. Your
most obedient servant at the close OF
letter, has been packed into Yrs. Noon
lunch is reduced TO a bite and gulp, cor
reSpondence TO ciphers: the day closes with
- rush for our wheels, and the journey
home is often a race with some new woman
answering to Kipiing's familiar descrip-
ton, A rag and bone ana hahh Vi
But MY protest against the scorcher,
whether on the road, in business or IN pom
ties, does not end with the statement OF
the evils that befall those who Try 70 loI-
low his pace. He is the emOodlment ol SCI
fishness and greed. He demands the flSht
of way and has no hesitation IN running
down the one who happens sto be IN MS
path. Nor has he time to look back to learn
the extent of the injury he may nave IN
nicted. His only philosophy is that OF the
men are born free and equal and that the
open road is before them all ankle. NOW
and then some thoughtful man like Bel
lamy arises and points out that this
freedom results only in the right to pro-
duce more inequality by which the rich
grow richer and the Eoor poorer. Even
come the standard of value and it is said
that matrimonial matches can only be
struck on a money box. 1t is true that your
business scorcher now and then breaks
away for a day of recreation, but he has
no heart in it and no taste for the FEAST
Which he is able to buy. lie travels abroad
on a schedule-regardlesS of expense, but
with little knowledge of the things he sees.
/ met such a traveller in one of the eXquls-
lite medieval churches in old Scotland. The
rich light from the old stained windows
shed a glory through the nave and seemed
to touch with gold the delicate tracery OF
the carved marble columns supporting the
high-arched roof. The old sexton, in the
reverent tone which told of his love of the
beautiful church, pointed out where Crom-
wells soldiers, in their insane hate of
Catholic symbols and the beautiful work
of the sculptor, had ruthlessly torn down
the priceless statues of The Virgin and
broken into fragments many of the match
less marble carvings on the walls. 'Crom-
who was Cromwell, anyway In the lit
tie quiet graveyard near his beloved Rydal
Water lies the dust of the poet Words
worth, marked only by the simplest slab.
Here was another who inquired, And what
did he do? 1t could not have been much
or they would have given him a monu-
who is so miserable, if not contemplate,
as the merely rich man? His real position
Is illustrated by the story of Mr.. Michael
Mccarthy, of New York. Mike was a ward
heller by trade and incidentally a con-
tractor and suddenly found himself rich. A
friend advised him to go down to Delmon-
ico's and learn to eat like a swell. So Mike
went down and astonished the WelI-bred
gentleman who came up to wait ON him
by demanding "A swell feed and niver
mind the cost, me boy The waiter under
stood his business and gave the order for
course dinner. He came back with cup
Of bouillon. When his back was turned
Mike took up the cup and drank it's con-
tents in single gulp. Next came plate of
ShrimpS which were dispatched shells and
all. When the third course, decorated
salad, was set before him, Mike looked up
and exclaimed, Look here, We spalpheer
I
pink bugs, but I'll be dommed if I'll ate
yer bouquet. I'm no goat This may be
an extreme case but what is a beautiful
home, what are statuary and paintings,
music and books, what are flowers and
sloping lawns and long vistaS over hills and
running streams? What even Is the love of
wife or the laughter of children to the
man who cares only for business, whose
only pleasure is in the pursuit of wealth,
whose health is shattered and who has
nothing in common with the slow-paced
rational people who love their firesides,
and nature offer? And yet too many of us
mount our wheels, our trolleys, our an
nihllators and hazard happiness and life
Itself to follow blindly the pace of these
scorcherS who rob us of our pleasures bv
the way and scorn us if we fail to get
there Let us rather stop by the wayside,
and pictures and art i'll every form: for the
joys of the home; for the children's even
ing hour; time for the social meetings such
as this that keep fresh and green our dear
est friendships Let us take time to muse
over the embers of hearthstone fire or
follow the fancies conjured up by the
Wreathing smoke of a good cigar. In sea-
son watch the frolics of the spirit 8 dancing
upon the silver foam that breaks upon the
shore down by the far-sounding sea-
catch If we can the subtle strains of music
that float in upon the soul on the under
currents, of the air that breathe upon the
myriad harps of forest trees Ruskin shall
not plead with us in vain to lift our ewes
from the pavement and the counter and
look up to see the ever varying and ma
m Of Io ole
THE great composers of books and
music, the poets, painters and sculptors,
whose noble work we turn from in our
restlessness, are the men among us whose
souls are tuned to these sweet mysteries of
the earth and the air and they shall be our
guides; With them we will stop by the
Wayslde and learn to catch the music in
all nature, --
" In the low stir of leaves
And the dip of oars
And lapsng waves
On nllet Shnrns,