Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-01-15
FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD.

FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD.
It's not strange that men rcoil from
plunge into the worlds cold waters, and
long 10 creep back into the bath from
which they haye suddenly risen. But
that man or woman, having fully passed
into the estate of man and woman, sho'd
desire TO become children again, is i'm
possible. 1t is only the balf-developed,
the imperfecty nurtured, the mean-spiri-
ted, and the demoralized, who look back
to the innocence, the helplessness, and
the simple animal JOY and content of
childhood with genuine regret for their
loss. | want no better evidence that a
persons life is regard, d by himself rs a
failure, than that furnished by his honest
willingness to be restored to his child
hood. When man is ready to rein
quish the power Ct bis mature reason,
bis strength and skill for self-support, the
Independence Of his will and life. his bo-
som companion and children, his interest
in the stirring affairs Of his time, his
part in deciding the great questions which
agitatc his age and nation, bis intelligent
apprehension of the relations which eX-
ist between himself and his Maker. and
his rational hope of immortality-if he
have one-for the negative animal con-
tent, and frivolous enjoyments Of q child,
he does not deserve the name Of a man;
he is a weak, unhealthy, brokendown
craatura or n base DOltroon
ANIMAL CONTENT.
| have been watching family of kit
tens, engaged in their exquisitely grace
full play. Near them lay their mother,
stretched at her length upon the tagging,
taking her morning nap, and warming
herself in the sun. She had eaten her
breakfast, provided by no care of her
OWN, but at my expense,) had seen her
little family fed, and, having nothing
further to attend to, had gone off in a
doze. What blessed freedom from
carel Think of family of four chill
dren, with no frocks to be made for
them, no hair to brush, no shoes to pro-
vile, no socks to knit and mend, no
school-books to buy, and no nurse
Think of living being with the love Of
offspring in her bosom, and multitude
of marvellous instincts in her nature, yet
knowing nothing of God, thinking not
of the future, without hope or an eX-
pectation, or doubt or fear, passing
straight on to annihilationl At the
threshold of this destiny the little kittens
we're carelessIy playing; and they are
doubtless still playing, while l write.
They have no lessons to learn, they do
MT have to 90 to Sunday school, they
entertain no prejudices except against
dogs which occasionally dodge into the
yard; and I Judge, by the familiar way
in which they play with their mothers
ears, and pounce upon her tail, that they
are not in any degree oppressed by a
sense of the respect due to parent.
Cat and kittens will eat and frolic and
sleep through their brief life, and then
they will curl up in some dark cor
ner and die.
+ LONELY WOMEN.
For homely-eyen an ugly mar
l have no pity to spare. never saw
one so ugly yet, that, if he had brains
and heart, he could not find a beautiful
woman sensible enough to marry him.
But for the hopelessly plain and homely
sisters" these tears" There is class
of women who know that they possess
in their persons no attractions for men
that their faces are homely, that their
frames are Informed, that their carriage
is clumsy, and that, whatever may be
their gifts of mind, no man can have the
slightest desire to possess their persons.