The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-03

w,
opened q school. Frem her rude home she
wrote merry letters, describing her adventures
and her circumstances. There was no talk o.
self.denial, the greatness of sacrifice, the hard
ship of missionary life. Over all the harsh out
line. and the hsrsher filling in, she threw the
veil of her playful fancy, and few heard th,-
mournful umderi one that thrilled through the
gay aud sprightly song. The new scenes and
the softer air dbl not have the desired effect,
and short time since she wrote to friend
" / have moved from small, quiet school, to d
large rollicking, trolicking, funloving one. 1
am happy ] think ought to be. Every one
is kind But, dear T., am quite puzzled. L
don't know just what to do. II | am to teach
much longer, it would be better for me to re-
turn to New England, and go To school while.
have earned enough to keep me at school 4
year or so, and DO believe am willing to exert
myself to the utmost to improve. But, then,
this cough increases. 1t may not be long be-
fore it will have an end. If | go to New Eng
land, may spend all the lie left me in d,YEl
ring knowledge and so lose the opportunity for
usefulness that might have if remained here.
Now, the question is, Which will bring the
largest pile of wood-the dull axe for six hours.
or the sharp one for two 2"
This is what mean by heroisnl. This young
girl standing at bay, watching what she believes
to be the approach of inevitable death, asking
for no rest from toll, no indulgence for weak
ness and WEAKNESS, no sympathy in loneliness.
but only striving to know how the little life
that remains may be turned to the best account
Brave heart on the wings of this soft south
wind, that murmurs of violets in the ear of
winter, | send you greeting. In your far-off
home my voice may never reach you; but If
by any chance your eyes should fall upon these
words, know that my soul does willing homage
20 yours, and forgive these few sentences, for
the love and reverence that prompted them.
"None but thou and shall know"
i remember another, stranger in q strange
land an exile from the home of her fathers
fair-haired and blue-eyed girl, warm heart
ed and whole-souled woman of exquisite sen
sibility, refined taste, and elegant culture: q
lover of song, and grace, and beauty in any
guise man in strength, MARTYR in endn-
rance performing fathers duty to children
not her own; : fighting the battle single-handed.
and no holiday contest, but q life-and-death
struggle with the wolf at the door; welcoming
the cold embrace of Duty smilingly rs if it
were the warm clasp of Love eager eyes and
ears wide open 10 the green fields, the upspring-
ing daisies the note Of bee and bird yet swerv-
ing not hairs breadth from the rocky path
which her aching feet most resoutely tread
and where | see her footprints, l know it is
holy ground.
anu yet dnOJutT lace SHINES on me through
the night-a face over which the Angel Of
Sorrow has swept his wing in passing, and sad
dened into beauty that is not of the earth.
/ You, looking, see only dark eyes that flash
| laughter, love, or tears; delicate cheek that
| pales and fushes at your words; red lips,
/ whence drop rare gems of wit and wisdom
/ These are there, and | see them; but beyond
these, and deeper than these, see a soul that
has been weighed in the balance, and not found
wanting; heart that has been wrung by
/ sorest anguish, and only grown more pi,yine
aud tender; hand that has touched every
note from highest TO lowest, and learned To
strike from earthly chords most heavenly har-
lnonies Il woman who has said to wealth,
and station, and ease, " Get thee behind mel
! and, mailed IN her own integrity, has dared OPP
posing fate. Iii these and such as these, that
- show how divine q thing
T. woman may be made -
They redeem their sex from the charge of
friyoiity, nanity, and feebleness, revealing 10
us the capacities that lie hidden in her heart
Of hearts and it is because l have witnessed
such noble living. such extraordinary, gener-
Gus seeking" that | believe in woman; and
when ! see life going to waste-when | see a
womans soul bent on igno5le ends, frittered
away on trifling toys, finding content and hap
piness in things that perish with the using,
feel not contempt, not anger, but sadness aud
sore regret.
"rhe pity oft, Taso, the pity ofitn
] mourn for gold grown dim, and fine gold
changed-for fields white to harvest, and the
rcapers disporting among lowers-for world
lying in ignorance and wickedness, and the
power that should raise and redeem it, and fit
it once more for the footsteps of its Lord spend
Ing its strength tor naught
oh if this latent power could be aroused
If womanhood would shake off this slumber
and put on her strength, her beautiful gar
meuts, how would she go forth onouering and
to conquer--hOw would the mountains break
forth into singing, and the trees Of the field
clap their hands-how would our Sustained
Earth arise and shine, her light being come
and the glory of the Lord being risen upon
heri
One cannot do the worlds work; but one can
do ones work. You may not be able to turn the
world from ihiquity, but you can at least keep
tie dust and rust from gathering on your own
soul. If you cannot be directly and actively
engaged in fighting the battle, you can at least
polish your armOr and sharpen your weapons.
to strike an effective blow when the hour comes.
You can stanch the blood of him who has
been wounded in the fray--bear a cup Of cold
water to the thirsty and fainting-give help 10
the conquered and smiles to the victor. You can
gather from the past and the present stores of
wisdom, so that when the future demands it,
you may bring forth from your treasures things
new and old. Whatever of bliss the Divinity
that shapes our ends may see fit to withhold
from you, YOU are bat very little lower than the
angels so long rs You have the
80 dixie power 70 d.-ihe godlke aim TO know"
You can be forming habits of selfreliance,
sound judgment, perseverance, and endurance,
which may one Cay stand you in good stead.
You can so train yourself to right thinking and
right acting, that rprightness shall be your ma
ture truth, your impulse His head is seldom
far wrong whose heart is always right. We
bow down to mental greatness, intellectual
strength, and they are Divine gifts, but moral
is stronger than they. 1t is observation-disclosures
in the end triumphant. There is in goodness
penetrative power that nothing can withstand.
Cunning and malice melt away before its mild,
open, steady glance. Not alone on the fields,
where chivalry charged for laures, with helmet
and breastplate, and lance in r:st could the
true knight exultahty eXclaim,
"My strengths as the strength often,
Because my hearts pare"
but, wherever man meets man, wherever there
is a prize TO be won, goal to be reached.
Wealth. and rank, and beauty, may form a bril-
liant setting to the diamond, but they only ex.
pose more markedly the false glare OF the paste.
Only when the kings daughter is all glorious
within, is it fitting and proper that her clothing
should be Of wrought gold.
From the great and the good Of all ages,
rings out the same monotone. The high priest
of nature, the calnreyed poet who laid his heart
50 close to hers that they seemed to throb in
one pulsation, yet whose ear was always open
TO the still sad music of humanity" has given
us the fruit of his lifelong wisdom, in these
grand words: