The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-02
Sunday Reading.
Little Things.

ID Drops of water, grains of sand, snow flakes
microscopic insects, seconds, NOTES, atoms
acerns. seeds of all kinds are some of the little
things of creation. Nature rears her snow.
drifts of tiny flakes, rolls her foods of small
drops, extends her sanded floors of little grains
elaborates the overhanging foliage of coral
groves by the labor of minute creatures, calls
the forest king from his cradling cup, fills barn
and storehouses with the magnifed and null
tiplied product of diminutive seeds, and Gre
ates a universe of congregated atoms. Little
things are ever springing from nothing, null
tiplying from less, growing, growing, growing,
piling on and on, and advancing line upon
line, swelling tle river, uplifting the boulder,
amassing the fortune, completing the man.
The rivers can only say, "We are assembled
rills;' the rocks, I'VE are collected grains g
the fortunes, "We are little savings" !" and de-
veloped characters, I'VE are mass OF little eff
forts, little deeds, little teachings, Slight ad-
yances, little gifts improved, small duties per-
formed, small difficulties overcome" There
are always little changes going ON IN Natures
workshop; during one season trees have grown
invisibly larger; rocks have imperceptibly IN
creased in size; thousands oflittle things have
changed to dust and decay. and particles OF
our bodies are constantly falling and forming.
@ Great things have an upright, open-faced
way OF asserting themselves. The avalanche
earthquake swallows the city, the tornado ad-
yances with great certainty. Little things
hide in the corners, slide along dark alleys and
creep through the cracks. They keep their
power compressed. Insects contend with the
whirlwind in destroying vegetation, but the
work OF the former Is silent. To save per-
sons life may secure friend, and few little
words-some trifiing acts OF pOliteness-can
open the way to lasting friendship. A blow
HQcfrOv life Orpaf aftiiofian hliObfg nJla,C
happiness, and little fault-finding, petty slight,
cutting remarks, unpleasant illusions, little
exhibitions of impatience, a lack of some tri-
fling words of approval, in slower, more 81
lent and secretive way are equally effective to
produce the same result. Fault-fnding is one
ofthe little things that makes existence like
an excited porcupine's back, crushing bur-
den bearing down with uncomfortable power
1t is drop by drop, inch by inch torture; hav-
ing wearing, deadening, confusing effect; no
honest, open attack, nothing definite of which
one complains, but miserable process of un-
dermining that proVokes or grieves or makes
Indifferent. On the other hand pleasant
words spoken with interest or kindness have
been to the lonely, sick or discouraged, like
spring ofclear water in the desert.
Of what great value is look, smile, cor
dial hand-shake, rev words expressed with
beneyolence and friendship, to one who feels
diOuC LII q OiOWNt oShSo iOA oyhPoehy3
tries TO edge himself in among the Indifferent
multitude, and is always clinging to the out
sidel Compared with them, what bauble
would be present OF abeautiful silk dress,
gold watch or any costly trinket. Before, he
had been morbidly condemning everybody as
old-hearted, envying their tact and agreeable
ness, but now the little blossoms oflove sweet
en- his sound judgment. Dropping the formal
title when it would not be too familiar, and
with winning tact calling stranger by his
first name, thrills the heart and makes such
an one feel at home. Little .courtesies and
charities, little acts oil thoughtiulness and for
bearance, give charm to intercourse and So
ciety equal to anything high-toned genius, Law :
ish wealth, beautiful dress, brilliant fashion :
personal beauty or polished tastes can impart.
Little things, forefathers OF great, are no.
BILE ancestry; earls, kings and princes raise
their crowned heads among them and the
most worthy descendants are proud to snow
the eSCuCcneOLS OF LilelT tdll6TS, Ut LIE