Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1914-11-18
WORD PAINTING
BY SAM DAVIS
A NEVADA WIT WHO POSSESSES
... ALSO THE GIFT OF
ELoouENcE

~ nhppeneu tnaJ q StenOgrapher
was present at banquet where Sam
Davis was called on Unexpectedly to
respond to toast, 1.-The Thing of
Life" 1t took place years ago in
Virginia City in celebration of the in
stallation of electrical pumping ma
chinery in the lower levels of the
Comstock lode. DR.. George Wharton
James referred to the response, while
making his address to the Nevada
Pioneers, as one of the most eloquent
postprandial addresses he ever heard.
inasmuch as it probably is not yet
familiar bit of literature, it is publish
ed here:
Born from nothing, it leaps into ex-
istence with the full-hedged strength
OF giant, dies, is born again; lives
thousand lives and dies a thousand
deaths in single pulsating second of
time. ...... ...> ... .
1T scars to every height, plunges to
every depth, and stretches its vast
arms throughout illimitable space.
1T plants the first blush upon the
cheek of dawn; with brush of gold
upon the glowing canvas of the west.
1t tells the story of the dying day.
AT its mere whim and caprice, a
thousand pillars of light leap from the
dark and sullen seas which surge
about the poles, while from it's SHIN
mering loom it weaves the opalescent
tapestry of the aurora to hang against
the black background of the Arctic
night.
1T rouses nature from her winter
sleep, breaks the icy fetters of the
frost that binds the streams, lifts the
| shroud of snow from off the land
scape, woos the tender mold and bids
the earth to bud and blossom; dowers
the flower with perfume and clothes
the earth with the verdure of spring.
1T rides the swift courses of the
storms that circle round the bald
crest of old Mount Davidson; cleaves
the black curtain of the night with
scimitar of flame; rouses the light
nings from their couch of clouds and
wakes the earthquake.
Beneath its touch the beetling crag.
which took omnipotence a thousand
years to rear, crumbles into dust, the
mere plaything of the idle wind; It
lays Its hand upon the populous city
with its teeming, restless multitude;
and where yesterday stood the glitter
Ing aerie, the shining tower, the
frowning battlement, today the cold
gray ocean rolls in undisputed might
ut gathers the doings of the day
from the four corners of the world:
the tales Of love and death, OF fire and
pestilence, and, under 5000 miles of
shivering sea, whispers the babble of
two hemispheres.
ut turn the wheels of peace where
poor men toll and helps the husband
man to plow and plant and reap his
whispering grain.
1T rides the wings of war, where
brave men die; and when 1t stalks
between contending hosts, exalts the
lsingly crest and helps an empire plant
It's flag of conquest
ut glows in lonely attics, where
weary workers toll to earn their crust.
II shines DER 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 fingers lift the cup OF pleas
ure to the mouth of sin, mid the sob
blng OF sensuous music and flows the
forbidden wine; and, speeding on its
way, illumes the dim cathedral aisle,
where surpllced priest proclaims the
teachings of the Master and golden.
throated choirs 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 floods OF fire
and stood the sponsor of Graded
world"