The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-17
SAM DAVIS WORD
PAINTING, ON ELECTRICITY
Sacramento Bee)


A whole nation knows Sam Davis az a
humOrist. Few there are vino know
that when Sam wants tO-for Sam is d
weighty epitomist of Iaziness-he can
WOO the English language with a touch
that even Bob lngersOll would envy.
The following is from Sam Davis
1 speech at a banquet some years ago i'm
Virginia City, the occasion being a Gel
ebratiOn i'm honor of the Introduction of
electric power on the ComstOck:
Born from nothing, il leaps into cX-
istence with the full fedged strength
of a giant dies, is born again; lives
thousand lives and dies a thousand
deaths in a single pulsating second of
time
1t scars TO every height, plunges 10
every depth and stretches its vast arms
throughout iilimitable space.
1t plants the first blush upon the
cheek Of dawn. with brush of gold
upon the glowing canvas of the west
it tells the story of the dying day
AT its mere within and caprice,
thousand pillars of light leap from the
dark and sullen seas which surge about
the poles, while from its shiVering
loom it weaves the opalescent tapestry
of the Aurora 10 hang against the black
background of the Arctic night.
1t rOuses Nature from her Winter
sleep. breaks the icy letters of the frost
that binds the streams, lifts the shrOud
of snow from off the landscape. wOos
the tender mold and bids the birth OF
bud and blossom; bowers the flower
with perfume and clothes the earth with
verdure of the Spring.
1t rides the swift courses OF the.
storms that circle round the bald creF :
of old Mount Davidson; cleaves the
black curtain of the night with cine
ter of fame. rOuses the lighnings from
their couch of clouds and wakes the
earthquake.
Beneath its touch. the beetling crag,
which took OmnipOtence a thousand
veaKs to rear, crumbles into dust, the
mere plaything of the idle wind, and
Yesterday. where stood the glitteTinE
spire, the shining tower. the frownins
battlement, today the cold gray ocean
rolls i'm Undisputed might
It gathers the dOings of the day from
the four corners of the world. the tales
of love and death. of fire and flood. of
strife and pestilence, and under 5000
miles of shivering sea, whispers the
babble of two hemispheTes.
1t turns the wheels of peace where
poor men toll. and helps the husband
man to pillow and plant and reap his
whispering grain.
It'rides the wings Of war where brave
men die: and, when it stalks between
contending hosts, exalts the kingly
crest and helps an empire plant its
flag of conquest
It glows in lonely attics where weary
workers toll to earn their crust. 1t
shines Ger scenes where feet of feasters
tread the halls of revelry. 1t lights the
mourners on their pathway TO the tomb.
1t glares in haunts where jeweled fin
gers lift the cup of pleasure to the
mouth of sin. mid the sObbing of sensu-
Gus music and flow of forbidden wine
and, speeding on it's way, illumes the
dim cathedral aisle, where surpliCed
priest proclaims the teachings of the
Master, and gOlden-th rOated chOiTs lift
their Hosannas to the King of Kings.
1t was the Makers ally at the dawn
of Time and when God from the depths
of infinite space, said, Let there be
light" it sent the pulse of life along
| Creations veins, baptized Earth's cold
brow with foods of fire, and stood the
sponsor Of a Graded world.