Barringer High School - Athenaeum Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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MR. micawbkk’s letter-writing propensity. 11 ed into the ludicrous and absurd. For Mr. Micawber’s letters not only cease to be objects of pleasure, but become perfect torments ; though he has but little matter to write, yet he always writes too many words. Mr. Micawber, as my readers well know, is the letter-writing hero of Charles Dick- ens. He is the one man to whom life is valueless if not combined with letter- writing. Meet him in joy or in sorrow, in prison or in his lofty position as gov- ernor, and if you find him at all, you will find him either composing a letter in the recesses of his fertile mind, or transferring the same to paper. To such a ridiculous extent does he drive this propensity that, put him in a position where the ordinary man would make use of speech, Mr. Mi- cawber resorts to pen and ink. Witness the following by way of illustration: Mr. Micawber had seated himself close to the table at which “ the friend of his youth ” and several other persons were engaged in discussing an important question. Whether or not the organ of speech of Mr. Micawber was so seriously affected at that time, as to render speech impossible Mr. Dickens fails to tell. Be that as it may, though the distance between him- self and “ the friend of his youth ” did not exceed one yard, he found it absolute- ly necessary to communicate his thoughts jn writing. This worthy gentleman is not a man of few words, nor does he attempt to restrain his flow of language when he sets it forth in correspondence—a fact that is fully il- lustrated by the letter wherein he de- nounces that very “ humble person Uriah Hccp. This piece of literature was of such extraordinary length that the mere sight of it caused the amiable Miss Betsy Trot wood to exclaim “Bless and save the man ! He’d write letters by the ream, if it was a capital offense ! ” Now it may very naturally be presumed that Mr. Micawber had matters of great importance to communicate, and hence the length of his letters. But this is not the case. About the only thing they con- tained is that he expected something to turn up shortly, or that unless ‘‘some- thing did turn up shortly, he would be a ruined man ; either of which he might easily have spared himself the trouble to inform his friends, as they were very well acquainted with his weaknesses. Let me add by way of explanation that to ruin this man. as far as worldly circumstances are concerned, would be an utter impossi- bility. One word more. Had his creditors— who were certainly quite numerous—de- prived him rather of the privilege of let- ter-writing than of freedom, Mr. Micawber might have realized that this world is made for other things than letter-writing alone, and turned his ingenuity into a channel more profitable to his creditors. What more fclicitic can fall to creature Than to enjoy delight with libertie, And to be lord of all the workesof nature, To raine in the aire from earth to highest skic To feed on floweres and weed of glorious feature. —Edmund Spenser. VIRTUE could see to do what virtue would By her own radiant light, though sun and moon Were in the flat sea sunk. —Milton. Nothing is beneath you if it is in the direction of your life; nothing is great or desirable if it is off that. —Emerson.

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IO MR. micawber's letter-writing propensity. I dwelt, and saw animals to the number of eleven singing with a song of praise,— “Come into the garden, Maud.” And there was to the single part a bass tenor, and a tenor alto, and a variation between an alto and a soprano; and the chorus was cre- scendo and diminuendo, and flat and sharp with trills and quavers, and semi quavers and demi semi-quavers, with the prelude in the minor and major keys. And it came to pass in the midst of the most im- pressive chorus, I saw eleven other animals like unto those who were singing, come out of the places wherein they did dwell, and they came to greet the other animals, and they all united in their songs, and loud was the singing they did make. Now, grievous to tell, a sudden shower of wonderful things fell upon this mighty host, and they stopped not to give unto one another the brotherly kiss. And I heard a mighty voice saying—“ Drat them cats! ” and I said unto myself, “ It is well.” Now, a naughty host of small animals descended upon me, and great was the affliction they did bring upon me. and they had long bills with a full set of sharp lan- cets within them, and there was to their bodies a great buzz, and they did move quickly with a great noise about my face. And 1 fought bravely with this mighty host, and killed two of them, whereat I re- rejoiced exceedingly, and I went unto my bed well pleased with what I had done. And it was the third watch of the night. And in the fourth watch, I heard a noise ascending unto the heavens, mighty in power, and passing strange in sound, and 1 arose from my bed, and went unto my window, and behold I saw seated in a half- circle, ten beasts, with pug noses and short tails, and each nose was turned to an angle of forty-five degrees, and twenty eyes were lifted unto the “Queen of the Night,” and each mouth was opened widely, and they were singing unto her, “ Silver Moonlight.” And I lifted up my voice and said unto them,—“ Shoo!” and they sang unto the moon,—“ Bow, wow, wow, o-o o-o.” And I said again unto them,—“ Go way, dog- gie. Go way, go way! go way! Shoo!” and they came unto me under my window, and lifted up their voices and said,—“ Bow wow, wow, bow, wow! ” And 1 saw that I could not contend with so mighty a host. Then I went back to my bed, and in the fifth watch I arose and wrote these things. And let not the un- believers say among themselves they never happened, for think’st thou I would bear false witness. MR. MICAWBER’S LETTER WRITING PROPENSITY. BY BRUNO HOOI). ’to. It is a fact which requires no exemplifi- cation that to write a good letter is an ad vantage of great importance which only one out of a thousand possesses. There is a peculiar pleasure in the very nature of correspondence which assumes the propor- tion of delight when graced with excel- lence. We say these things in sober earnestness, and when we refer to Mr. Wilkins Micawber in this connection, it is only to illustrate the old rule how, what in itself is grand and good can be pervert-

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12 THE PRESENT CHILD IS THE COMING MAN.—MANUFACTURES. THE PRESENT CHILD IS THE COMING MAN. BY ALICE DAWES. ’8». The children of this age, we often hear, arc to be the coming men and women, and this subject is continually before us. Wherever we go, we meet the children of the day, and are often too slow to per- ceive in them the traits that we admire so much in our fathers and brothers. The faults of children are usually more pro- nounced than their virtues; in all proba- bility that they may be impressed with the necessity of forsaking the evil and choosing the good. The most of the great men of our day, and indeed of all days, have shown early in life signs unmistakable of the hidden power, that in after years has caused their names to be enrolled among the honored ones. Sometimes the signs of greatness have been so misunderstood, that “stupid,” “ dull,” and “ idle ” have been attributed instead, yet the final development has proved the falseness of these epithets. James Watt, who, while watching the movement of the tea-kettle lid, studied out the mighty power hidden in steam, was nevertheless severely reproved for his seeming laziness. There is a great deal of mourning over the rising generation that might safely be omitted. Judging from the complaints made, one might think that the future would have no scientists, no artists, no poets ; but when we realize how small and unnoticeable must ever be the beginning of real greatness, we need not despair. It is to education we must look for the right development of the minds of the young. In a land where each can enjoy superior advantages simply by improving them, we may safely trust the future will not be devoid of great men. MANUFACTURES. BY JOHN H. CHARMBURY. 8i. The origin of manufactures dates back into the remote ages of the world. Evi- dences of their existence have been found by geologists embedded in the earth's crust with the remains of our earliest an- cestors. Man. by nature almost defenceless, had to resort to his wits to place himself on an equality with the savage animals sur- rounding him. Forced by circumstances to procure means of subsistence and pro- tect himself from the attack of his ene mies, it is natural to suppose that the bow and arrow had an early share of his atten- tion. This, with a few agricultural imple- ments and flints shaped into axes, proba- bly completed the list of manufactures of our first parents. As experience was gained and greater expertness acquired, their manufactures took a wider range;