Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-05-22
GIFTS


dial accent, the fair maiden and registered |
her name upon the page of my memory as
one to be rewarded in a fitting way here |
after. Did | appreciate the gift Why |
yes. True the volume possessed no spec |
ial interest to student or collector, yet my
young friend, aware Of my bookish tastes, |
had thought that this quaint book with
its singular {. and SIS and repeated words
at end of pages would find ready admira-
ton from "An Idle Sportsman" So from
the xindness of an honest, impulsivc heart
she had borne me the present. Apprccia-
ting the generous motive l ignored the
fact that other books Of the same kind
were upon my shelves, an! my thanks
Ecrc f-cliugly but not too laYiShly OK
pressed. No words were wasted upon the
old misanthrope by way of explanation Of
the fact that ttm,o DdRdos {: donr .froHtes
did not apply to all gifts, but only to those
that were meant a. offerings TO the Gods
and that the true sense Of the quotation
is, that the Greeks are TO be- feared even
when they are engaged in religion, duties.
Such calculation would have been lost
upon the incorrigblc sinner who, with
pretcrnatural sharpness born of age aud
experience, detected TO his own satisfac-
ton sinister motives in all the acts and
| words of those into whose society be was
| thrown by chance or choice. SO no heed
was given to the muttcrcd quotation, or
the accompanying i'll naturcd suggestion.
shell be wanting something i'll return.
| This is the season for pic mics. Your horses
aud spring wagon will be called for next
All this was heard; but with the vision of
youth, of beauty and sweetness yet lin
ginering before the eyes, We rejected as
sacrilcgious and proianc such evil ideas
and yielding the mind to the current Of
thought, set lowing by the incident, after
this wise did we mentally discourse upon
gifts:
Thcrr are gifts-and gifts. Who is 80
wise as to divide them into their respective
classes. Gifts Of love and hate, of ostcnta-
ton and huinility-of friendship and in
difference of independence and slavery, OF
homage and power. But let the attempt al
classification cease here The motives for
gifts are rs many and various as are the
emotions and passions of individuals. Wa
il Lucrc1ia or Caesar BorGia, or both, " hose
gifts were usually the heralds of death
| II ln Il Of Il afr,ts : ia,
in themselves All me. what singular
thoughts Cypress Us when we remember 10
what base uses has come the habit o
giving, surely intended first TO evidence
charity, friendship or love, and mayfair
honorable submission. Tragedy, coined!
and farce are not unreprcscntcd III the III
erature of giftmaking. Tragic is the Dor
gian system, and for the comedy LET SOM
reader of Indian travels recall the fact
ahout that eastern potentatc who had
| fearful habit of presenting the man tina
&, he most delighted TO dishonor with an cl"
+. phant. 80 that the doncc, when povert
. stricken, in vain cndcavors 10 satisfy I'll
, ravcuous appetite of the beast, mIGh
f have realizing sense of the quaintnes
. Of q kingly revenge.
1 Ii is doubtless the most farcical cxPer
a fence of any mans life the time when h
: bore Gifts of flowers. of fruit and nuts I
h the teacher that he especially dctcstc'
l. Here space may he left for the apprccatiS
d reader to discover wherein such gift nal
&c Ing has humorous meaning. Whether Il
2 school-boy ever read Shakespeare or no
il i. certain that he has abiding faith
y the truth OF that saying in Loves Lab
Or Lost: "a giving hand though foul sha
to have fair praise
Ill The lover has profound faith III u
w efficacy of gifts. TO him there is coSp
b. meaning in that other Shakcspcrcan SEN
/" mcnt;
- "Win her with gifts, if she respect II
&c words,
nj Dumb levels oft in their silent kind
"a More quick than words do move woman
mind
20. But women arc quick TO read the mott
mo- Of the love token, and doubtless the
NJ selves find in this same fount Of hum
III. wisdom apothcgIn, which they act upon
,c. Gifts to all care most precious when
bv givcr We esteem" and "to the noble mi
III. gifts wax poor when the giyer proves
ch kind" But even the most indulgcnt real
r must grow weary with well worn quo
it tions. The subject of gifts is not cxhar
E , ed The reader doubtless may be. HI