The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-07

We All do fade as leaf. Isaiah, o. 6.
Thsrs ia some analogy between the life Of a
leaf and the life of q true mau or woman.
1. The leaf in the summer day is a shelter
and protection from the burning rays OF the
ann. The boasts OF the forest, the cattle OF a
thousand hills, and the weary traveller seek
the shade that the leaf affords. In the island
Of Madagascar there is a singular tree, known
"a The Travellers Tree" IL has broad, double
leaves several feet In length. These are so
arranged as TO collect and preserve the dew so
that the natives have only to hold cup under
tho branches and slightly touch the leaves to
receive copious supplies Of pure, sweet drink
ing water. These leaves toll night and day
that they may help the needy. The true man,
like the leaf. should seek to ameliorats the
condition OF the human race.
In the New York Aquarium saw the white
whale in one of the vast tanks OF the institu-
ton. 1t moved leisurely about in its strange
prison. Every now aud then the keeper would
throw pailfull OF cells and small fishes into
the tank. These the monster eagerly devoHred !;
in fact. its only mission seemed to be to eat the
little tlsh. have seen whales in human form
they boast Of great acuteness in a bargain; they
tell with pleasure OF those whom they have
beaten in horse-trade or land-speculatlon they
lave outgeneraled this one and the other !;
they have devoured host of little fish. / am
informed that the whale in the aquarium is
dead. Ii the smaller fish heard OF this event
and could reason, they certainly would have
rejoiced. H you are great gourmandizing
whale, only seeking whom you may devour
people will be glad when you are dead. IL in.
stead Of helping others you have fed on them,
robblng them Of money or reputation. this
world can very easily dispense with you. II
YOU desire any weeping at your funeral you had
better hire the mourners now. Be as leaf to
shelter and protect, and not as a whale to de-
your the helpless. t...
2. The leaf facilitates the growth of the tree
OF which it is part. The leaf is a busy work
man it tolls by night and by day. it is the
lungs OF the tres; it is more essential than the
roots. The leaf says, will do all that can to
further the growth OF this tree Society is
mammoth tree. We are the leaves. Are we
dong our part to further the worlds progress2
In 1886 a wealthy EDglisbman offered Con-
grees $515, 1863 "to found at Washington under
the name OF the Smithsonian Institution. an
establishment for the increase and diffusion Of
knowledge among men, The offer was ac-
cepted, and Tor the last forty years the institu-
lion has been doing Its noble work. Thus
james Smithson added to the worlds progress
wealthy banker OF Washington gave nearly
100000 to found Gallery OF Art The in
terest on this fund was to be used to increase
the collection OF stauary and painting. Here
artists and all lovers of art may study WITH
to the worlds welfare.
A gentleman of New Y ork is worth several
millions Of dollars. Had he gone on merely
ADDING more and more to this colossal fortune.
he would not have added much to the general
good; but he early conceived the idea OF an
educational institution for the benefit OF the
1.oor' He gave about halt million of dollars
10 the endo@ment Of such an enterprise. L,
holds evening sessions to meet the wants OF
those who have to labor during the day. Hun
dreds OF the deserving poor are here instructed,
This is Peter Cooper's contribution.
FOR many years the sale Of emigrantg TO pay
the expense Of their ocean voyage was extern
sivsly pfacdced in this country. They had not
the cash to pay their passage, end they were
bound out TO the ship. owner 10 Serve him so
many years after Their Arrival in America -
When the ship reached our shores these emf
grants were sold at public auction to the high
eat bidder. The term OF serving was from three
4, I'a,, hroI.
dren had to serve until OF age. Ship owners
reaped rich harvest. But our government in
vsstigated this species OF slavery, and i'll 1919,
IN Philadelphia, occurred the last sale of this
lund. Those who Gid away with this traffic
added to the worlds progress.
We may not be able to found institutions OF
science of art, of education; we may not be
able to effect directly great national reforms,
but we each have mite to contribute to the
general good.
3. The leaf ceanses and purifes the atmo
sphere OF the world. You know that when this
room is crowded and improperly ventilated the
air becomes poisonous this means that the
room is filed with carbonlc acid gas. Breath
ing this produces sense OF oppression. The
world would he filed with this poisonous gas
were it not FOR the vegetation. The vegetable
world feeds on this gas every leaf does Its
part toward removing this poison and cleans
ing the atmosphere. So in the life Of the true
man there is an influence that is purifyIng,-
the world is made better by his presence.
The buildings around the great coal-works OF
Pittsburg are blacksned with SCOT, the air is
permeated with the coal-dusr and despite all
precautions the obnoxious particles find their
way into The parlor OF the finest mansion. But
garden Of flowers sends forth sweet per
fume that reaches far beyond the garden fence ;
the air for many rods around is made fragrant
One can so through life sending forth an infiu-
ence that shall be poisonous, blackoning the
moral atmosphere, or, he may have an influence
as sweet aud pure as the aroma OF earth's
choicest flowers.
As there - resemblance between the life OF
aleaf and the life OF true man, go there is an
analogy between the fading and falling OF a
leaf and tic growing old and death OF a true
man.
4 Tho Fa1lt,o a,,1e ,ds