Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-23
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, MAY 1s, 1872.
The Passing Crowd.

hS EsASsfh- Sio"us
To man of universal sympathies, and
even to the plain ordinary denizens OF
this world, what can be more interesting
than the passing crowd as it throngs the |
streets of a town like ours, or that OF a
great city. Does not this tide of human
beings, which we see passing along the
ways of this world, consist of persons
animated by the same spark of the di-
vine essence and partaking of the same
high destinies with ourselves. Let us
stand still but for moment in the midst
of this busy, and seemingly careless
scene, and consider what they are, or
may be, whom we see around us. In
the hurry of the passing show, and OF
our own sensations, we see but series
of unknown faces but this is no rea-
son why we should regard them with
Indifference. Many Of these persons
would rivet their admiration, blythe abil-
ity, worth, benevolence or piety,
which they have displayed in their va
rious paths through life. Many would
excite our warmest interest by their suf-
ferings - sufferings, perhaps, borne
meekly and well, and more for the sake
of others than themselves. How many
tales of human veal or woe, of glory
and humiliation, can be told by those
beings, whom in passing, we regard not
Unvalued as they are by us, how many
Il
affections of a bounteoUs heart, and
would not want for any earthly eompen-
sation? Every one of these persons in
all probability, retains in his bosom the
cherished recollections of early happy
days spent in some scene which, ''they
ne'er forget, though they are forgot,
with friends and fellows who, though
now far removed in distance and in for
tune, are never to be given up by the
heart. Every one of these individuals,
in all probability, nurses still deeper in
the recesses of feeling, the remembrance
of that chapter of romance in the life of
every man, an early earnest attach
ment, conceived in the fervor of youth,
unstaned by the slightest thought of
self, and for the time purifying and ele-
waiting the character far above it's ordi-
nary standard. Beneath all this gloss of
the wOrd-this cold conventional as
pect, which all more or less present, and
which the business of life renders neces-
sary-there resides for certain, foun-
tain of goodness, pure in its inner depths
and ready on every proper occasion to
well out in the exercise of the noblest
duties. Though all this may seem a
hunt after worldly objects, the great
majority of these individuals, can at the
proper time, cast aside oil earthly
thoughts, and communicate directly
with a higher Being whom their fathers
have taught them to worship, and whose
will and attributes have been taught to
man by Himself. Perhaps many of
these persons in the passing crowd are
loftier of aspect than ourselves and be-
long to a sphere above our own. But
nevertheless, if the barrier of mere
worldly form were taken out of the
way, it is probable we could Interchange
sympathles with these persons as fully
and cordially as with any of our own
class. Perhaps they are of an inferior
order; but they are only inferior in GER
tain circumstances, which should never
interpOse to prevent the feeling for our
kind The great common features of
human nature remain, and let us never
forget how much respect is due to the
very impress of humanity-the type of
the divine nature itself Even when
our fellow creatures are degraded by
vice and poverty, let us still be gentle
in our judging The various fortunes
which we see every day Detailing the
members of a single family, after they
part off in their several paths through
life, teach us that it is not to every one
that success in the career of existence is
destined. Besides, do not arrangements
of society at once necessitate the sub
lection of immense multitudcs to hum
bic toll, and give rise to temptations,
before which the weak and uninstructed
can scarcely escape falling. But even
beneath the soiled face Of the poor arti-
IAN there may be aspirations after some
vague excellence, which hard fate has de-
MED him the means of obtaining, though
the very wish to obtain it may be emo
bling. The very mendicant was not al
ways 50; he, too, has had his undegraded
and happier days, upon the recollection
of which, some remnant of better feel
ings may repose.
There are reasons why we should not
look with GOODNESS upon any masses of
men with whom it may be our lot to
mingle. 1t is the nature of good man
to conclude that others are like himself,
and if we take the passing crowd pro-
miscously, we can never be far wrong
in thinking that there are worthy anG
well directed feelings in it, as well as il
our own hearts.
CpNrCDrcc II *