The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-04-20
Selfrt Storp.
: NOBODY BUT ANNA.
By THE VILLAGE scHooLMAsrER.

The weary, worn out sun had gone 10
sleep. The persevering cries Of buyers
and sellers had died out of the noisy
streets; the street lamps had just been
lighted, and the sky lamps too, were, one
by one, being slowly kindled around the
throne of light
We were seated at the window, watch
ing for his form among the occasional
passers by for that hour-that blessed
hour has come, when many hundred
hearts, fancy, wait still and anxiously
for the coming of some tenderly loved
one that went forth in the morning.
"Who is that2" exclaimed Las pref
ty little figure came running up the ave-
nue. and went in at the basement door.
'.Nc oody but Annap said Mrs. Smith
with an air of contempt too plain to be
unnoticed. Il
Mrs. Smith was the wife of govern.
ment contractor, and Anna was her SER
want girl; hence, Anna was nobody"
and Mrs. Smith was member of the
"shoddy" aristocracy--which is little
less than nobody.
There was vast difference between
Anna and Mrs. Smith. One was pleas
ant, pretty and intelligent ;the other was
hateful. homely and ignorant One made
her money by working for other people;
the other made her money by other peos'
pie working for her. Who was the most
honorable, Anna or Mrs. Smith?
Nobody but Annay" And what if
she was? Did that make her any less a
ladyP Do you suppose the great task
master will refuse laborer his penny be-
cause he worked under master? No!
He only refuses those who do not woik
at all-like Mrs. Smith.
And who set this would-be goddess
upon the stills of conceited pride, that
she should be head and shoulders above
her betters
Surely, no one but herself. There are
hundreds of conceited ignoramuses who
get themselves up above their fellows,
(no one else ever does it,) like some
golden calf, to be idolized and worship
ped They try to make themselves con-
spicuous, and render themselves ridicu-
lous. Yes, there are hundreds of Mrs
Smiths; aud, reader, are you one of
themp If you are any like her your
shoulders are surely broad and will bear
little lashing. "God loveth whom he
chasteneth," and so dol.
And now, did you ever think what
clog you are in the wheels of human
progress How some Of your silly
friends are trying to initiate you in your
luxurious laziness, and some of their
friends are initiating them,and so on un-
til honorable labor is deemed disgrace? ?
Did you ever think Of the effect of wor-
shipping the almighty dollar instead of
the Almighty or could you never find
anything to do but torture your husband
and the piano9 All! fear you have
never tried. The effort would be too
much like labor. Remember, "God
helps those who help themselves"
You sometimes wonder whv every one
is so freezingly dignifedi Why, don't
you know the cat has to look up to see
the king? You have grown SO wonder
fully tall and pompous and "puffed up"
and have risen so far above the common
herd, that they have to hold their heads
high in order to see you. And then you
wonder why every one dislikes you. ]
will tell you why. You think yourself
better than other people. Your lips don't
say it, but your actions do,most emphat-
ically. You are social iceberg; your
looks are chills and fever; your manner
is full of fIostiness; you, yourself are an
imported piece of Greenland. Ah,
look out! you know there is place
where even ice is melted y Would you
have this changed2 Then you must
change yourself. a oa tt
Get down of from your stilts,a and then
your heart and the hearts of others will
be closer together. Let the sunshine of
love dry the vinegar out of. your face
Viregar never catches Aies--much less
friends. Learn to'love others as well as
yourself--aye! half as well--and then
you will be beloved Money and talent
can buy admiration, and sometimes envy /;
but Don Cupid is shrewd old trafficker,
and only gives love. in exchange for love.
You cannot cheat him if he is blind He
can detect counterfess by the sense of
feeling. In word, be true, whole
souled, self sacrificing woman. That is
near enough perfection, for I sometimes
think that true woman Is little the
highest type Of humanity that ever stole
out of heaven to bear back to man q
portion Of his lost Paradise
And now a word to the little '-nobod-
ies." All! wish there were more of
them, for then we could dispense with
one half our physicians and other unne
cessaries. Little nobodies, do not be
discouraged. The world may talk about
natures noblemen, but you are nature 8
noblewomen You are real, living units,
while the Mrs. Smiths are nothing but
icyphers. Suppose you do labor for a