Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-01-29

o'clock. The labor for tho week
has nearly closed, and we gladly
look forward to q day Of reposa
from toll, q few hours rest for the
weary brain. Il has been q busy
week, and an unusual strain upon
the mental powers. Tired as we
are and anxious for sleep, we cannot
close the week without sitting
down awhile for general contem-
plation.
Alone in our room, the gas bright
ly burning, throwing the cold, des-
Olate glare about the room, our
table strewn with books and pa
pers, et cetera, and ourself half
resting discOnsolately upon the ta-
bic trying 10 discover the why aud
wherefore Of numerous pcrplexi.
ties in this life, We can hear the
foreman overhead moving to and
fro in the performance Of his du-
ties, and out upon the street an
occasional passGr By or a carriage,
and then all is still except the sea-
like roar of the rooms silence.
Saturday night at last, aud what
week this has been! Politics,
news and religion! The brain has
had to grapplc with them all, day
after day and to be ever on the qut
Ufce for something new, something
interesting. Aud why? for repu-
tations' sake!
And this is the whole story of
most lives they chase the bubble
reputation, even to the cannon's
mouth.
And when attained, what Is it?I
II is wishing oneself OH the top of
the highest mountain, and getting
there, wishing we were own
again. 1t is travelling to q far of
country, and reaching there, sigh to
return to old scenes and old
friends. 1t lis a craving for the cake
and confectionery of life, and be-
coming surfeited herewith, wish
ing for the good old fashioned
home made bread and butter II is
the will-o'.the-wisp which flies fur
thcr of as you advance to 1t. 1t Is
star towards which you ascend
in a balloon, but while the watch
Ing crowd think you near Il, yoH
know that the bright object is as
fNr away as ever. /, Is that which
having not We would possess and
possessing too often value not.
Reputation, fame, notoricty!
Terms too often used as
syuonymcs.
The reputation of Washington,
the fame Of Bonaparto, the notori-
ETY. of-George Francis Train!
But, after all these hard strug-
giles for reputation or fame Or no.
toriety, or it may be, when the at
tainment or failure is completed,
what must be our judgment Of the
result2
Well, the wisest of US cannot ut
ter a profounder sentence than
Solomon's GAN is vanity
The ambitious man studies, tolls
and intrigues 10 accomplish pur-
poses. He bears a calm exterior
even when the bitterness of disap-
pointment may be weighing him
down. He staggers on through
the mud and mire of diplomacy"
almost insensible TO rebuiEs, and
loathes himself when his end is at.
tanned, for attaining it by such
means, sinking his manhood to pos
sess fame; taking down a servica-
bic structure TO erect upon The site
thercofa "castle Ofair."
We have sat tonight building
our "cdStleS dN espdgno,"
Dreaming dreams no ortal
Ever dared 10 dream before"
This is a luxury often INDUCED in
after long and continued excite.
ment of the brain. The brain
never rests, but acquires re-
lief by change. 1t is thus the ten
sion is loosed, and otherwise one
would go mad. But 'chca will the
day Of rest come from all these alb.
sorbing cares? When shall we be
able to value these temptations to
our ambitions which assai us here,
at their true worth? When can we
lay aside thoughts of self, and our
hearts broad sympathies go forth
like a swelling avalanche 10 enfold
in its humanities, not merely the
dear ones ofa family, but the crea.
lures of a common destiny?
Saturday night; yea, Sunday
now! The remorsoless hands
have gone on, gone on, gone
on, while we have been writ
ing, aud with their wOndrous