Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-22
KINDNESS.
By sIRs. NJ. (. morn.


IL We knew the baby fingers.
Pressed against the window pane.
Would be cold and stiff Tomorrow
Never trouble Us again
Would the bright eyes Of our darling
Catch the frown upon our BROW
Would the PRINT OF rosy fingers
Nex us then as they DO nOwG' t<s
think bat few human beia2real
ly understand the power Of Kindness
in this world of ours. II this great
principle of love and eentleness
combined was better understood by
people generally, there would be
fewer breaking hearts and tears of
lonely grief in this bleak cid world.
But, alas, there are some truths that
human beings never learn until they
are just ready to enter into the
death valley; and so the lesson that
they have CLEANED by living is re-
ceived too late. 1t is strange how
blind people are 10 the workings
and results of certain principles of
right and wrong. l cannot Just un-
derstand the mystery of this seeing
and yet not seeing.
The law of human kindness is a
strong one, and the world. with ali
its wickedness, finds il very hard to
resist it. Vice and evil hide away
from it, while folly and wayward-
ness are wholly subdued by its gem
tie influences. There is some invis-
ible charm lingering wherever il
rules, and peace and quietness dwell
in the serene atmosphere. 1t costs
but little effort to enforce this law
that regulates so gently the conduct
of mankind. Ii saves many scenes
of wild commOtion, and leads the
votaries of error quickly upon the
stepping-stones of right and truth.
Yet people do not adopt this law of
kindness very generally, although il
is such grand governing principle.
The factis that passion and tyran-
ny usually crush out from the soul
this little germ of kindness given to
us by our kind, Heavenly Father.
We cannot bear the ills and Yexa-
tlons OF life gently and patieatly,
and so we let passion control us,
which is usually succeeded by q de-
sire to force wrong-doers to desist.
We generally fail to regulate the
conduct of those who trouble US, in
a satisfactory way; and so We are
discontented and unhappy. Alas,
we did not let the sweet principle OF
kindness rule. Lesson after lesson
of sorrow we CLEAN, and vet we do
not learn the better way. We sow
and reap 4 harvest of tears and sor-
rows, and thus journey along thrO'
life. At last we discover our sad
mistake.
''Strange we never prize the music
Till the sweet-toned bird is flown!
Strange that we should slight the violetS
Till the lovely flowers are gone.
Strange that Summer skies aud sunshine
Never seem one-half so fair
As when Winters snowy pinlons
Shake the white down in the air"
Oh, why do we not scatter sun
beams and flowers along our life
path, instead of thorns and bram-
blest We know that they will bring
sorrow and pain TO others, and yet
we scatter them.
a word of kindness and look of
sympathy cost but little, and vet we
frown and condemn, and let the evil
principle govern us. The love of
the sweet child is chilled, and
friendship robbed of its sweetness,
by deeds Of unkindness.
If we only knew and understood
how 10 live in the bright valley of
sunlight, instead of wandering out
upon the lowlands Of misery, then
we might be happy. Let us try to
understand better this grand secret
Of human kindness.
Let Us gather up the sun5eams
Lying all around our path;
Let Us keep the wheat and roses.
Casting out the thorns and ehan;
Let US find the sweetest comforts
In the blessings OF to-day:
With patient hand removing
All the briers from the way"