Strain in friendly competition, ruin not their aim or hope;
But a lethal Tug of War 'twixt "federated" foemen blind.
With a chasm at their feet, and each a yawning gulf behind,
On a precipice precarious! Truly, too, a foolish fight!
Rival Federated Wrongs will never further Common Right!

* * * * *

"GIVE IT TO THE BARD!"

Mr. ROBERT INGERSOLL speaking of, and at, Poet WALT WHITMAN on the
occasion of presenting the aged and eccentric poet with the "long
contemplated testimonial," to quote _The Times_, said, that "W.W.
is intellectually hospitable"--this sounds like 'ready to take in
anybody'--"but he refuses to accept a creed merely because it is
wrinkled, old, and white-bearded. Hypocrisy wears a venerable look;
and relies on its mask to hide its stupidity and fear." Now this was
rather rough on the Bard, who is described as "an interesting figure,
with his long white hair falling over his shoulders." It seemed as if
ROBERT INGERSOLL wished to imply, Don't be taken in and accept W.W.
at his own poetic valuation as a poet, simply because he is wrinkled,
old, white-haired, and wears a venerable look, which, after all, may
be only a hypocritical mask? Mr. INGERSOLL couldn't have been more
infelicitous if he had "come to bury 'WHITMAN,' not to praise him."
Then he went on, "Neither does WHITMAN accept everything new." This
clearly excepted the testimonial, which, we may suppose, was brand
new, or at all events, had been so at some time or other, though
having been "long contemplated" it might have got a trifle dusty or
mouldy. Then finished the orator, magnificently, epigrammatically, and
emphatically, thus "He" (i.e., WALT WHITMAN) "wants truth." And with