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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1894)
THE HESPERIAN ill m i ii ii monaded, walked around nnd tiround tho armory to tho striving notes of tho Dead March from Saul. After they had tramped several miles somo of the more enterprising wearied of tho mazy walk and went down to tho Temple hall to get romething more rapid. Tho good people stayed and swung Indian clubs and jumped over tho horse and other things which one naturally does at a ball. Tho next dance of any importance was given by tho class of '92. That was a little better, it was given in the representa tive hall and it was rumorod that there was one dress suit on tho iloor, this howover may have been only a myth. '93 did its best, even somo of tho very old and stiff -girls and boys learned to dance and spoilt most of their time and substance at uPro fessor" Johnson's academy for somo months before commencement. Tho Sunior Pro menade was totally different from all former attempts. It was dignified, in good form and wholly unprovincial. There wore costumes and bunting and llowers and lights and music that danced itsolf. It was a danco that was a Dance. weight thioi opinion has. They bless by their approval. They sottlo all groat ques tions of art and lottors by their lightest word. Of course if there wore over any awakoning for thorn they would suffer terribly, but thero is no awakening, their delusion is life long. They aro hopeless. For instance, if one of thorn fancies that Hamlet was really mad, tho greatest students of tho drama might argue with them and thoy would still smile with bland condescension, confident that their intui tions wore worthy moro than any learning. If Shakespeare himself should arise from tho dead and try to convince thom they would simply sigh and say that thoy wore disappointed in Shakespeare, No, though ono should arise from tho dead and come unto thorn thoy would not believe. Thoy aro hedged about and shut in forever by their admantino conceit. THE OLD SHOE-MAKER. A -X-X- Tho most painful and profound ignorance in tho world is conceited ignoranco, tho ignorance of tho pooplo who avo sure that they have tho proper theory of living, tho proper methods of study and the proper way of looking at things. Thoy force them selves and their theories upon everyone, and take it for grauted that everyone is des perately interested in them. Thoy are generally quite kindly people, and it is their considerate kindness that is so maddening. Thoy aro rather slow to say anything un kind about anyone because thoy hate to put on any poor soul tho awful ban of their dis pleasure. They seriously doubt if anyone could get into heaven without tho shadow of their displeasure over him. They aro generous of their favor because thoy know how happy it must make people. Thoy like to praise a groat book or to compliment a great play because thoy realize what vast A OnAItAOTEK SKETCH. Ono, of my earliest recollections is that of carrying my father's boots, tied together with a thick cord and thrown over my shoulder, to an old shoe-maker for repairs. Ho lived not far from our home, yet I saun tered along in a very leisurely manner so that I might suroly not get back before six in tho evening. It was a bright Saturday morning and I was afraid, wero 1 to return earlier than supper time, somo of tho folks would want me to do chores. Soon after this, my own shoes needed patching and my father sent me to the same old man And, of course, since I had but one pair except the Sunday shoes, which, in accordance with an edict given to the household by my mother remained indoors except on the statest occasions I waited in the shop until my shoes wore again ready to ondaso, then as now, the most prominent and promising parts of my person. Not only wero my visits of long duration, but even then that power which the newspapers
