Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-11-22
Uses of Water.

How common, and yet how beautiful and how
pure is drop of water See it as it issues from
the rock to supply the spring and streams below.
See how its meander;ngs through the plains, and
its torrents over the cliffs, add to the richness and
the beauty of the landscape. Look into factory
standing by waterfall, in which every drop is
faithful to perform its part, and hear the groanng
and rusng Of the wheels the clattering of shutiles
and the buzz of spindles, which under the direc-
ton ofther fair attendants, are supplying myriads
of fair purchasers with fabrics from the cotton
plant. the sheep and the silk worm.
Is any one so stupid as not to admire the splerr-
dor of the rainbow, or so ignorant not to know
that it is produced by drops of water as they
break away from the clouds which had confined
them and are making quick visit to our earth
to renew its yerdure and increase its animationl
How useful is the gentle dew in its nightly visits,
to allay the scorching heat of summers sun
And the autumn's frost, how beautifully bedecks
the trees, the shrubs and the grass though it
strips them of their summers vendure, and warns
them that they must soon receive the buffetings
of the winters tempest This is but water, which
has given up its transparency for its beautiful
whiteness and its elegant crystals. The snow
too-what is that but these same pure drops
thrown into crystals by winters cey handl and,
does no. the first summers sun return them TO
the same liquid drops!
The majestic river, and the boundless ocean,
what are they. Are they not made of drops of
water! How the river steadily pursues its course
from the mountains top, down the declivty, over
the cliff and through the plain, taking with it every
thing in its coursei How many mighty ships
does the ocean float upon its bosom! How many
fishes sport in its waters! How does it form a
lodging place for the Amazon, the Mississippi,
the Danube, the Rhine, the Ganges, the Lena, and
the Hoang Ho!
How piercing are these pure limpid drops -
How do they find their way into the depths of the
earth, and ever the solid rock! How many thous-
and streams, hidden from our view by mountain
masses. are steadily pursuing their courses, deep
from the surface which forms our standing place
for few short days In the sir, too, how it
diffuses itself Where can particle of air be
found which does not contain an atom of waleri
Whose heart ought not to overflow with graft
tude to the abundant Giver of this pure liquid,
which his own hand has deposited in the deep and
diused through the floating air and the solid earh
Is it the farmer, whose field, by the gentle dew
and the abundant rain bring forth fatness! Is it
the mechanic whose saw, lathe, spindle and shut
lie are moved with his faithful servant, Is it the
merchant on his return from the noise and perplex-'
ties of business, to the table Of his family, richly
supplied with the varieties and the luxuries Of the
our quarters of the globe, produced by the abun-
liant rain. and transported across the mighty, but
TIelding ocean! Is it the physician, on his admin
stering to his patient some gentle beverage, or
more active healer of the disease which threatens
S j, the clergyman. whose profession is to make
,thers feel-and that by feeling himself that the
lightess favor and the richest blessing are from
he same source, and from the same abundant and
onstant Giveri Who that still has glass of
gater and crumb of bread is not ungra,eful to
ompain