Natchitoches spectator., 1868-07-07
The Life Time Of Man.

w men the Wofiu was created, and all
creatures assembled to have their life
time appointed, the ass first advanced
and asked how long he. would have to
| live. 'sThirty years." replied Nature;
will that be agreeable to tlhee?' Alas,
answered the ass, 'it is long while.
Remember what wearisome existence
will be mine; from morning until night
shall have to bear heavy burdens
dragging corn sacks to the mill that 9th
ers may eat bread, while shall have no
encouragement, nor be refreshed by
anything but blows and kicks Give
me but portion OF that time, pray!'
Nature was moved with compassion. and
allotted but eighteen years. The ass
went away comtorted, and the dog came
forward. 'How loeg dost thou require
to live?' aasked Nature Thirty wears
were too many for the ass, but wilt thou
be contented with theml' 'Is it thy will
that 1 should" replied the dog; think
how mnch / shall have to run about; my
feet will not last for so long n time, and
when L shall have lost my voice for
barking, and my teeth for biting, what
else shall be fit for but lie in Il corner
and growlP Nature thought he was
right, and gave him twelve years. The
ape then made his appearance. .Thou
wilt, doubtless, willingly live the thirty
years. said Nature; thou wilt not have
to labor us the ass and dog. Life will
be pleasant to thee sAh, no. cried he.
'soit may seem to others, but it Will not
be. Should puddings ever ram down,
shall have no spoon. | shall play merry
tricks, excite laughter by my grimaces,
and then be rewarded by sour apple
How often sorrow lies concealed behind
n jest. / shall not be enabled to endure
for thirty years. Nature was gracious,
and he received but ten.s AT last came
u man, healthy and strong, aud asked
the measure of his days. .NVil thirty
years content theel' How short a timer
exclaimed man; when j shall have built
q house and kindled a fire on my he lrth;
when the trees shall have planted are
about to bloom and bear fruit; when life
will seem to me most agreeable, shall
die! y, Nature, grant me a longer pc
Rod Thou shalt have the eighteen
years of the ass besides, 'That is not
enough replied man. Take likewise
the twelve of the dog 1t is not vet
sufficient reiterated man; give me
morel' j give thee, then, the ten years
of the ape; in vain wilt thou claim morel'
Man departed unsatisfied. Thus man
lives seventy years. The first thirty are
his human years, and pass swiftly by
He is then healthy and happy-he labors
hhe eighteen years of the ass come next,
and burden upon burden is heaped upon
Tim; he carries the corn that is to feed
others; blows aud kicks are the wages of
his faithful service, The twelve years
of the dog follow, and he loses his teeth,
and lies in the corner and growls. When
these are gone, the apes ten forms tho
conclusion. Then man, weak and silly,
becomes the sport OF children.
- .- -
MARRIAGE.-''Therei is nothing" says
Mr.. Beecher, more detestable or more
vulgar than that young man who holds
back from suitable connections which
his judgment approves, and his moral
sense knows would be nourishing to
him, saying to himself, Il will wait foIN
few years, and then / will be in po&E
ton to take my pick, and to make Con
nectionS where / shall stand at the top
of society," You will stand at the bot
tom of it when Gods Judgment comes.
When a man disrcgards the most sacred
relations, and takes his heart and bar
ters it for pelf or ambition, and sullies
and pollutes the Sacredness of the house
hold in all the after years of his life, YOU
cannot select words of contempt that
are massive enough to eXecrate his
course. And | may say that, though
this marrying and settling may seem
small thing to you, it is probably the
most momentous act of persons whole
life. Where man has wife that is
virtuous, loving, true, faithful, and
Christian, if God has not put crown on
his head, then there are lao crowns.
Though man has money heaped Jap like
and is the companion of
princes, if he has no home he is a miser-
able wretch; but man that has home,
though he be smitten with bankruptcy,
and though the world derides and perse-
cutes him; he can neither be destroyed
nor made wretched. Blessed is the man
that has one true companion that is in
separable from him. The most momen.
tous event of u mans whole life is that
of determining what his marriage con
nectI0nS shall De. .And j warn young
men against denying Christ and taking
whether it be i'm making their
professional choice or the choice of their
social connections.
Keep your temper. The cold ham
ner moulds and masters the red hot
ron.