Life — July 3, 1884 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> LIFE: , HE Sua has a correspondent who waxeth mysterious over the fact that Blaine was nominated on the sixth day of the sixth month. Also that his last name is composed of six letters. ; Well, what of it ? Tilden is spelled with six letters ; so is licked ; ditto beaten ; got badly left has twelve letters, a multiple of six; then, too, Tilden was n’t nominated on the sixth day; nor in the sixth month, another coincidence, not to mention seventy-six and the fact that he’s been sick ever since. Perhaps the Sw# augurs from this that Blaine will get left! By the way, how many letters are there in C. A. DANA? * * * \ \ 7 E bit the dust when we swung out solid for Samuel J., but we ‘ll bedimmed before we 'll go Groverling in it. Tammany Braves. * * * E understand that an eminent astrologer states that there are spots on the Suz. We officially deny the imputation. There are no flies on us. C. A. D-n-. * * * EORGE WILLIAM CURTIS writes in a letter to Roosevelt: N. B. No Blaine! * * * N the other hand, Henry Watterson wrote Cleveland on hearing Tilden’s withdrawal: P.S. Poor Sam! * * * HEN Gov. Robinson heard that Harvard had refused him his LL.D. he consoled himself with the remark : Well, I ‘ll be D——D. A MORALITY CONUNDRUM. O one will be made particularly joyful by reading “ The Crime of Henry Vane,” a novel by Mr. Stimson, of Boston, the very successful author of “Guerndale.” The psychology of a suicide is not the brightest sort of reading for awarm day; besides, the sub-title (“A Study with a Moral”’) is about as inviting as would be the sign on a theatre— “Walk right in and have your conscience pricked.” But whoever reads this sketch will be interested, perhaps in- structed, perhaps opportunely warned. The problem to be solved is: Given a young man of American parentage, but French education, suddenly bereft of sweetheart, sister, father and fortune—calamities which make his mother incurably insane—and all this at the very threshold of his career; transplant him to New York, and there let him struggle alone for three years with poverty; then comes business success, which only intensifies his hunger for real happiness; bring him under the influence of a bright, sympathetic, acute woman—not a butterfly and shallow flirt, but one who would play for the heart of a man recklessly, yet persistently and deceitfully—given these premises, what will be the result? The answer here is, Suicide. Under the circumstances, was it a crime? The deed was committed on the impulse of a moment; the immediate cause was a mere accident which led him to see a revolver. But a long train of causes made the impulse possible. Heredity (the insane mother must not be forgotten) and environment were active agents. Was he a responsible moral agent in spite of them, or was he the creature of remorseless laws? A secondary moral drama from the story is the frivolity of American Society, especially American girls who play reck- lessly at the game of life. It would be interesting to hear the verdict of the average American girl upon this story. It would probably be a good antidote for the serious reflections to which the tale had given birth. Lire asks your pardon, pretty maid, if it has caused you one sigh for the heartaches sown by your careless glances. You are never more charming than when least serious. Flirt on, in spite of Henry Vane, and let the world be merrier. DRocu. HE Society for instruction in First Aid to the Injured has a long name, but the work it does goes a long way. It has just published a handy little volume entitled “ First Aid To The Injured,” by Dr. Bowditch Morton, which con- tains full particulars as to the proper treatment of persons sud- denly stricken with injuries such as the flesh is heir to. There are numerous illustrations displaying the peculiarities of both the inner and outer man, which will aid the reader much in understanding the why and wherefore of the rules laid down. It is a valuable little book, and we heartily commend it to our readers. THE De KAY OF THE HUDSON. M R. DE KAY'S “Choral Ode to the North River,” in the July Century was, personally, edited by Louis Barna- val, for whose love-songs Mr. De Kay once did a similar ser- vice. We never knew, before, what a remarkable river New York possessed. Mr. De Kay tells us that it is a “ limpid- limbed tree,” with an “ opalescent bole ;” a “ maze of lymph,” a “nourisher of matrons ;” a playmate for children, and their “treasure-chest ;” likewise a playground, and a “ crystal fane of liberty,” which has “a giant hand ”—certainly a unique sort of animal. Further on he addresses it as “Salt of the world” which has “blossomed near the root "—prov- ing that the river is a curious and hitherto unknown veg- etable-mineral. We also learn that it is a wizard, a crystal dome with swamps, a “house for all things,” a nurse, a book, a pond, a gate, a crystal palace, a Congressional hall which provides bread, a “rune” with marble floors, a “glave ” or sword, and, finally, not ariver at all, but a “molten main ”— .e., the ocean. Who would not be proud of such a Hud- son? After this, the “boles” of the Mississippi and the Rhine may as well be chopped down and sold for firewood.