The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-11-25
Lies Journey.

Lies Journey.
In the journey of life we daily and al
most hourly meet with things that con-
tinually battle all our dearest aims, wreck
our brightest dreams, and render futile
all our plans for future happiness and
greatness. AS sick and faint-hearted, we
60 struggling on, troubles and trials goad
US on every side; while the gaunt skele-
tons of many ruined design are contin-
ually fitting before our gaze, shaking their
long bony hands, and telling us that there
are many more yet to come. Yet in
many cases we heed not their warning,
but struggle on, fondly believing that we
are nearing and will speedily reach the
object of our design-the goal of human
happiness. 1t is always in sight. always
tempting us on with dccoying glances,
but always gliding away as we approach.
Thus wo live in the constant delusion that
it will speedily be within our reach and
all our trials will be at an end, and o glo-
rious recompense for long years of labor
will be given us.
Take, for example, the life of the al
chemist, whose dream was the strange be-
lief that lead could be converted into sill
yer, and copper into gold. 10 discover
the means whereby this could be effected
was the study of his life Many long
weary day, many lonely midnight hour,
he spent 10 endcavoring to find the real-
zation of his darling dream. 1t was al
ways before him but ever glided away
whenever he reached forth his hand to
grasp it. AS he drew near unto the end
OF life, it came nearer and hovered more
constantly around him, but still remained
just beyond his reach. He pursued the
phantom not only with untiring, but even
with enthusiastic energy, until the silent
messenger came and tore him away from
his cherished idol So near now had it
approached that in his dying moments he
prayed for just one more hour of life to
enable him to fold it in his bosom in one
long and last embrace. Vain prayer! i
strange spectacle the labors of lifetime
lost for the lack of q single hour of life
Ah! we who waste the swiftly fccting
moments, hours, days and months, in
wanton idloness, will sooner or later
awake to the sense of our folly; and
while deeply but vainly bewailing those
neglected opportunities, conscience will
upbrad us in bitter tears for having done
ourselves great wrong.
1t is true that to many of Us life pre-
sents but fcw inducements to tempt us on
to great cxcrtions. We can see nothing
ahead but the same dull, monotonous OK
stence of hard daily labor filled with vex-
ations and troubles; fcw hours of brief
repose at night, and then to awake to
pursue the samo work over again. Should
we in the lighter and more joyful mo-
ments of our existence imagine that some
where--dark, undotined and vague, but
still somewhere lin the future, there is %
period when we can lay care aside and
spend the remainder of our days in quie-
tude and peace, time surely will prove the
falsity of such an idea. Again, MANY a
life is wholly blighted, bright hopes and
glorious anticipations Of brilliant future
cruelty destroyed by some misfortune,
either the result of youthful folly and in
discretion, or the pleasure and will of the
Deity. They are like somo noble ship,
wrecked ana ulSmanCleu upott luo oleah'
crs, and left to be tossed hither and thth-
er by tho waves, soon after it is launched,
and before its voyage has fairly begun
Many of us who are thus wrecked sor-
rowfully and idly drift through life, sur
rounded on all sides by darkness, in which
wo are waiting, YEARLY waiting for the
coming of the morn. Most especially is
this true of those whose barques were shat
tered upon some rock of rude adversely,
Just as their voyage was prospcrously be.
ginning-just as the approaching of man.
hood or womanhood. They are no long
er guided throughout their voyage to their
predetermined destination by the skillful
hands of the pilot, but arc left drifting,
aimlessly drifting upon the sou of limo.
Southern Home Journal.