New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-03
SHADOWS OF OUR SOCIAL SYSTEM

If @ man rors away from the light. he always
chstes his own shadow; and even whom he ao
proaches the light the shadow pufsues him. have
seen little boys attempt to dodge these black ghes's
of themselves, bus they always fail Run where
they would, the shadow ran too. Tben one Of then
got mol aid stamped On the grouod, bat tie shadow
stamped alo, foot TO foot, In mimic wrath. He
"st all bruiee thy heel" spraDg iDslinctvely to my
lip, for TIE shsSow seemed TO embody all evil,
type.
Then the ,un rose steadily in the heavens and, at
m!c-doy, cav the boy stamping upon the head OF
lis own ersy small stsdos, as 1t lay, hu nbed be-
fore him, en- the ground "Ah yes thou shalt b,uise
"bu head !" I exclaimed, tramp intiy. A dozen
fairy feet began to dance over tro p Of shadow
beads, simultaneously, So If they hal all caught,
alphabetically, the spirit Of my thoughts.
There is Indeed, deep significance n this, ass
symbol Of higher things. An opaqueness attaches
TO ell finite powers, and throws shade Of npsrfec
ton over their beet works Whether this thought ia
expressed ssnctiBonously, dogma of the schools,
or most teatbenissiy, DE bling jest against Hu-
ueBity Il is recognition Of the sGIne dark truth.
Pslished, enlightened civilized, Cbrs,ianizet soci
ely has i the blsok fbadoS, more less de0se;
Oh its yIe.irelsed cottages and its marble palaces
its templts Of justice snd its halls Of learning; on
lie costly churches built up grand houses for Gods
people TO fall asleep in, and its cbureh spires with
their long fpgers pointing far up toward heaven on
ibs cheek of the little naidsn, ard the bfoE OF
the grave Judge. What is there, or Who il there
wholly absorbed by the ideal-becomirg a toing Of
Beti, With 10 shadow falling abou; it
We are ell causes, and the deeds We DO are the
eGtcis; bu. bey ale always good deal stained with
IA s,ip in hon, nh; oh 10
sharp ard so fatal, tina, sometimes wonder, after
81, rte.her MAJ kind are not Ike the ancient hero
whose 9th er held him by the heel when che bathed
him ia the immortal wsters; and whether evil is not
really bruisirg poor Humanity in lis only vulnerable
ard mortal part.
And Jet it must be that mankind are progressing.
They are going toward the light aud, day, they
meet come int such relation 10 il, ths; they will be
able at least to crusb the head Of all present, pal
rsble evil Ifo the dust. score Of causes Is some.
tines bouI ~ In one liite buadle-a bundle OF OBJ
dursie, rrevocsbe laws individual and social, which
We might oosily forget If there were no rewards aud
penalties attached.
Tie above train OF thoughts VISA suggested by the
following eyeLts;
SLOW ON-INSASITY-DEATH.
hereditary cepres sion Of spirits, year or t-o
nee became very deaf This 20 increased h's de-
,pordercy that he lie 4 the ministry, snd removed 70
NeW.York, snd began work as Dsguerrsotypist
Tbs ipfInity made bin unsuccesf d 10 bis business
81 Biz wife who hsd previously obtained sitdssion
az teacher in an industrial schcol, with salary o!
sioo year, resigned tnis school into the charge Of
their Oldest eaugtter while she herself stayed in the
Daguerrean room al day, and then sat up ill mid
night, sewing But, for all this, shs found it en-
treusly difficult to support family Of seven chill
drep, durirg TIE hard times Of s: winter. An ensr-
ee,ic and well educated woman, she could no. bear
TO acknowledge ihsir poverty, and accept Of charity
20. motter-rke, she toiled, ard endured q slow
stsry alton.
In the Sp,niih Inqnisiion there was q mode Of
torture, called the 4" WATERPROOF" The victim was
placed in an immoyable position. single drop Of
water fell upon his head from far above, then
another, and another slowly, steadily, drop, drop,
drop. A, first the sensation WA rather agreeable