Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-13
People VINO Miss.


eff my foresight were equal to my
hindsight,o said ali Old hunter speak
ing of bis fayorite piece, 81 should never
miss Many are IN the same condition.
Ceuld they have seen in the beginning
what they see now, they would have
pursued quite different career. That
briefless old lawyer who forsooli his
fathers plough; that broken merchant,
who left his business to speculate in
cotton that ruined clerk who spent all
his leisure and good deal of his employ
er's money at the theatre, the drinking
saloon, the race track, the gaming table,
and the brothci that worn out politi-
clan, who grew weary in following his
ayOwed principles, and abandoned them
Just as they were about to be success
fat: that .hrcadbare scholar, who has
spent his life in reading and writing
books that are utterly worthless; that
neglected preacher, who tired ont his
hopeful congregation by persistently
displaying himself. instead of his d.
vine Master; that unemployed doctor
who was fonder Of standing at the street
corners and talking with the well, than
Of sittiug at the bedside Of his sick pa
tients; that grumbling farmer, who rode
10 town every fair day and complained
that the rain had prevented his planting
until too late to make a crop; that
shiftlcss mechanic, who tried TO
rise by employing other men
10 do his work, while he saunter-
ed about in fine clothes, and "bossed"
the jobs, wondering that people do
not patronize home manufactures; that
neglected old girl who firted for years
with tops SO heartless as herself, and
looked with disgust upon the coat that
was soiled, and the hand that was har-
.iened by labor; that filthy old bachelor
who fancied that every lady who treated
him civilly was trying to seduce him
into advantageous marriage, are but
,sAgNamples of people who have missed.
1ney tired Aeir chances and lost They
toiled at the problem of life and failed.
They travelled diligently and took the
wrong road just at the end of the jour
ney. The statue was almost completed,
careless blow of the chisel hopelessly
defaced it; the picture was all but fn-
ishud, the artist fell asleep, upset his
candle and burned it to cinder. They
missed One aspired to be a soldier He
attained to high command, tool, sumptuOus
quarters in large city, surrounded HIM
self with an obsequious train, had host
of flatterers and admirers, expended
money like an eastern prince showered
gold upon his favoriies saw the enemy
sack his towns pillage his country, and
slaughter his generals, started in pursuit,
but so laegard that his foe every day
widoned the distance between them. A
betrayed and indignant people demanded
his recall and another suppIants him He
has missed
Another thought to win the name Of
a great statesman. BY his own efforts
and the untiriug zeal Of friends, he
reached place after place, telling inccs-
sanity up the turet of fame But just
rs he was writing his name upon the
very highest tablet beside the greatest
of former ages his heart failed him, bis
head grew dizzy, his hand trembled, the
unfinished inscription was forever de-
faced, he missed his footing and fell
never to rise again.
In times of great public connection,
when the pen Of history is necessarily
moving. many one who had any pros
pect and opportunity to be recorded on
her undying page, has loolishly thrown
them away, and sunk into a nameess
and unhonered obcrscurity, equally re-
moved from the mad eminencc of those
who had raised the storm and the mer-
itoriOus distinction of hosc whose firm
ness has withstood and whose wisdom
has allayed IT, Poor fcllows' they lived
az an unfortunate time. Had everything
remained quiet they would have gone TO
their graves respectable and respected
possibly accounted great men and lead
ers Of public opinion. As IL is, they
only go TO swell the inglorious crowd Of
the people who miss. Reader do you
know any such? LOOK around you.