Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-04-09
BROTHER OGDEN'S DIREFUL PRE-.
DICTIONS.

Brother Robert C. Ogden came South
this year in a somewhat bilious mood
Evidently the long winter, with its ab-
sence of out-of-doors recreation, has
stagnated his liver and provoked that
pessimistic tendency that comes from q
condition approaching jaundice. Even
the bright sunshine of spring in the
South, with it's refreshing, stimulating
balmy air, and the sight of the happy
faces of its people and the bright flow
ers of its fields and gardens, seemed
unavailing to tear away the gloon
from his soul. Darkness shrouded his
face and he stood ready to array him
self in sackcloth and ashes when he
reached Little Rock, where he attended
a Southern educational conference.
Instead of opening the windows Of
his mind and heart and letting little
sunshine in" Brother ogden seems to
have wrapped himself even closer in
the cloak of dismal forebodings with
which, he left home. Everywhere he
looked the New York dispenser OF
funds saw a gray cast to the landscape,
a darkness on the horizon, gathering
clouds that Swallowed the earth and
refused to be dissipated. And out OF
the depths of his own misanthroDic
state Brother Ogden proceeded to read
the horoscope of the coming years. The
conjunction of the planets, as Brother
Ogden read the answer in the stars, is
all opposed to peace, prosperity and
happiness. Instead, there looms be-
fore the land an era of doubt, anxiety
perhaps bloodshed and ruin.
The outlook for social and political
affairs in this country" said he to the
assembled educators, IS at present
ominous. 1t would be easy to make
statements morbid enough to suit the
version of the deepest dyed pessimist
They appear on every side" And then
when the CLEANS of gladness died out
Of the eyes of his audience, and each
man felt for his purse and looked as
kence at his neighbor, he gave the re-
assuring intelligence that it might yet
be possible to check the avalanche OF
woe by an application of the remedy
of a wise and patriotic citizenship.
Brother Ogden is suffering unneces-
sary distress. The country is not on
the verge of a catastrophe. 1t is not,
to quote his words, in a state ap-
preaching the "ominous." The only
ominous state is that of Brother Og-
den's liver. A blue mass pill would re-
lieve it. 1t is really pity that SO sin.
cerely a good man should be so terri
bly, distressed over Thugs that amt
so. The sun is shining Just as pleas
antly as of yore, the fish are biting just
as freely, the peach crop is coming
along with an abundance, Strawberries
are ripe in the gardens, the melon
crops will probably be the most lus-
cious and largest known, corn threat
ems to outstrip cotton in value, babies
are being welcomed with old time af-
lection in countless households
throughout the land, the young people
are counting just as lovingly as when
Brother Ogden tried his prentice hand
in that direction, and soon, from Ken
chunk to Frisco, the hoarse cry of the
umpire will be heard as he calls ''Play
ball." No, no, Brother Ogden, there is
nothing ominous in the outlook. What
you need is to look at your tongue in
the looking glass. There is where the
trouble lies.