The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-11-10
Heroisn in Common Life.

Common life is a true and perfect
sphere for hcroism. There are, in the
life Of every family, things that are
magnificent and worthy Of poetry and
history, and that will be chanted in
the olher life. There are things in
the experience of every household that
are essentially heroic, connected with
the conduct of parents towards their
children, and OF the children towards
their parents, aud Of the children tow
ards each other. They are not famous,
they are not widespread; but if you
measure heroism by the moral quali-.
ty, by the motive, you will find era
die side heroisn and bed side heroism,
heroisms of distress and poverty (which
are as eminent as any heroism that
ever was on the battlefield or in the
council chamber. Yes, and ten thous-
and times more so, because they are
accompanied with less excitemenis and
prospects Of sympathy and remunera-
ton. Foa in the dull night, alone
Oh, alone as the longest striking Of
the clock. alone at its shortest stroke,
alone ,at its double stroke, alone; at
three and four in the morning, alone !;
with a sick babe and no one to succor,
sits the child Of fortune, cultured ex-
qusite in taste and sensitive in every
moral feeling as an angel. AT last the
/ longed-for sound, now hated, of the
| footsteps of him foe whom she waits,
comes 10 her ear; and some misera-
EbIe dissipaled creature wakes the night
and he comes, rude and red and round.
stumbling Alto the room and she with
every feeling narrowed, with every
taste offended, and her whole nature
osSeed, reyolts. Yet, it was the
| first love, the only love, it was the hus-
band of her youth, ii was hers and
she turns to forget her revolving and
her shrinking, TO meet him, 10 quiet
him, to lead him TO his disgraceful bed,
10 I-lt him to Sleep, TO kneel while he
snores in bis drunken slumber, and
amid tears, and prayers, and heart
breaking. and anguish, IKE another
.angel Of GOD TO him, tolHplore mer-
cy for him. And not her own moth.
! er knows it not her own father knows
1T; no companion Knows IT, With
4 her own life she is hiding his deformi-
| ty. Now do you tell me that there
is heroism like this on ba;tle-tields or
/ in conncl-chambers.
And society is full OF heroes Of love
and domestic fidelity. Thousands Of
them are unkeown on earth. They
march in ranks and ballalions. SO that
we speak Of them in N Vins Of multi
tude as drunkards' wiyAs. All those
/ that, under such circumstances, lift
themselves Up above the ordinary line
Of human conduct, are heroic. And
God waits TOR them aud heaven Is
Y h5hes.ck for them. Oh, bow they
/ will shire there Perchance, as you
see them going through the gree&
meek and patient, their dress grow.
ing more and more rusty. you smile
piiyingIy, ami say, "they are poor
drunkarl's wives they we're pr0mis-
ing once, bot lhey have gone down,
dowa, down, AID now they are no.
where ] beg your pardon, they have
not gone down, they have been going
Up. And when YOU rise With al Jour
wealth and learning ard genius, ard
stand ID heaven, having escaped dam
nation 20 s. by fire, you may stand
lowest. and see lhem rs FAR above yon
as the stars tonight are above your
heads. For the last shall BE- first, snd
the lowest shall be lhe highest
Beeeker~