Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-10-14
Ingratitude

Of all the mean low and despicable
mortals upon the face of the earth
there is none to be compared with the
migrate. We have often wondered
in our sojournings through the world
how it is that the men whom we
most favor are the first Of all to de-
sert us and leave us alone in this
cold and dreary world. But this is
human nature, at least it is the ma
ture of good many of our fellow
beings, as our experience teaches us.
We can look back in our fancy and
see those who in days gone by we
favored to the full extent of our
powers and capacities-we were will
ing even TO make sacrifices of the Sc
verest kind simply to crafty them
and advance their interestS-forsake
and leave us. But, alas! behold
them after few short years of sue
cess and prosperity. How high they
lift their heads and how haughtily
they strut the streets, regardless of
their friends and the efforts they
have made in their behalf, taking
upon themselves the plaudits of
those al ound them with the air of
one who has lived altogether above
the sphere of human beings. Yet if
they were known to the world in
their real and true character how
mean and small would they appear
in the eyes of their admirers, who
look upon them now with wonder
and amaZement, astonished at the
splendid results which they have
achieved. This is not an Overdrawn
picture, but is, we are sorry to say,
too often the case With a great many
of them. There are noble souls, we
admit, that are moving among this
base and despicable stuff of the
world and we are sorry that in many
cases the dross can scarcely be sep
arated from the gold, until it is cast
into the fiery furnace, when the pure
will be separated from the impure
just from the unjust. But it seems
to be the destiny of this world that
among the many great and good
there must be those who are posses
sed of wonderful amount of ingrat-
itude, selhshness and everything else
that goes to make the possessor and
his associates uncomfortable, miser-
able and unhappy. How unenviable
and pitiable indeed is the lot of such
one, the outcast of society and the
despised of all the despised, "a scourge
and blast to his fellow-beings, UNI
named, unnumbered and unsung, a
refugee and wanderer through this
beautiful world of ours, seeing moth
ing to admire, nothing to love, ex-
acting no pity from any one, arous-
ing no sympathies from those with
whom he comes in contact, going to
he knows not where, nor caring
whittier his footsteps may be direct
ed. This is a sad picture indeed,
nevertheless a true one, as many
one to his sorrow can testify. Who,
but the migrate, would live without
a friend upon the face of this beau
tiful earth, who but an i'll migrate
would desire to enjoy the beauties
and privileges of this grand country
himself?
Such is the life of an ingrate-the
selfish, conceited and begrudging
man-who lives only for himself,
cares not for those around him and
enjoys nothing that does not espe-
cially interest and benefit him. He
and he alone can raise his hand to
heaven and eXclaim, Il have not one,
not a single friend on the face of the
earth" Such is truly his fate and
we cannot but loathe him. Lord de-
liver us from such life, is our
PRAYER