The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-09
what are We liviux r>..

1,,x
sail with sealed papers, not caring tn ~ ~
the port OF our destination. Thers !.
pleasant mystery in floating about Al 70. :
dom, and gliding down unknown cnr,...'
our enjoyment heightened meanwhilo Il
the uncertainty as to whittier they will IT,!
us. If we think of the life-vOya3e on ~,
shiny days, it is as q pleasure trim III.
enjoyed as well as we may; or as a traS;.s
voyage, to gather floating sea weed. ham.
Giles, coneh-shells and wampums-alll s..
full currency,-in exchange tor brain .rs
heart, and time; or, as an idle excur,;or
undertaken to kill the time, to be accn~,
| lished with the least care and thought. NJ
when the clouds darken, and the rain ss
| heavily about us-when fierce winda ~.
| our frail vessel in their grasp. and hrn,
bitter waves threaten to engu1ph us in ~
Idepths-then we watch the biilows vii.
melancholy pleasure, sadly hoping for H.
| final plunge, and thinking of our dres,
voyage as a hard necessity, from which,
would be a pleasure to be released on ~,
terms. Very few of US can breaat IN
storm with tortitude. Very few Of US looi
out beyond the thick darkness to the plim'
mer Of the faint beacon light which mari,
our goal. Or rather, very few of US stes
for the beacon light q, all, but 70 off
vague, aimless excursions, content wiz
the pleasure Of floating calmly on Il
waves.
What do we live fors + it 10 glide easih
from birth to death-then ''to die and mall
no sign nor leave any beyond the fragiL
stone which quietly crumbIes beneath N
breath of time! Jagged bricks are we. e.
ting loosely in lite's structure: fragmeuh
ry beings, made up Of doubts, and hops
and fears, without an earnest purDos
lrYn
Oped into mediocre attainments. Life VI
given to us for purpose-it is a steppue
stone to higher, more glorious stated
being. 1t is our business to tit ourseu
for our transformation-to keep up thes
cred fire which is burning in our hesrt
and feed it plentifully with fragrant a.
that its aroma and light may be diffu1
| through all about us. The possibiliy
. glorious life lies hidden in each !,
man breast; it is the business Of each on.
er to unearth the gem, and to cut and ~
! ish it, that its rays may sparkle in tbd
purest brilliancy. The true end of life il
self-culture, progression. perfection; to d.
velope and mature the germs implanted Il
our natures. No one attains this end wi
does not do the best thing in life that be
capable Of Talents We're never giyenl
men that they might bury them in M
kin. Every human being has specials,
it is his business to improve it, He m
not be an eagle, soaring over the mou1fis
cliffs. yet the sparrow gladdens as ms
hearts in the valley as the eagle does 10 u
eyrie. The trouble is that thnaG
Incidence or diffidence, we do not i.
our wings; or if we mount from u
ground we fear to lose sight Of it, lest -
and cast us from our giddy height d
| no one ever yet attained to eminencs Vi
bid not lose sight OF himself in gazing q
his goal. The purpose must swallow Q
the individual, else the individual Vi
swallow up the purpose, and stand h
crowned and alone in the midst of q dseeat
aspiring to be king vet without Z pea
pective Kingdom. As regards our specil
work in life, it is evident that ambaa
often takes the place Of capability, and Z
zles the unwary by glittering ignus III
This does not do the world much han
for the lions skin must fit slosely tok
worn gracefully; but to the misguided "
ums It IL source Of great loss, for thepe
no other can do it for them.
II we would do this in a.! integrity, v
must prove our own natures with skil
fni unsparing hand, seeing the limit ofc
capacity aud when found, press earre1tt
on, nor stop till we attain it, taking an
meanwhile that wedo not overestimate o.
abilities. Life is larger than most peop
think. Why be ambitious? Why y
work calmly and earnestly toward D
| right? We are but sands In the domaine
time. We can fill, at best, but SINS
corner in our century. It is scarcely wogt
while to be dazzled with the glare ofpenoai
ambition, when it must necessarily bes
fieeting. Yet the corner is part Off,
world, and it isnecessary to the general -
mony that it should be well filled VI
lose sight Of personal ambition, in thep4
ular acceptatiOn OF the term, when We loa
upon the world in broad light. We ~
into noble ambition that looks for ito -
ton to the development of the world, ~
struggle upward in our chosen vocalia
forgetful OF sell, and willing that the plasf
10 rolled along by the force of our edorkr
Yets II we look narrowly into the madE
we lind that It finally resolves itself inhs
personal ambition Of noble type. Re-
teaches that the growth OF the world -
be accomplished by the growth of indiu
| uals. and that self-culture must ever be@
cornerstone Of our efforts. Thus We w
most truly for our century when We w
most truly for ourselves; cultivating =
using our best capabilities, purifying
lives from every unworthy thought g j
sAOAS 0Au AOSt1u8 OOE VXcCOpNS AWAY
our examples. While we aim at the resn
of society, we must begin the reform s01
own hearts; while we mine for the re-
ces of the age in which we live, wei
first explore the veins in our own nasoS
and while we hope for the final perfe0e
velOpment of the human race, we musr
member that it will be delayed by j6s
much as our own 10 neglected. Tho
sent is all with which we have to do -
tive agents. If we aspire to q gloriourr
ture for those who shall come after ~
must be our noblest ambition to pave
way for it by pure lives and noble sca
''Do the duty that lies nearest thee" -
Ling earnestly for more light, act up to y
highest convictions of justice, love
neighbOr as yourself, look to no motiye
the right, accept, no guide but truth, A. ~
shall you attain to the true end Of ~
Pl0cerville Ncsps.
DRUNK.-A ''gallus" woman was ar
ed on Front street, by Marshal Ja1
yesterday, for being drunk and dis0rdeE
She was giving private tableaux TO an
m1ring audience At the time of arrest,
Ing just finished entitled "Ajax Det
the Lightning" After remaining
hours in the calaboose she was all0w0s
60 home on promise Of better behavi0
fut0re.-MAscatine. Journal.