THE UTAH MONTHLY MAGAZINE. MAGAZINE PRINTING COMPANY, Publishers. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. JULY, 1891. TYRANNY OF THE WEAK OVER THE STRONG. FEW things show the moral advancement of a people more plainly than the degree to which the tyranny of the strong over the weak is frowned upon. There were ancient and barbarous times in which this sentiment had never been awakened Might alone was supposed to make right, the strong oppressed the weak as a matter of course, and the weak never thought of anything but submitting. Gradually, however, better views prevailed, and now the best people in civilized lands scorn to employ their strength to tyrannize over their weaker neighbors. The public conscience is becoming more and more aroused to the injustice of this, and while there are yet many steps to take, the general tendency is in the right direction. There is, however, frequently another tyranny, more insidious, and perhaps hardly less selfish, but which excites far less comment, i. e., the tyranny of the weak over the strong. It might be supposed that where power of any kind was united with generosity it would excite affectionate gratitude, and a desire to make whatever return was possible, and in an honorable mind this is always the result. But, unfortunately, there are others of a different mold, who instead of being thus softened and inspired to do their best, become more and more exacting and demanding, and at the same time more dependent. We sometimes see this in the case of sickness and suffering. The strong and healthy husband or wife, parent or child, sister or friends, feeling acute sympathy with the invalid, deems no sacrifice too great to make for his or her comfort or relief. All pleasure and recreation is given up, sleep is curtailed, every energy is taxed to the utmost, and sometimes health breaks down the strain; while the patient, instead of being gentle and grateful, and anxious to make as little trouble as possible, is fretful and peevish, complaining and thankless, accepting every sacrifice as a right, and continually making fresh demands. Many a generous and valuable life has been ruined and its health and happiness destroyed by this tyranny of selfish weakness over unselfish strength. Sometimes it is the aged and infirm who are thus tyrannical. The young should be taught, far more efficiently than they are now, to reverence the old; yet it is, after all, only character, not years, that can command the reverence of the heart. He who uses his age as an excuse to cover idleness, petulance and unreasonable demands, who is willing to sap the strength, waste the energies and spoil the enjoyment of those who minister to his needs, is a fit example of the tyranny of weakness. Then there is the occasional tyranny of the poor and unfortunate over the generous and magnanimous While many receive aid as a grateful but temporary help to a better condition, and profit by it to renewed self-effort, there are some whom it seems to paralyze. They sink into a state of dependence, accept TYRANNY OF THE WEAK OVER THE STRONG. ing all and craving more, and draining the purses of the liberal to support their worthless lives. Not only poverty but affliction of every kind may be tyrannical. Sympathy is sweet, and should be freely given, but when it is demanded, it loses all its value. The unhappy have no right to thrust their misery upon others, to embitter their cup with the drops of grief which fall to their own share. That suffering alone is hallowed which is borne with fortitude, and not allowed to intrude itself upon any one or to poison any joy. There is, too, tyranny of moral weakness over moral strength. A single ill-humored person may spoil the harmony and peace of an entire household, or the pleasure and comfort of a whole social circle. An envious, jealous or suspicious lover or friend is always a tyrant. His friend is in constant fear of exciting these evil passions, and must finally sacrifice. either his friendship or his freedom. So the youth who swerves from integrity, who is too weak to resist temptation, inflicts untold suffering on his honest parents, and, perchance, on many others. The wrong-doer of every kind is constantly tyrannizing over the good man, interfering with his peace, diminishing his liberty, curtailing his enjoyment. There are few greater tyrants than what are commonly called spoiled children. The parents, however superior they may be in many respects, are their very slaves. They have sacrificed everything for them, and required no sacrifice at their hands in return. Thus the children expect to receive everything and to give nothing. The habit of selfishness becomes ingrained, and, while they develop no power of making others happy, they lose their power of enjoyment in them 395 selves. The parents' lives and happiness, and the childrens' also, are alike wrecked on the altar of foolish indulgence, while wisdom might have cherished both. Mr. Arthur Helps says truly, "Weak is a relative term; whenever two people meet, one is comparatively weak and the other strong." It is right that the one should impart to the other, but whether it proves a real good depends largely upon the way it is taken. If it is accepted merely as a support for continued weakness, its value will be small indeed. The man who leans contentedly and perpetually upon some one else, whether it be for his livelihood, for sympathy, or help of any kind, is not being really aided, but only still further enfeebled. He drains another, not merely to no purpose, but to the injury of both. But if, on the other hand, he receive the help, whatever it be, with thankful gratitude, and use it as a stepping-stone to better things; if he regard it as a temporary loan, which he in his turn may repay to some one weaker than himself; if he be inspired by it to greater efforts, and through it gain strength to stand on his own feet-then it had fulfilled its true mission and is no longer a dead weight, but a living force. If it is cowardly for the strong to oppress the weak, it is no less mean and base for the weak to impose upon the good nature and generosity of the strong. There can be tyranny in both ways. CHILDREN are God's apostles, day by day Sent forth to preach of love, and hope, and peace.-J. R. Lowell. IT is good to respect old thoughts in the newest books because the old works in which they stand are not read.-Jean Paul Richter. POPULAR MISCELLANY. TENDED STRICTLY TO BUSINESS. FOR Cool self possession, or a remarkable display of indifference in trying and exciting times, the descendant of Ham, when he wants to be, is hard to discount. The fact was forcibly illustrated in an incident connected with the recent trial of the Chambers case at Ironton. One of the principal wit nesses for the defence was Frank Jenkins, a Negro and eye-witness of the tragedy. Frank was white-washing a chicken-coop only a few feet away when the shooting occurred. On the direct examination he told his story in a plain, straightforward way, and hist evidence was very material. The crossexaminer propounded the usual ques tions, and made a strenuous attempt to tangle the witness in giving his testimony. Concerning the facts immediately preceding and at the time of the shooting a question would be asked Frank, to which he would give a prompt reply, and then the attorney would ask: "What did you do then?" "I just went on whitewashing the chicken coop. "But when the defendant appeared with the gun, and it appeared as if some one was going to be hurt, what did you do then?" "I kept on whitewashing the chickencoop. It was none of my business, and where I came from, in Woodward county, Ky., I long ago learned not to interfere with two white gentlemen engaged in settling a question of honor. I turned up one end of the coop and kept right on whitewashing." "When the shoot was fired what did you do?" "Kept right on whitewashing." "Did you do anything when they removed the body?" "Yes; kept right on whitewashing." The judge smiled, the spectators tittered, and the whole court room appreciated this wonderful display of disposition to attend strictly to one's own affairs. "NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP." THE fire upon the hearth is low, And there is stillness everywhere; My mother's faith comes back to me; Oh for the peace of that dear time! AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. A DUTIFUL husband wished to give his wife a handsome lace scarf for a present, and to make sure of getting one to her liking, he asked her to buy one herself on the pretence that it was for a lady friend of theirs. The finest Honiton, Valenciennes and Brussels lace goods were spread out on the counter, but madame thought to herself: "What is the use of spending so much money on a present for Amelia?'' Some embroidered lace was shown next. POPULAR MISCELLANY. Even these were too dear. At At length she selected a very plain and ordinary scarf. "Quite good enough, too," she thought, and took it home to her husband. "Have you chosen something pretty?" he asked. "Oh, yes, very pretty." "It is just what you would have chosen for yourself?'' "The very thing." "Then, my dear, you may keep it. I intended it for you," exclaimed her husband, delighted with his little scheme. Curtain. BRAZILIAN HAMMOCKS. THE passenger capacity of the vessels on the Amazon river is not limited by the number of berths or state-rooms, which are seldom or never used except by the few foreign travellers to dress in, but by the limit of hanging room for hammocks on the deck of the vessel. Everybody of necessity must have a hammock, as the state-rooms are unbearable at night. Even in the hotels hammocks are more used than the beds. Some of them are very fine;those made of maqueira grass, with feather lace trimmings, are considered the best. It takes from several months to a year or more to make really good ones, and they bring anywhere from a hundred to five hundred dollars each. The feather work is most artistic, and very cleverly put together. The feathers themselves are all of their natural colors, and are taken from the most brilliantly colored birds that are to be found. The Indians of the Rio Branco region, on the upper Rio Negro, have a great reputation for this kind of work. These hammocks will last a life-time though in use every day and washed once a month. most common kind are of German man The 397 ufacture, made ofcotton, and imported and sold very cheap. These, however, are very warm, and keep out cool drafts of air. The best cotton ones are of native grown cotton and are made in Maranhao. The grass hammocks are much cooler than any bed, as they let the fresh night breezes come through their loosely woven meshes. IT DEPENDS ON THE CHILD. A MAN down East has invented a washing-machine, the motive power of which is a swing in which a child is placed. The child swings to and fro, and the motion causes the machine to run, with the result that the family washing is done up in good shape. As long as the child does not know that it is doing any work it would seem that this would be a good scheme; but those who are familiar with the nature of children will readily see that as soon as the child finds out that the swing is connected with a washing-machine, it will suddenly take a strong dislike to the amusement of swinging and get out of it by some excuse or another. WILD BEASTS FAR-SIGHTED. A CURIOUS Communication has been made to the "Academie de Medecine" by M. Motair, of Angers, whose works on the various diseases of the eyes are highly esteemed. He has closely examined the effect of captivity on the sight of wild beasts, such as lions, tigers, etc., and asserts that all animals in a savage state are far-sighted. The same remark applies to man in an uncivilized state, and even to those who, though civilized, follow vocations which oblige them to remain constantly in the open air, such as sailors or farm laborers. The same faculty subsists in caged animals when they have been taken |