The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-21
LAWRENCE, KANSAS TERRITORY, SATURDAY, APRIL q, 1856
at is impossible" /"

ait is impossiblel" said some, when
Peter the Great determined on a voyage
of discovery; and the cold and uninliabit-
ed region over which he reigned furnish
/ ed nothing but some larch-trees to con-
struct his vessels. But though the iron,
the cordage, the sails, and all that was
necessary. except the provisions for vic
tualing them, were to be carried through
the immense deserts of Siberia. down
rivers of difficult navigation, and along
roads almost impassable, the thing arGs
done; for the command of the sovereign,
and the perseverance of the people sur
mounted every obstacle.
"A IS impossible" said some, as soon
as they heard of scheme of Oberfin's s.
To rescue his parishioners from a half
savage state, he determined to open a
communication with the high road to
Strasbourg, so the productions of the
Bande la Roche might find market
Having assembled the people, he pro-
posed that they should blast the rocks,
and convey sufficient quantity of enor-
nous masses to construct wall for a
road, about mile and half in length,
along the banks of the river Bruche, and
build abridge across it.
The peasants were astonished at his
proposition, and pronounced it impracti-
cable; and every one excused himself on
the ground of private business. He,
however, reasoned with them, and added
the offer of his own example. No soon
er had he pronounced these words, than,
with pickax on his shoulder, he pro-
ceeded to the spot, while the astonished
peasants, animated by his example, for
got their excuses, and FASTENED with one
consent to fetch their tools to follow him.
At length every obstacle was surmount-
ed; walls were erected to support the
earth, which appeared ready to give
way; mountain torrents which had hith-
erto inundated the meadows, were d.
yerted into courses, or received into beds
sufficient to contain them, and the thing
aCas done. The bridge still bears the
name of the Bridge of Charity.
at IS impossible I" said some, as they
looked at the impenetrable forests which
covered the rugged fanks and deep gorg-
es of Mount Pilatus, in Switzerland, and
hearkened @ the daring plan of man
named Rapp, to convey the pines from
the top of the mountains to the lake OF
Luzerne, distance of nearly nine miles.
Without being discouraged by their ex-
carnations, he formed slide or trough
of twenty-four thousand pine trees, six
feet broad, and from three to six feet deep:
and this slide, which was completed in
1919, and called the slide of Aipnach,
was keptmoist. Its length was for. .y-four
thousand English feet. 1t had to be con-
Quoted over rocks, or along their sides,
or underground, or over deeps, where it
was sustained by scaifoldings; and yet
skill aud perseverance oyercame every
obstacle, and tie thing apas do1e. The
trees rolled down from the mountain into
the lake with wonderful rapidity. The
larger pines, which were about hun
dred feet long, ran through the space of
eight miles and third in about six min-
utes A gentleman who saw this great
work says, that "such was the speed with
which tree of the largest size passed
any given point, that he could only strike
it once with stick as it rushed by, how
ever quickly he attempted to repeat the
blow"
Say not hastily, then, at is impossi-
ble." 1t may be SO to do a thing in an
hour, a day, or a week, or by thought
lessness, carelessness, and Incidence but
to act with wisdom. energy, and perse-
verance. is to insure success. Time
and patience" says a Spanish author,
"make the mulberry leaf satin ;" and an
other remarks, that "care and industy do
everything. Facts not Fables.