Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-05

born at Naishapur. In Khorassan (where-
ever that Isl. In the latter half OF our
eleventh century. IL Is my painful duty
to state that he has since died. He is-
or was, for he doesn't count for much
now-thc astronomer-poet OF Persia
While history Is not encyclopaedia In us
information about him. We are told that
his life Is curiously twined about That or
two other prominent figures Of his day,
one Of whom was Nizam vi Mulk. Vizyr
to Alp Arslan the Son, and Malik Shah'
the Grandson Of Toghrul Beg the tartar
This alone shows that he moved in GOOD
society. and wasn't in the habit OF shy-
ing or backing his ears at unpronounce'
able names. The word Khayyam' MS
name. signifies tent-maker, for. when hot
writing poems on the beautiful snow ana
how to land in a goldcure institution.
he was engaged in this latter line OF
business. To thoroughly enjoy omar
poetry il is best to read ii In the orisi-
nal Persian though | would not advise
people with iarge families to quit their
everyday duties and learn this language
Just to accomplish this purpose
WHY all the ladies should be gushing
and raying over the Rubaiyat is more
than | can see The whole poem-or Sc
ries OF poems--is a long. extended rhap-
sody over the ACCESSIBILITY OF enjoying
the present and letting the future go 10
the mischief Omar's idea OF run Is
plenty Of liquor. and no bother ABOUT
| lIfe-insurance policies or things TO come
| later. Now, usually the mouse-fearing
sex don't approve of intemperance, put,
| being as the old Persian Is fad, they
| sip the nectar of his words like bumble-
| bees sucking the sweets from honey
| suckle.
Here's one auatrain from our deceased
| friend:
| Why. be this juice of Cod who dare
| Rlaspheme the twisted tendri as snare?
A blessing, we should use 1t, should we
| not?
And n a curse-why. then. Who set II
there?
Now. omar doesn't try to fool people
bv saving that he never had SICK mead
ocbes after q night out, or that the clink-
| etv-clink Of the ice i'm the pitcher never
delighted him. on the contrary. he grants
all this. but with your leave" consents
tn take another glass. Here's the way
he expresses IT:
And much as wine has play'd the lnhdcl'
And robbed ME of my robe of honour
- We'll,
| wonder often what the winners ouy
One half so precious as the stun they sen.
Mr.. Khayyam was not the KIND OF
man to make faces at liquor, or 10 SUCK
II through straw. If he couldn't 90
any better the bunghole of barrel SUIT
ed him alright. and when there was no
barrel and no bunghole he was satsneu
with n Jug Witness the following, whlcr
gives his idea of what basket-pichlc
should he:
"a book of verses underneath the bough
4 Jug of wine. a loaf of bread--and Thot
Beside me. singing i'm the Wilderness
| Oh wilderness We're Paradise enoW!
Now. all this strikes me as iirst-clas'
poetry. and any blind man can see ina
omar was "all wool and a yard wide,
so far as the boys were concerned bu
how he manages TO please the nineteenth
: | century ladies is more than | can under
| stand As q general thing, they are req
, hot against anything with wine IN u
, even If it's nothing more than mihce
: meat pie-and how they manage to re
I concile the old Persian tricks with thel
abstemious ideas Is too much for me.
: All I've got TO say is that | wish W
: could have had a chance 10 nave ma
!, Omar up in Hanover county with u
about the time we used TO brew our app
j brandy. He'd have written poetry thei
. time there would have been a saddle
. strain TO his verses And oh. what
9 difference ne would have found it in III
- morning.
Glands orr is everybOdy's motto nov
!, adays. The physicians for the poor nay
been getting in their work, and vaccf
: virus has been flowing like Whisky 9
: the eve of an election. Indeed, 1t ma
y be said that the doctors have the mo
!" taking" ways OF any professional me
: we know They have left their MARI
q whithersoever they have gone. and nav
= dispensed amateur attacks of small-pt
y with a generosity which is startling. [
a nearly every left arm i'm Richmond u
II red badge Of scientific progress stands
? a burning. itching tribute TO our munlc
II nal enterprise. Ambitious citizens V
IL with one another i'm sore places; the mi
. whose vaccination has not taken
:, treated with icy contempt, and no Inc
x vidual has wound so severe that
- cannot find another citizen with a Wor
one. We no longer smack our frleh
~ on the back and arms when we me
u them. Nay. nay, we approach win ca
II ton. and touch them as If they we
- leprous.
Il In polite society people who sudden
find their minds devoid of ideas do n
III have To discuss the weather las | ha
~ doue). but are permitted 20 ask their v
IL Avis if they have been vaccinated. TT
IS topic. alone. can be prolonged into
- minutes conversation.
le 4 good many young ladies, whose boo
:, are filed with engagements for german
III tea-parties, corn-huskings. hog-killini
cake-waIks. &c. necessitating the do
ne ming Of evening dress. complain, that I
ol vaccination scars will seriously interfe
III with their cOmeliness. There Is VI
u 10 obviate this difficulty but IL Is
d. for me TO go into details.