The mountain Democrat., 1865-12-09
PeraonAl HArdahip.

Whoever will trace the history Of hu-
man success will wonder to find the way
to eminence so generally rugged, uphill
path and this is so whatsoever the de-
partment of whether literary, re-
ligiOus. political, or philanthropic. How
beset is this path with charms, morasses.
deep streams, and jungles! The world
never made greater mistake than when
it writes the patti of genius painless one.
The superficial think genius but an ex-
press train to success, in which the illus
trious did take their seat with through
ticket IN their pocket. But they who
have later read in history of greatness,
have learned that genius is mainly the
power Of work. Did we sketch it, we
should see q strong form, with muscle,
and nerves, and burning eye. See him
there graphing with the difficulties of the
way. His progress is very often dead
climb up stoops which other men dare not
essay. See him grasp rocks, twigs, roots;
see where he puts his foot; see the strain
Of all the man, and the fiery purpose Of
:I;e cc3l e;rSseSeeMe IsSv SSSsSkfpap * S,ti. &
lot, and to conquer success by the sheer
power of effort. Is it not a marvel that
man, the greatest Of creatures, must begin
his existence in the greatest weakness and
dependence? The horse comes to perfec.
tion of muscle and movement as birth
right. But what will man become If left
to mere natural development What
does he know but by attention, imitation,
and study? What can you make of Sim
until he is jostled from the cradle of his
ease by some hardship or rudeness?-
Hardship is at once the price and the
birth-pang Of that which earth and heaven
values.
So much is this the case that one might
almost venture to graduate successes by
their cost. A wild rose will grow any.
where. 1t needs no culture. no care 1t
will blossom along the roadside. The
world is full of such flowers; but what is
the wild rose? Pluck it; smell look at
it. |: is poor, colorless, odorleSs. It costs
nothing-it is worth nothing. But you
hand me now an exquisite se-bud.-
What fragrance, what richness of color,
what matchless beauty! Where did you
get it? Tell me its history. 1t is one Of
a hundred seedlings that struck root in
your conservatory. The gardener plant.
ed them, watered and watched them, de-
Tended them from insect marauders; and
out of the hundred he rejected ninety and
nine as common, and comparatively worth
less. That one rose. then. is the result
of skill, time and painstaking. And w
have heard Of a gardeners putting I
choice plant away in the dark, starving i
of all light and cheerfulness, until every
leaf fell off, and it seemed about to die
and all this severity of treatment was on
ly that afterward, when the light was ad
mitted, the plant might bring forth bios
som of such rare, deep coloring as coult
only come from those dark days.
So everywhere in human experience, a
frequently in nature, hardship is the yes
tibule Of the highest success. That mag
nifcent oak was detained in its upward
growth while its roots took a great turn
around a boulder by which the tree wa;
anchored to withstand the storm of cen
turies.
see pearl upon your bosom. What
is it? 1t is the result of suffering in the
oyster. 1t came of disease and hardship
| see man he is pearl among men,
Shall | tell you his history? He is born
not only Of flesh and blood, but of crosses
and disappointments, and he has strug.
gled to his present position by success
sion of victories over hardship and suffer.
ing. This discipline has made him what
he is.
Hence it is that patience is the greatest
Of virtues, since it vanquisheS. This i'd
the principle which says with reference
to every honest pursuit, ~ bide my time. u
Patience is faith in truth, in effort, in
great laws leading on to success. 1t is
the principle which the sapling oak un.
consciously illustrates as it grows side by
side with the sunfiower.
The ephemcral plant will out.top it,
stretching out its great arms in derision
and laughing with its jolly round face at
the poor creeping oak But the oak will
attend the funeral Of generation of SUM-
flowers, drawing its very life from the
loan which constitutes their grave. Pa
tience with ourselves, patience with God
and with his providence-this is the Sc.
cret Of success. Patience lives in convic-
ton that truth and right are strength, and
will yet have their day. lis no less sure
that wrong is weak, and that its sun will
by and by go down in n starless night
1t remembers the old story of Bessus and
the birds nests. The innocent chatter of
the birds under his window reminded him
Of the murder Of his father, crime which
be had committed secretly, and of which
he was never suspected till in anger he
tore down the nests. If we can only be
patient we shall overcome. Difficulties
will disappear and mysteries will solve
themselves; the right will triumph in
Gods full time. The mill Of God grinds
TOO slowly for us all. We know not how
to wait the "due time" ofsPfOvidence in
the great interest Of the world, and in the
interior struggles Of our souls. But if
we cannot conquer, we must struggle and
wait.
CoNrRABAND VIEW OF GENERAL SAX.
ToN-A New London gentleman who just
frop, tho nooo,t,0nok &c