The mirror., 1923-04-05
WHILE ROME BURNS
(Contisued from page y


forth, and turned to the assemblage. Sud-
denly his manner underwent startling
change. His brow lifted and revealed
flashing eyes, his nostrils seemed dilated,
while his jaw snapped like steel trap.
Thrusting his right arm forward, and
leveling his index finger at the crowd, he
roared in deep bass tone and with
startling effect,-"Listen Then, just as
suddenly, he reversed his manner, and
smiled as if taking the audience into his
confidence. His words seemed coated
with honey, and his entire attitude like
that of crafty old cat who was wont to
stroke an ill-fated mouse just before de-
vouring it.
"One evening"" said the speaker, 81 at
tended a theatre, and young man in the
next seat alternately poked his finger in
his ears while opening and closing his
eyes, and continually annoying me with
his giggles. Finally, turning to his sweet
heart, he asked: "Did you ever try lis
tening to music with your eyes shut3"
/ was quite exasperated with his actions,
so 1 leaned over toward him and asked:
"Did you ever try listening to music with
your mouth shut, Well try it!" Well,
he got into trouble through opening his
mouth, and tonight, when Chairman Dale
phoned me, 1 did likewise. 1 opened my
mouth and put my foot in it."
This sally brought hearty laugh from
the entire audience and the speaker went
on, "Once upon a time, King Pharoah
was going to build palace, and to pun
ish the Israelites he commanded them to
make and furnish their quota of bricks
without straw. The Kings Jester laughed
at such an order, whereupon Pharoah COM
manded the Jester to 60 and live alone
with an old Owl, and not to return until
the Owl spoke. In his exile, the Jester
marched to and fro before the OWL and
recited the Kings order to make bricks
without straw. The old Owl blinked and
cried out "Who- Whoo- Whoot!" The
Jester at once returned to the Kings court
and told the astonished Monarch what he
had said to the OWL and the Owls reply.
The King became so angry that he pro-
nounced a dreadful sentence upon his
Jester, which sentence however, was never
carried out, for, Pharoah perished soon
after in the Red Sea.
My predecessors this evening have spo-
ken upon our condition as a nation, and
have suggested a remedy. The condi-
tions mentioned are quite correct Mr.. II.
@. Wells, the eminent historian, has said,
"The ship of civilization is not going to
sink in five years, nor in fifty years. 1t
Gently remarked that "Our Nation is like
a barrel with the hoops bursted."
All this, we must grant, but how shall
we remedy the evil? We have heard
their theories, but am not an iconoclast,
and have no desire to tear down their
castles of hypothesis. 1t might prove to
be an easy task to do so, but, at best, it
would be a cowardly one; akin to kick
ing the crutches from the support of
feeble old lady. In other words, their
theories have been tried and found want
ing That is why we are here discussing
the subject tonight.
have no elaborate allegorical and
nebulous hypothesis to offer in exchange;
neither will l resort to spread-eagle ora
tory and utter glorious sounding pati-
tudes and phrases. only wish that, by
my grasping the folds of this silken ban
ner, Longfellow's words might be realized,
when he said:
"And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away"
Alas! it is far different May l compare