Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-10

There are some people who seem TO
lead very hnmdrum lives They ssy and
know nothing Ia particular. Ihty are
horne. loving and home staying They
are quiet, unpresending and unAftrscsfve.
To III ia the presence Of such persons after
leaving the hustle. hurry and hriiliancc Of
worldly life, Is like going Out into past
are In susumn and contemplating the brown
turf and gray rocks. sfier dwelling in the
iuxurisnce 81 . Seii-keT,t garden. They
seem SO dull in the emotional quality.
They are scferely doInestic-gent useful,
quietly existent Such people are genef-
ally passed by and len out. In the gay
procession Of cfsnge and Circumstance
they seem To have no place In The srenes
OF life where laughs out comedy, or Ahlks
dark tragedy, they are the supernnmera-
ries, who only stand by and say nothing
They are not objects Of charity. either
mentally or phrsicslly, for they always
seem very comfortable: al the ssIne time
tbev appear s1, In the very lack OF desire
for what 10 ardens, vigorous and active,
which % u seems the pith OF existence.
To the careless and nnthEnking. such
individuals are targets for seorn. Satire.
of that kind which Is half pitiful, follows
them. They are the recipient OF treat
menl most distinctly Favored with isdifley.
ence--ihe indifference which Is NOT eau.
tious and which speaks cut frankly in
every gesture No expectation Of recent
mept ever troubles anybody. Not one In
twenty ever dreams that their feelings
may he hurt. They are, in fact, not sup
posed 10 have any sensibility At ALI Yet
these very people who seem If 80 little
consequence are an indispensable portion
of humanity. As the background Of q
sombcr shsiing throws the c0lors OF the
Continuance into boider relief. and height
ems the effect by force of contrast; 10 IN
the crowd Of energetic, intelligent, earnes,
workers, these unobsrnsive beings mingie
the dull neuirals of their characters, and
render the world finished by their shade.
They hear in silence . great portion Of
ell burdens that are borne. They pick
up wha, others drop, They put in place
what others oyer1urn. They mend what
others break. They find what others lose.
They accept what others reject. They do
what others leave undone. While others
tell Of what they have accomplished, they
rice and go about some necessary work.
WhiIe others laugh and chat about q
thousand tribes they are steadily pursu-
ing some homeiy duty True 10 the con.
diti0ns III their natures. they fulfll an es-
sential part in the worlds work, and carry
into effect much which more splendid In.
tellccts conceive. Happiness and com
fort are shed around them, for ease and
freedom from petty cares. means, 10 many
who have no time to spend on them, en-
joymeDi and encouragement. In the I'm.
der-currents Of these calm existenccs fire.
quenily lies the JOY Of whole families and
many friends These people are, without
doubt. In just the right place. and doing
the right thing. They are happy In IL,
as they know nothing Of the richness and
flavor OF more extended observation. In
the quiet, domestic atmospheres which
they breathe, their bomely influence may
be just the element needed 10 cure the
vices of those who go out from them. The
very innocence Of their ways, the uaso.
phisiicism of their thoughts, may be the
pale but steady light 10 guide some erring
heart that loves them. In the day when
the Father shall make up His jewels, the
almost colorless but beautiful pearl may
occupy place nearer his heart than the
most brilliant diamond; and when The
record OF our lives is placed In the judg-
ment before us, we may see with dismay
that these silent ones, whom we had
thought little Of, are those whom God
with His finer discrimination most ap.
proves. The E0lden Rue.