The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-12

tionary to be derived from the French
fcheVaI' q horse, and "chivalrOus'i
men were in the literal meaning Of the
term, merely men who rode about on
/ horseback. But chivalry has somehow
come to imply respect devotion. and
reverence for women. The "chiva1-
rous' knight is supposed to have gone
all over the world wearing the glove
or the ribbon of his "ladye faire," in
his helmet, and challenging to single
combat every other knight that dared
to question the supremacy of her
: beauty and virtue. I confess at once
that I do not believe in him. If he
! ever existed he must have been a most
humanity. as unlike his first pro-
genitor Adam, as he could well be. For
even in the Round Table" rOmanGes,
one finds an entire lack Of chivalry in
the sO-called chivalrous knights of
King Arthur. Their normal principles
left much to be desired, and the con-
duct of Sir Meliagraunce who betrayed
the loves of Laucelot and the queen
was merely that of a common sneak.
Coward Adam spoke in him, as in
many of the Arthurian heroes,-and
that they were more "chivalrouS" than
the modern male gOssips who jeer
away WOman's name and honor in
their smoking and gaming rooms, is a
/ legend which like that OF the Tree of
Good and Evil ITSELF requires stronger
confirmation than history as yet Wit
nesseth.
Coward Adam. taking him as he ap-
pears in the present day, has lately
shown himself off in various odd phases
and lamentable positions. During the
South African war, he came out strong
in some Of our generals who put the
blame Of certain military mfshaps on
one another like quarreIsorne children,
thereby losing dignity and offering g
most humiliating spectacle to the
amazed British public. Coward Adam
policy, after making a blunder. is to
adopt any lie, rather than say frankly
and boldly-.'I did it." He will eat dirt
by the buShel in preference to the nObler
starvation act Of singly facing his foes.
He is just now exhibiting himself to his
usual advantage in the British paFlia-
ment, while the nation looks on waiting
for the inevitable finale of his various
hesitatfons and inefhcieneies-the Mis-
ter Adam, he, clum I'D tree" For in
most matters Of social, political and
moral progress the great difficulty is to
obtain an upright, downright, honest
and impartial opinion from any leading
public man. The nation may be drift
ing devil-Wards but statesmen are
judged to be more statesman-Hke. If
they hold their tongues and watch it
go. They must not speak the truth. It
would offend so many people. It would
upset SO many interests It would Gre
ate a panic on the stock exchange. It
would throw Wall street into Mysteries.
The worlds vast public, composed of
thinking, working and nOreor less edu-
Gated and intelligent people may and do
crave for q bold utterance. a truth open
" enunciated and bravely maintained
but to the weavers of political intrigue
and the Eelf-seeking schemers in Gov
ernmentaaI departments, the public is
considered merely as Big Child, to be
sOothed with lollipop phrases and tick
/ led by rattle promises. If the Big Child
cries and screams because it is hungry
they chirp to it about Fair Trade-if it
complains that its ministers of religion
are trying to make it say its prayers
backwards, they promise a full enquiry
/ into recent abuses in the church" But
fine words butter no paTsniDs. Coward
Adam always climbs up a tree as quick
I ~ as he can when instead of fine words.
! fine deeds are demanded. Physical feats
of skill, physical gymnastics OF all kinds
[ he excels in, but a moral difficulty al
ways places him as it did in the Garden
of Eden. in what he would convention
ally term IAN awkward position
Not so very long ago I saw Coward
/ Adam at his tree-climbfng in a law
Ananias, all bound in a compact to
1 support their great ancestors reputa-
I ton, appeared against me to try and
/ prove that I wanted to build free IL
/ brary to Henley street, Stratford-on
/ Avon, where there were some old
/ houses of Shakespeare's time which I
/ judged it would be patriotic and nat
! ural to save from wreckage. They said
/ my motive was not to save the old
/ houses, but to put up a building COM
| memorative of my own philanthropy, a