Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-03-14

In olden times, when Rome was the
center of all the pride, enterprise, ma
tional hopes and aspirations of her peo-
pie, roads were constructed from all
parts of the country leading to the Roy
al city. From this originated a beau
tiful illustration of the fact that various
things tended TO the same result, like
that all men, through various religions,
would reach common happy home at
last, and was found in the favorite max
i'm, 'All roads lead to Rome When
ever the Roman people were TO cele-
brate any of their national virtues or
achievements, for which they were so
celebrated, surrounding tribes were in
vited to Join in their festivities and TO
compete for the prizes. Their attain.
ment came to be the highest honor
which could be conferred, so much so
that proficiency in their games became
the very life-hopes of the flower Of the
manhood of that age, and for which
young men were educated all tacir lives
To prevent too much education or prep
paration of their ncighbors, and to Sc
cure the development of her own sons,
any particular games were not announce
ed until late day before they occurred,
then heralds were sent forth into all
parts of Rome and among the surround
ing tribes to proclaim them, and also to
the frontiers to inform all strangers, who
inquired which road lead to Rome, that
all roads led there, and that each one
required an immediate and decisive Sc
lection and constant and lively travers-
ing to reach the Ampitheatre in time to
participate in the competition. This
led all young men, ambitious to join,
to educate themselves in all the games
and each one to select at an early time,
and thoroughly acquaint himself with
the most direct road to the city, in Or
der that the doors might not be closed
against him nor he be found inefficient
in their performance.
Now whether this picture be ideal or
real, it may perhaps imperfectly illus
trate the situation of young man
training for life's great struggle. AS
those ancient athletes and warriors
were looked upon with admiration, so
among the first ideas which are written
upon or born in the infant mind is a
profound reverence for achievements Of
men. How the big frocl, boots and
gun of the hunters, standing at sunrise
IN bo Of fbo oil uohi,,
the little mind with the grandeur of
their possessor's footprints in the forest.
For what wealth would you exchange
the memory Of that moment when,
looking at the picture of some Alex
ander in the midst Of furious strife, your
mind first conceived the idea Of mill
tary heroism? Or of later time
when boy, you, in the rude chapel il
your childhood's '.Swcet Auburn" fell
the blood warm in your veins and you,
heart beat high at the grand hopes Of {
better land, which that rude country Ell
oquence was terminating in your soul
Or the time when, a little later, as {
boyish spectator in one of your country
forums, your mind was filled with rev
erence for those men who are eXercis
ing the awful responsibility Of holdin!
the scales which were to determine thu
fate Of fellow-man, whose very lifi
was at stake your check blanched ant
and your body, all a fever, burnin!
under the eloquent words of the ad
vocate, who, nobly pleading for hi
brother man, was toned up to a pitcI
Of mental anxiety, even beyond that Q
the victim, as if offering his own an
guish of mind as an atoning sacrific
for him whose mind was night an
gloom!
And so all young men are lookin
after and admiring those who are run
ming ahead, to determine which he sha
follow, which is the nearest road to h
success, his destiny, his Rome ; but i
one respect at least the compariso
is bad. The ancients educated the
sons in barbarous games and absorbe
their minds in useless exploits, fittin
them for wars, tumults, disturbance
and all the vicissitudes Of a barbaror
age; while the purpose of young life t,
day is to struggle for higher civiliz
ton, for the peaceful industries, pr,
founder respect for the laws and inst
tutions of the land, as contrasted wit
the wager of battle, in mass or in pc
sonal conflict. With these purpose
all young men look forward along mo-
roads than ever led to Rome. Fac
school of men, selecting each his roa
starts. Soon the voice of one com
from the national councils. He instar
ly ran to the very acme of his success
that Of another comes in dignifed ton
from the bench; another runs in Ere
dom's ways and perchancc dash
against deaths heralds, which procai
his race finished--but not till he hi
plucked the highest honors which t,
world yields. Is the death that cut hi
off in the midst Of heroic deed a I
ward? Alas, we cannot tell. Anoth
starts without education, in the fai
that as all roads lead to Rome,
would take one by chance and wi
greater effort reach the goal with othel
but he soon found himself in q circu
Gus load-with many others It's true
but it was so grown up to weeds a
entangling vines as to exhaust him c
yet one half the distance was game