Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-06-23

Mr. EDir. t Thr 20 ia,7ir- 4" l'r m the
L.stie U.d Man O t..- S-ala'sia,' Sc was ez-'
,racted fToa psger read in Jhe Martins
vile Union Literary Assoc'ston. }. D.
Again would sing to you- from ms
aaounrsin hons; again have jJucHeyed into
the hserl, ot Vour people, ana hsid converse
siih the dweilers therein. But / came not
now 10 tell YOU OF this-of what have seen
and heard in the hears OF your people,
come not nov To read you ieaf from the
"besrt's hoek" of which spoke; that is yet
TO come. Bu haste: an. Your late Editress
.sys he "Old Man OF the MUuntain" tells
as "to beware of the strangr." with that
"Od Man. would for moment commune.
"0ld Man, why say you "beware OF the
strangerl" Have you at some time trusted
too much in one you knew not, and been
fatally ted into It's snares! or have you inn
bibed the spirit that seems to peTVade tke
minds of people, genera. ly-to suspect ali
euit until it proves to be good! If the for
mer. you are justifshle in a word of caution
to vour friends; If the latter, thea p'fy you;
Judge all others False hearted man! %
mske your own im5ecile heart n criterion
BY which to judge 4 Il others. Would you
desire, my good old friend and brother,
should you chance TO enter IA a stranger
into a strange land, that al eyes should
rest upon you suspiciousIy! Could you de-
sire to be the victim to the thuusa and-and-
one copjectures respecting your virtue,
your honor; SO much conjecture that ii
.iElost becomes a glsying fact! OH how
maay fair and spo;lessrepu7aiiohs have sunk
'penin euch burden! how many Irue and
pi'tuous hearts have blcd beneath such
wrongsi Were yon ycang lady or gen.
tIemsn, in the bloom oil life, leaving hsme
% happy influences, with high hopes and
lofty aspirations. going forth to fight the
bst,le OF life alone, and not yeTsed in the
wicked ways of the world, suspicion, cold
and hear,less, bclts you aioof from the en-.
joyment Of happy scenes around you, TIL il
hss eaten into your very soul, crushing the
bright hopes and anticipations long cherieh.
sd--cyushing ambition when just in its
tlsom-nipping the sweet bands o. afectio
onee so fcndiy warmed by true hearts ir
sumner elimes. Is this as it should BEL
Again you enter n strange land (and Gus
toms are different in every locality. Thing:
TO which you have been accustomed unC
that is right md proper, may seem new eni
novel to ihe socis,y which you enter. Fol
shis you are censured. for this you are suf-
fered to bear the "Proud wars coniumely,'
ard yet innocent, pure in design, promptec
TO action by motive good Is this rights
i; just-is it charita be--iS it the course o
true, COCO, ard noble Peoplel Aye, verify
not.
"Oh! my good old friend, there's a pass
age in this Book OF Books that prescribe
the right course: "Whatsoever ye wouii
that man should do to you, co We even St
unto him." Would that We might writ
that down in cur hearts; that 1t might evel
be cur monitor, might prompt every action
that every impulse might spring therefrom
Therefore let us not suspicion the strange
until we have cause; let Us not look 10
evil; it is enough TO know it, and feel
when it comes. We can be guarded in on
walk end conversation. and yet be courteou
snd kind TO those who come 10 Us as stran
gers.
"But must bid you sdieu now, and go I
view other scenes more genial, perhaps.
"Adieu.
The Little Old Man Of the Mour tain