The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06
PROUD OF HIS COUNTRY.
A POlandcr's Regrets Over the Con-
ditiOn of HIS Native Land.

(From the New York Commercial Advertiser.)
portly old man with majestic manner
sat in an east side wine cellar sippin,
claret and finding fault with old Europe
He spoke in a soft, voluminous bass. which
did not quite harmonic with his stern ges-
lures, and the three other men who sat al
the same table, smoking and listening
often expressed hearty approval.
who is the greatest piano player in
the world" he asked, and after a pause
he answered with an angry gesture, Pad
crewski! Who is the greatest composer for
the same instrument? Chopin-another
Polei Who is the greatest soprano in the
world now that Adelina Patti is practically
out of the race? Nine. Semorich Pole!
Who is the greatest tenor and the greatest
operate artist the world has produced ?
Jean de Reszke Who is the greatest nov
elist? Sienkiewicz, Who was the greatest
violinist? Veniavsky, All Poles: Yes,
ours is the greatest nation in the world,
and yet we are In bondage. Russia, Prus-
STA, and Austria have each a slice of our
great kingdom; our glorious language is
langushing nder the yoke of foreign
tongues; our children are prosecuted. COM
PEELED to seek a home in strange countries,
scattered all over the world"
The old man waved his hand in despair,
lit his pipe, and was silent.
But where does Europe come in?" one
of the three ventured, respectfully. Il
blame Russia Prussia, and Austria.
but
But WHAT" the old man interrupted
him, tmpatiently. The powers are all one
syndicate, one gang If England for in
stance, was as pious as she says she is
Oh. DoIa lAp, ha
is strong. She could do it if she would.
But she doesn't care. It's somebody else
who is writhing with pain, not she, so she
can stand it."
The old Pole was interrupted no more.
He went on to picture what a glorious
country Poland would be if she were freed
from her oppressors. She would become
the cradle of a new civilization, the great
centre, radating from which would be
literature, music, the plastic arts, science,
commerce. It's sunshine would battle the
whole world in light. fill every crevice of
the globe with happiness, turn life into
poem
"Ah!" he sighed getting up and begin
ming to pace up and down the cellar. Talk
of the millions spent in civlizing savages!
Here is the greatest people God ever ere
ated, and it is Flowed to PERISH here is
the greatest source of civilization the hui
man brain can imagine, and it is allowed
to lie failow."
Two hours later when the old man and
his friends were gone. the proprietor and
another customer sat talking over glasses
of wine at the same table where the Pole
had addressed his followers.
He can't get 1t out of his mind" said
the landlord. His father and their whole
family were active in the Polish rebellion
OF the sixties. He himself was young
man then, and his devotion to the cause
gained for him the admiration of the dis
trict. They tell some interesting stories
about him. He was engaged to be mar
ried, and he was so deeply in love with
his sweetheart that often in the dead of
night he would get up, dress himself
and spend the rest of the night marching
around the girls house. Yet when her
brothers refused to join the revolutionary
forces he cursed their family and broke
the engagement. The sister of towards
cannot be my wife, he said.
lone day some secret arms we're brought
and they had to be a--sss tA.--..zA IL.