The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-04-01
From Moore's Rural New Yorker.
Weaving.

Up in grandmothers garret-up between
the gabes-stands the loom, so useful half a
century ago. so idle and so useless now. Bat
tered and worn it is, and upon il tho dust Of
wears has accumulated. What matters il ?
for beneath the sod have slumbered for scol
of twelve months those who were latest bur.
led there The treade is broken and hangs
idle; so are tho feet that worked it, still aud
dusty. The shuttle has been lost for many q
year! All, well day the hands that were
wont to swing i back and forth have no more
work to do.
Standing in the dim light of that old gor-
ret, thinking Of the traditions that have been
har ded down through our family, from the
days Of the dstaff and loom, thinking Of
those who, with young, light hearts, and
graceful forms, gladdened tn, old homestead
IN the days of "Iong ago, thus thinking,
have thought how like weavers are we all,
fashioning, not fabrics that may be moth eat
en-, or destroyed 10y fire or time, but weav nc
human destinies; with continual toll working
out our own veal or woe.
Then should we often and seriously consid-
er what materials are given us from which to
fashion this mysterious fabric we vaguely call
lite. There are given us sunny days, and
starry nights--hours TO- labor, hours for rest
"a world Of physical beauties, intellectual and
spiritual. Ours are high hopes and aSpira
tions; opportunity for noble deeds, affections
that quicken the life blood in its flow, and
make this earth almost a paradise. All these
we call the golden threads of existence. BY
way Of contrast, to add to the beauty of the
whole, there are given as threads Of sombre
hue, although in the light Of eternity some of
these dark threads, as we call them, will lie
glorifed to a brightness exceeding that OF an
angels robe. These are the dsappointments,
the "bghted hopes" the "crushcd affect ions,'
the sonows well nigh bordering upon despair
these Affections that so Grevc us all.
This being the material, it is in great
measure left to the taste Of tho weaver to
state the proportion in which shall be blend
ed the lighter AM tho darker shades. IL Wa
would have our life an enduring life, one that
should live after Us through all time, then let
us lay well the varp. This we do when we
form true life plan. 1t is no tiifling thing
no clild's play, nor youths dr Gaming. 1t
is so'emn thing TO resolve whether our life
shall be a thing Of beauty or dciormity. n
10y cicum' tances to a great degree-clrcum.
stances over which he can have no control
therefore it is impous to lay out n life.p Ian.
Yet experience aud observation teach Us tha,
he WHO helps himself God will help, and that
h" VITO is possessed of strong will and in
domilable energy, will reconcile what is t,rm.
ell fate, and his own ambition; at least it
were better TO have life aim and fail, than
to live aimlrss aud ambtioul. IS.
As the warp gives stability, SO does the
woof impart beauty to the fabric. Every
pu'saton of the heart, every glimmer of sun
light, tho beauty that smiles upon uS, whcth.
or in evening star, or hillside flower; the words
OF love that fall upon us like holy benedi'-
tions; tie Strains of sweet music that drop 10.
to our hcart's "ho'Y Of hoi;es;;' these form
part Of the wcof Of life. Have wr taken care
to weave in a these golden threads? Every
thought that springs up IN oar minds, every
word to winch our lips give uttcrance, every
decd we do, all these give texture 10 this
mysterious woof.
1Lcn, as We would have our lives beautiful
in the sight OF men, angels, and, above all, in
the sight of onr Father in Heaven, let every
thought be OF putty, every word of kindness.
every decd Of love; let tn" principles OF our
holy religion be Llendod therc-so shall the
fabric Of oar mortality be y iil vcstd'c for that
spark Of Immortality we call tho soul.
EMILY LEWIS.
Ullsd.lp. NJ cliran. 1862