New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-17
81 FAMOUS VICTORY"

Senator Platt may or may not nave knoWn
that he was quoting Southey when he wired his
congratulations to the triumphant Woodruff.
closing his dispatch with the words. Twas Il
famous victory and that the victory referred
to was that of Marlborough at Blenheim. Doubt
less the Brooklyn struggle seemed to him as
important in It's consequences and far-reaching
in its results as the affair at Blenheiln, ana the
doughty Woodruff much hero as Marloor-
ough But if he did have Blenheim in mind he
should have quoted Addison instead of Southey.
and described Timothy as the leader who'
when an angel, by divine command
With rising tempests shakes guilty land
remains calm and serene"
And pleased the Almighty's orders to perform.
Rides in the whirlwlnd and directs the storm.
The comparison of Woodruff with Marlborough
might at first blush seem like flying just trihe
high, but that wouldn't trouble Timothy. lie
has grown considerably during the last year
1t wouldn't seem to him either an exaggeration
or an incongrulty. On the contrary, there Is
reason to believe that il would have pleased
him.
II is not so clear how he will take the Southey
ouotation when he becomes aware that II Is
quotation and learns the context. For ne VIII
find that the observation. Twas Il famous We
tory" was made originally by an aged German
whom the poet calls "Old Kaspar." in answer
70 inouiries made by his grandson. Young
Peterlin." who. having picked up skull on The
field of. Blenheim.
came to ask what he had found
That was 50 large. and smooth. and round
"Old Kaspar" took it, and, turning 1t over very
much as Senator Plat might the skull Of Jake
Worth.
""Tis some POOR fellows skull" said he,
who fell In the great victory
Young Peterkln's" curiosity being excited he
eagerly inquired what twas all about:
Now tell us all about the war.
And what they fought each other for
This was a stumpcr for "Old Kas'." who lad
no more idea what twas all about or what
they fought each other for than President Nc
Kinley has what the recent racket III BROOKLYN
was all about what Tom Plat ana "!ak"
Worth fought each other for. Being less dis
ingenious than Woodruff or Quigg. the old man
owns ND in the following stanza
'It was the English Kaspar cried,
who put the French to rout;
But what they fought each other for
| could not well make out.
But everybody said" quoth he
That twas famous victory
Young Peterkin' was not satisfied. lie was
as persistent as the Citizens Union for Seth Low,
or as President Mckinley might have been when
Senator Plat described the Brooklyn victory to
him the other day. to know what that was all
about He asks again
But what good came Of II at last?'
Quoth LITTLE Peterkin
Why that cannot tell said he,
But twas famous victory.
II is hard to believe that Senator Plat was
playng the Lieutenant Governor for Young
Pcterkn" in congratulating him upon IA
nous victory" over Worth when neither he nor
ANYBODY else could tell what they fought each
other for or what good came of it at last.
The humor Of il is too subtle for the Senator.
However that may be. the quotation is perfect
" pat. In a thorough and exhaustive search
through history and poetry he could not have
found anything more appropriate or felico1s.