THE HESPERIAN.
I
guilty one. The king confronted him boldly with his crime.
Half suspecting the identity of his disguised servant, Richard
sent him to Salndin to secure if possible the services of Sir
Kenneth, his slave, in the judicial combat that was soon to
decide the truth of Richard's charge against Conradc. The
knight was delighted at the prospect of n chance to vindicate
himself and King Richard. The combat was held in Sola
din's territory, he being in attendance with his gorgeous
retinue. Conrade's guilt unnerved his arm; he was borne
down at the first encounter. The truth of Richard's charge
had been verified. The disgraced knight had retrieved his
honor. Richard made known the fact, related to him by the
hermit at the time when Sir Kenneth was about to be exe
cuted, that he wns not the obscure personage supposed, but
wns instead Prince Royal of Scotland. Conrndc's confeder
ates were brought to justice, and the closing scene represents
Richard and his friends seated at a sumptuous banquet given
in their honor by their magnanimous foe, the sultan.
In this novel Scott recounts much that redounds to the
honor of Salndin. And history bears him out in representing
the sultan as a monarch who was generous to friend and foe,
a man whose chivalric disposition was exhibited in acts of jus
tice and mercy. Rut the great novelist is guilty of scarcely
justifiable deception in picturing Richard, the sultan's en
emy, ns a man who, while his irascible temper ofte'n de
feated the ends he held dearest, is to be admired for his per
sonal bravery and his sterling soldierly qualities.
Few men whom the novelist cxtolls arc so utterly con Jcmned
by the verdict of history as is King Richard. On the one hand
he is the knight-errant chivalrously participating in combats in
support of he weak; on the other hand he is the king who
abandoned his realm which was distracted and racked by ac
tion, to prosecute distant enterprises merely for the sake of
personal glory. At one time he may be seen in the thick of
battle never flinching in the presence of danger, the terror oi
the enemy, and the admiration of his followers; behold him
again ordering Turkish hostages to be led out by the
hundreds in the presence of the sultam's army, there
to be beheaded. In romance he is a hero, not unblemished,
it is truc,but still a hero, in history he is the one the
monotonous blackness of whose infamy is appalling. It is
deceptive, it is a worship of mere physical might, to be con
sumed even by the implication of the deeds of such a man.
Nevertheless, Scott's representation ol the feuds in the
Christian camp is admirable as showing the treacherous designs
to which the crusaders had recourse in their desperation. The
disorder, the tumult, the riotous conduct of leaders and their
followers, arc Well exemplified by the evolution of the plot
against Richard. But While in several instances the author
gives one a glimpse at the corruption of the period of the Cru
sades, he leaves one with altogether too favorable an impres
sion with regard to this epoch. And it is seriously to be ques
tioned whether the delight afforded by the suppression of,
almost all reference to the baser side of that life is not more
than offset by the failure to appreciate properly the age of
which tha.author seeks to give one an idea.
Prof. Loiscttc's Memory System is creating greater inter
est than ever in all parts of the country, and all persons wish
ing to improve their memory should send for his prospectus
free as advertised in another column.
T. Ewiug & Co have now an opportunity to show off an im
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Call around and inspect both store and goods.
C Uli R EN T COMMENT.
If reports are true ex-Senator Carlisle should receive the
censure of all fair-minded citizens. He is figuring quite
prominently as a candidate for the scat in the United States
senate lately made vacant by the death of Senator Reck of
Kentucky. It Was at the funeral of Senator Reck thnt he
disgraced himself. I le wns a member of the house coirfivtitlcc
on arrangements for the Reck funeral. When the hour for
the funeral arrived it wns found that he was indisposed and
could not attend. During the ceremonies he lost all control
of himself and appeared at the funeral intoxicated. It seems '
strange that he should have so little regard for his comrade
in office as to appear in this disgraceful plight. If he wns un
able to control himself at such a time as this he is not a fit
man to be given the important position of United States sen
ator. Such a man is not an honor to so high an office.
Since the retirement of Risniark there has been no little
anxiety manifested as to how the young emperor would con
duct affairs without his guiding star. Ry his actions in the
Reichstag, May 6, Emperor William made many friends, and
should his ideas there set forth be realized he will make of
the Germans a contented people. In Europe, as in this
country, the people are agitated by labor troubles. The
workingman thinks he is being trampled upon and demands
his rights. The emperor holds that they should be granted to
him. If the laws of Germany are such that the laboring class
is not able to better its condition, he proposes to revise these
laws or make new ones in order that the laborer may obtain
his just dues. He believes that Sunday should be a day of
rest, condemns the labor of women and children, and, in fact,
desires to protect the laboring classes from every danger. Of
course it is easy for a person 1o suy how anything should be
done, but it is very different to accomplish it. Especially is
this true in so difficult a case as the one the emperor men
tioned in the reichstag. He has shown himself to be in sym
pathy with his hard-working subjects, however, and with the
power that he has at his command, together with the aid the
people will extend to him, he will, undoubtedly accomplish a
great deal- In this country the labor troubles arc rapidly
approaching that point when they must be adjusted. It is
to be hoped that the outcome will be satisfactory and that in
the near future the two countries may be able to congratulate
each other on the success they have achieved in granting to
the workingmen their rights. In regard to the imperor's
foreign policy he is simply following in the footsteps of his
grandfather. He believes in making his empire "strong and
great." He wishes to make alliances lor defence, also to in
crease and strengthen the army. Ry voicing his views before
the reichstag the emperor has relieved the people of their sus
pense. The feeling which has been prevalent that the empire
would bo weakened without Rismark at the helm will be dis:
polled. The views of the Emperor conform to the views of
the people, hence, with ruler and subjects working in unison
the empire must grow stronger, for it could only recede in
case there were divisions among the people.
The movement among the laboring classes to make eight
hours the length of a working day is extending to all parts of
the United States. In every paper there is an account of
some strike that has recently taken place in which the strikers
demand that the time they devote to work shall be reduced
to eight hours a day. The coal miners and carpenters have
taken the lead but there arc many that represent other trades
who will follow. At the first glance this would seem
5BS
Mmmiini