The San Francisco call., 1898-10-09


 writing under another name. Perhaps the query should have been answered by mail, but there is no stamp at hand. If the secret is out there is no use of pleading anything except the statute of limitation. It has certainly been a long time since I have robbed a train, and, ever since the experience of hay ing been killed by the Ford boys, noble gentlemen who shot me in the back, l have been addicted to less violent pursuits. I only beg of the correspond ent that she will regard this communi- cation as confidential.
 It has never seemed to me a proper thing for a minister of the gospel to make violent love to the members of his congregation. In measure it de- stroys his usefulness, because others of the members are apt to become jealous. No, Rev. Briggs, do not think have you In mind. You have secured glorious vindication. I was impelled to make the remark by a recollection of the late c. o. Brown.
 There Is sometimes a disadvantage in writing a bad hand. Joaquin Miller writes one so bad that he cannot read it himself, and why he should expect anybody else to read 1t passes all un- derstanding. A young lady whose gra- cious presence ornaments the staff of this paper is in 8 sad quandary over his chirography. She has letter from the poet. For several days she has pondered upon 1t. She has decided that it is an invitation to dine at the heights in the shadow of JOaqutn's funeral pyre, the description of an Alaskan sunset or recipe for cooking gum boots. At other times she wavers and believes she holds a treatise on How It Feels to Lose an Ear" or The Razor as a Curse to Civilization" l would help her if I could, but she showed me the letter, and can't.
 
 It befalls that sooner or later we all feel the sting of ingratitude. With best intent I have sung the praises of the Delta Muser. Now he declares l know nothing about poetry, and see in it no point to admire but the ingenuity Of the author in making the words rhyme. Yet I have seen much more in the poetry of the Muser, and have pro- claimed 1t. To get it in the neck this way is scant reward. I have feeling that the Oozer would not thus tear up the feelings of a friend, and hereafter pin my faith to him.
 Of course it was a Kansas court which was called upon to decide whether a young man escorting young woman to a place of amuse- ment was legally bound to take her home again. The court decided that he was, a gallant decision from which there will be no appeal. Yet supposlng the young couple went to dance ana the lady f1irted with everybody in sight, that 1t was a festival and she ate ice cream with everybody but the one who had paid the price of admission, that It was a corn-husking and she declined to accept the responsibility when her escort stripped a red ear. There are two sides even to this question. When a girl accepts the protecting arm or the male Kansan there is an implied contract by which both are bound. lie undertakes to shield her and she 10 ap- preciate the delicate attention. 1T she throws him oyer the minute another male appears on the scene IL seems to me the contract is broken, and when she expects him to resume his place at her side for walk home she has more cheek than becomes one of her lovable sex The real puzzle, however, is as to how such a matter ever got into court. If should have been left to the query editor.
 
 There could be nothing more wicked than the suggestion Of dividing SWlt- zerland among the robbing powers, ex- cept the act itself. France, Italy and Germany would like a slice each. The shamelessness of a larcenous nation is beyond all comprehension. When safe-cracker has designs upon bank he hesitates about taking the world into his confidence. When an organized hand of raiders ruled over by mon arch and of sufficient number to be recognized as a Government decides to steal, 1t is rather inclined to boast about it. The burglar has fear Of the nolice: civilization has no police to cone with a gang of thieving nations. Tn all excepting magnitude SWltzerlano is vastly the superior of any of the 
 precious trio which proposes to despo1I her. France has for years been acting as though on an absinthe debauch. Italy has been steadily retrograding, the King unable to control its dfssatis- fled people. Germany, under the Kaiser. has been in constant danger. through that eminent gentleman's ten dency toward the war-lording industry. Meanwhile Switzerland has followed the arts of unobtrusive peace, attended to business and been rewarded by prosperity. Each one of the decaylng or turbulent nations now threatening the little republic could we'll take a lesson from it in manners, morals, bravery and patriotism.
 
 From time to time people have been reading of the brutality of the attaches of the pound, to whom falls the duty of corraIing the errant dog. That no particularly high-minded gentleman would adopt this calling may readily be believed and yet it is hard to understand why, after brief as- sociation with vagrant canines, the