New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-21

Above al creeds and forms of law,
Thu. then, 10 Christ's revealed plan
That love alone shall sway the earth,
And man redeem bis brother man.
For the New Orleans B. publican-Prepared fror
the original manuscript.
MY LIES LESSONS.
BY N. F. BIGNEY.
NJ EARLY YEARS AT HOME-MIsJUDGED-
EAPLOYED-LIFE WITH THE GLOvERS-
COFFINED BUT NOT DEAD-A NARROW
ESCAPE, ETC.
Reader, whether friend or stranger be
lieve me when tell You that if you perust
these psges in quest of fantastic fiction,
you will be disappointed. Whatever of in
terest attaches to this story depends upon
its truth to nature and to fact. am my
own hero, and if prove weak and faulty
and my surroundings are lacking in dram
alto incident, you must cast the blame
where it properly belongs. l would be
wiser, better, more happy and more prosper
eus if could, but circumstances beyond
my control have proved hindrances when
needed helpers, and influences from which
Icould not rid myself have made me wha,
am.
In the presumption Of egotism / have
sometimes attt mpted to become master Of
my own destiny, but all my fond anticipa-
tons in that direction were marked by
woful disappointments. When 1 planned
schemes Of happiness, some unexpected
mischance would overthrow them; when l
attempted to seize some promised blessing,
it would turn to ashes in my grasp. The
conviction has heretofore forced itself on
my mind that my highest powers are ex.
tremely limited, and that even honesty of
purpose and of effort are not always sufi-
Gent to shield one from misfortune. If in
any res pect am better than the majority
of my fellow men, it is through no special
merit OF my own; and if worse, it is quite as
much my misfortune Is my fault.
No man can reasonably be held respon.
sible for his surroundings, and scarcely in
deed for his prejudices. He may be born
in howell or palace; in Christian or q
heather land; be the offspring of kind, vir-
tuous and healthy parents, or the sad fruit
of hereditary passions and diseases; and all
this without any fault or merit of his own.
The lines of ten ptation and volition, of At
traction and repulsion, are so interblended
that the eternal verities can alone trace
them to their sources and determine the
true measure of responsibility which be-
longs to human acts. l. therefore, Judge
judge not, and simply pray that be not
harshly judged.
With these Introductory remarks COM
mence brief synopsis Of the story of my
life, Of what have been and done, OF what
have seen and heard. and if fail to IN.
tsrest and instruct, it will not be for lack of
effort on my part.
My name lie Robert Blank. There have
been more blanks than prizes in my life,
but l blame not my name for the coinci-
aence. The fifth son of a well-to-do farmer
IN the State of Michigan, my birth was re.
Esrded by my parents with none of that
glad surprise which welcomed my elder |
brother when he first appeared. l was con-
'idered very ordinary little mortal, my
birth an ordinary event, and the message |
brought from the infnitudes little better
han thrice told tale. Had l been the |
irst OF last child Of the family might have
been more highly favored, but as it was 1 |
vas thrust aside as Of but secondary i'm |
<na
'xacting father, was effectually prevented
rom being spoiled.
Being Of an inquiring disposition, made
he best use that could of my eyes and |
ars, and when sent to school, proved one
f the most patient, if not most ant of
tudents. No one of my schoolmates SO
thoroughly appreciated the importance of
ducati0n as l, and no one made himself so
thoroughly master of our comparatively
United round of studies l felt that, intel
actually l was the peer of the best of them
nd in this view my teacher appeared to
Oncur; but because l was quiet and re-
erved, he unwisely concluded that was
eep and designing, and therefore held me
irectly or indirectly responsible for all the
lischief done in the school and around it.
Q punish me for offenses he supposed me
utility of, but Of which l was in reality as
lnocent as he, appeared to be one of the
uties, if not delights OF his existence. He
'ngratulated himself on the keen, de-
'ctive abilities which enabled him to dis
over my plots so readily, and on the
oman firmness with which he executed
on my poor corporal frame.
In all this l verify believe that he was
He respected me for the in
'llectual superiority I manifested over
ost Of the other boys, but desired to cor
'ct the errors into which had fallen, and |
} give my mental powers a direction
orthy of his high approval. My plea Of
not guilty" was looked upon by him in the
me light that such pleas usually are in
'urts of justice, and being of NO avail OK.
pit to add force to the ferule. soon {
9andOned it as worse than useless, and
titled down into the conviction that was 1
victim of misconception and
justice.
Ihes0 experiences, as may De supposed,
we me no very exalted opinion of either {
imam judgment or human justice My
acher was man of high intelligence and 4
'od natural .endowments, yet he had I'M &
nsciously tortured my quietude into cum
ng and my innocence into guilt, and I
lille Furnishing me for imaginary offenses, q
anked God that ne was enabled 90 faith e
lily to perform his duty.
Notwithstanding all the difficulties thus Q
countered, l made slow, yet sure sd- 9