The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-12-01
In the RapidS.

1
All persons who are well.informed on
current affairs will recollect an account
Of thrilling event which went the rounds
Of the journals few months since. II
was sketch of the loss of small lad,
who in attempting to cross the Niagara
river above the rapids, had his boat drawn
into the rushing waters, and finally he and
it were carried over the great fall into the
boiling abyss below, and were swept away
forever.
When the little fellow started from the
shore, he could have made the other side
with ease, for it is point of the river
where it is often crossed but he amused
himself, while the current bore him on un.
til he was in the rapids. Then he rallied
himself, and although the rushing waters
were around him, yet he piled himself so
vigorously to his oars, that he held his boat
against the current until his tiny strength
gave out, and he yielded to the irresistible
influence OF the stream. Yet he surrender.
ed not then without struggle, but with a
spirit worthy of praise, he plunged into the
leaping waters, and attempted to swim a.
shore. But he failed in it. His body was
carried over the cataract, swept into the
whirlpool below, and then perhaps on to
Lake Ontario. Ithas not been found, and
probably never will be until the waters
shall give up their dead.
How graphically illustrative is this mel.
ancholy case, ofthe condition ofthousands
who are on the stream oflife.
The young man with the future all be.
fore him, full of its rich promises, who ne
elects the noble objects of his being, and
fails to cultivate the immortal part within
him that he may be useful-who enjoys
himself only for the qualification of frivo-
lous pleasures-or what is worse, runs in.
to bad habits-is like the little fellow above
the Niagara Falls. He is in rapids,
though the water is clear and smooth
a round him, yet ii he do not soon exert
himself, he will be carried over the pre-
Oipice to certain ruin.
The man Of business who is obliged 10
call on friends to aid him to means, yet
who likes to make dash-who must sport
his horse and buggy, smoke his cigars,
and take his mint juleps-he is in the rap
ids, and he will inevitably be carried over
the falls, unless he escapes instantly to
the shore. a
The man who is of peevish temper
who is finding fault with this person or that,
and rarely sees an object that pleases him
-he is In the rapids, losing respect every
day, and if he does not soon use the oar
Of judgment. he will be ere long con.
demned and shuned by everybody.
The man who will resort to falsehood-
who will permit himself to tell deliberate
untruth, either to aid his objects, or to
shield him from censure for errors commit
ted-he is in the rapids. and so sure as he
does not adjure the vile untruth, and the
habit Of it, so sure will he be of losing the
confidence and respect of those whose
good will and opinion are worth possess.
ing.
The man who is out of business, and |
yet lacks the energy or the will to take |
hold Of anything that offers, because it is
not Just such as he should like, while at |
the same time his pockets are very light
that man is in the rapids, and must soon
draw upon his friends or be landed in the
poor house. oai =.
The farmer who follows crop after crop
upon the same land without manuring-
who lets his fences 60 into ruin, and the
briars and noxious weeds find a lodgment
on his soil-that man when he ascertains
he can hardly make the two ends meet,
while his neighbor Thrifty, who enriches
his land, and is filling his pockets-that
farmer. If he can be called such, is in the
rapids, and will soon be carried off to the
vest, where the land sisn't worn out" ifIi
10 can save enough from the wreck ofhis
,stste 10 get there. 8io q eofip 2