The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-09
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY E. HOUSE
tFron Philadelphia Public Ledgsr.l

The complaint filed by d. H. W.
that we used the word ethics as
plural noun holds our attention mo-
mentarily. but does not entirely alb
sorb it. However, we want to do the
right thing. If D. III. w. will tell us
what a plural noun" is we shall be at
some pains to avoid repeating the Of
tense.
The chief obstacle in the way of
those who would correct the gram
NAUTICAL errors into which the column
falls is that we never know what they
are talking about.
Looking backward thru the vista of
years, provided, OF course, that one
can look backward thru the vista of
the years, we observe that the path by
which we came is lined with the vast
ed emotion to which we recently re-
ferred. We recall that. as small boy,
we cried bitterly when James G.
Blaine was defeated for the presi-
dency. We had a bitter half hour,
cial Joss. when Bob Fitzsirnmons.
searching the person of James J. Cor
bett, discovered the solar plexus
We cite only these two isolated in
stances. but again looking backward
| thru the vista of the years. we dis
cover that many of our most solemn
| and depressed moments have been de-
voted to fatuous grief. We seem TO
| have the faculty. inherent in our kind.
! of taking the unimportant seriously.
Touching the expression, ''the vista
| OF the years. we interpolate q doubt
| in order to gave our face. The gram
| that we have grown afraid to extend
| ourself in physiological feats. Only
| one who has experienced the sensation
| knows the hampering influence of a
grammaeian who takes the language
seriously.
| All this reminds us that Melville z.
Stone has just finished stripping an
| other OF the heroes of our boyhood.
\ In the current number of Golfers,
Mr. stone not only blots out the halo
| which encircies the memory of James
G.. Blaine but he peels that statesman
| to what the advertising writer likely
would refer as his undertakings"
! Having already desecrated the
memory of Eugene Field by rcferrine
| to him as a teetotaler, we wish Mr.
| Stone had been given the grace TO lei
the late Mr.. Blaine rest in peace. we
could have withstood the shock OF one
| unhallowed hero. We hate to lose two
in the period required by one man in
which to write his "reminiscences.
You are a tolerably close observer
upon our tramways, noted the type OF
| gent who habitually engages himself
in reading the New York Call? If you
believe the forefathers were justified
in taking this country away from the
Indians, look him over the next time
you have opportunity to do so.
AS for US. intimate contact with the
| teeming crowds of civilization always
frames one battle-cry upon our trem-
bling lips. 1t is, "Give. us back the
Sioux. the Comanches, the Apache:
and the Mohicans!"
And year by year Sitting Bull and
Red Cloud rise 4 little higher in ouI
esteem.
Meanwhile Joe jackson. who had
been at low ebb in the column ever
since he fought in the shipyards, en-
lists our momentary and Qualified ap.
| prevail. When Mr.. jackson had fin
ished purging his soul to the grand
jury he did not boz. his head to weef
upon the shoulders of the public. In
/ stead, he threw his shoulders back
! faced squarely the battery of carnerus
focused upon him and said: Hell
what difference does it make now?'
At any rate, Mr.. Jackson's percep-
ton is considerably more acute thar
it had been rated by the close OBJ
servers