THE HESPERIAN.
k
ng that she did Icel a genuine affection for her third husband,
the moral effects of her continually taking narcotics, and of
her final suicide is hardly inspiring. Then, to come to the
dramatization of the novel. That is even worse, for the
printed page gives one a stronger suggestion of a moral than
can be given from the stage. Lena's alleged affection "for
her husband never suggests itself as in any way a propitia
tion for her former sins, nor does her suicide seem like a just
punishment of them. There is only one more point needed
to complete the evil effect of the production. Realism is a
grand thing in its place, but hardly when, as in the case of
Mrs. Langtry, the inner life of the actress is so in harmony
with that of her heroine. Is there not enough true feeling in
this country to discourage such exhibitions?
; One of the late additions to the library is a copy of
Count Tolstoi's "Physiology of War." Those who merely
think of the great Russian as a successful novelist, woefully
underrate him and his influence upon the century. "Anna
Karenina" is a wonderful novel, and well entitles him to the
name of a great novelist, but he is just as distinguished as a
great thinker, and if the lessons he points out in the "Physi
ology of War" are heeded, his influence upon the century
will be greater than that of any other thinker. The
examples taken to prove Tolstoi's theory are the invasion
of Russia, the battle of Borodina, and the retreat of
Napoleon. Hero worshippers will find very littfe to
admire in the work, for Tolstoi is directly at variance
with their belief that the invasion was carried on suc:css
fully by the genius of Napoleon, that the battles were
fought according to his plans. Tolstoi says the orders
directing the battle of Borodino, for which Napoleon has
had so much praise, were not only nut executed but were
impossible of execution. In a word, Tolstoi believes that
Napoleon had no more influence upon the result than any
one of his soldiers, and that the result was what was inevi
table from the forces at work, aside from any so called
generalship. How he reaches these conclusions is best seen
in the work itself. It is not long, and is I should say, abso
lutely necessary to an understanding of Napoleon's influence,
or lack of it.
SKETCHES.
This is a very pious institution. At least some very pi
ous students attend school here. The old saying that truth
is stranger than fiction, may apply very well at this moment.
But, however, if all the students who attended prayer meeting
Wednesday are pious, there is no need to fear for their eter
nal destiny. That statement needs to be qualified. If all
the Undents who came on the campus Wednesday evening
really attended prayer meeting. If they did an overflow meet
ing must have been held in the open air.
One young man, a Junior, announced early in the even
ing that he was going to prayer meeting. I suppose he went.
At least I hope so. He was seen and heard during the even
ing at different times. Once he was heard to ejaculate as he
helped pry up a rod of side walk . Soon after he was seen
pulling his very best as he helped hoist a wagon upon the
armory portico. Then he was caught with a can of black
paint and a dainty little brush in his possession. At that
time he seemed to have a fondness for sitting on clean, white
stone steps. It was about cne o'clock when he was last
seen upon the campus. At three o'clock in the morning be
woke upthe house by his entrance. He had twenty-five feet
of clothes line wrapped around him, a dark lantern under
his coat, a paint brush in his hip pocket, the oldest hat in
creation upon hit head, and altogether he looked as if he
had been born in a cyclone and raised in a saloon. Next
morning he was just as elegant in appearance as the foppicst
dude. Is there not good cause to hope that he attended prayer
meeting?
A bashful young man is thrice blest. The bashful young
man is often a creature of our imagination. It is true that
among a kundied young men, one may be found to be ex
tremely diffident by nature. He may blush if a girl glances
at him; may tremble and stammer if one speaks to him and
may walk five blocks out of his way to avoid meeting any
young lady. All this may be true. But it is equally true
that though such a young man is often pitied he is seldom
scorned. Perhaps he is beneath contempt tut I doubt it.
The bashful young man is more an object of respect than
contempt. He rarely lacks the requisites ol decent man
hood. As soon as his bashfulness is swept aside, one is sur
prised to see how much is revealed worthy of adtuirattion.
It is not idle to say, natural, genuine bashfulness quite often
conceals from view the best virtues of young manhood.
I know a peculiar young man. He lis a student here of
course. I met him last Monday morning. He had flunked
in three studies. His heart was burdened with trouble.
The night before had been Sunday. The student had
made a call. No need to ask where. He had a firm resolve
to stay no longer than half past nine. Excellent resolve:
Miserable effect: He talked and she listened. She talked
and he listened. Time and again he started to leave. He
supposed it was not later than nine o'clock. So as often, he
determined to stay a few minutes longer.
An incontrolable impulse finally produced a yawn. It
startled the student. It surely must be ten o'clock. He left.
He lingered at the door. Did you ever know anyone who
failed to do that? The door closed. He started for the
gate. The town clock began to strike; the student paused,
listened, counted. Not ten he counted, but twelve!
Some people are naturally ironical. During the summer
I daily crossed a large grass lawn. Other people crossed it
also. The path ran diagonally from the south-east to the
north-west corner. As time went on the path became very
much worn. While the lawn became greener and greener
the path became yellow and dead. The lawn was not made
beautiful by the path; not by any means. Why did the
owner fail to forbid persons crossing his lawn? He was an
ironical man.
While the summer months came and went, the path re
mained. While the grass grew and the flowers bloomed,
people persisted in tramping across the lawn. The long
yellow streak across the yard was an eyesore to the neighbor
hood. How easily would that path have become again part
of the green lawn if the owner had prevented pedestrians
from crossing it. But no. While it was possible for the
grass to grow, he remained inactive. October's frosts came
and the lawn put on a shade of yellow. Then the owner ap
peared. While the autumnal winds were whittling and the
leaves were falling, when everything belonging to summer
was passing away, then the owner built a fence and stuck up
a sign, "Keep off the grass." ...