San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-01-12

ing.
But amid all the inventions and de-
vices of the age, no motor so strong, no
force so powerful, no influence so puis-
SAINT has been devised, whereby man
can hasten or rctard by a heartbeat the
movement of time. And so Mistress
Marlowe had many years to fill up with
little plans before she could enter upon
her great one. Her hap-hazard hus-
band sometimes laughed at them,
but he early learned not to try to thwart
or oppose them. He loved q uiet life,
and knew its conditions-which was
beyond the wisdom of many who passed
for more knowing men. When "the
Brigadier," as he facetiously styled her,
planned picnic, he groaned-but he
was discreet enough to do it inwardly.
He knew what il involved: His wife
would name the day, the spot, the route,
the hour to start and return, and the
character of ''the SPREAD" and packed
by proxy the lunch basket for every
body who was to 90. 1t was of no avail
for him to tell her that it would rain
as it generally did; that some other
party would have the boats; that the
pickles would be forgotten, the jam
leak out upon the sandwiches, the dishes
get broken, and the train be late. Such
things almost always happened, and yet
she had the pleasure of laying out ga
beautiful time" and would sit on the
stile and continue to smile amid the ruins
OF her plans, with sweet serenity that
an excursion into the happy land could
hardly have improved upon.
"Where shall we 60 next year, Cap
tainp" her husband would inquire, upon
such occasions, with his most aggravat-
ing martyr-like air, as they sat waiting
for let-up in the shower.
Nowhere-if we wait for you to
move, ducky," she would respond, with
good nature that was as invincible as
her courage. "You can laugh at my
planning, of course; but every thing
that goes rightly, and that is guided by
intelligence, in this world, moves upon
a plan. Do you suppose that God start
ed this world of ours, that none of us
half appreciate, without knowing wheth-
er it was to be round or square-solid
or liquid beautiful.or uglyP When go
to Heaven the first thing shall ask for
will be copy of the working plan of
the Architect of the Universe"
"I don't doubt it!' laughed James,
ruefully-" for my part, L shall look up
my friends and get a good seat at a
symphony concert"
"Not without me If have to carry
my plan under my arm. But there'll
be time enough for every thing then.
Soberly, now-why not make plans for
a day, a month or year as well as
plan of life? The man who starts on the
journey of life bound nowhere in par
ticular, generally brings up there"
"Yes-and if he starts for somewhere
in particular he generally doesn't. If
he takes to the river, there is generally
cataract halfway down. If he sails
the sea, there are headwinds and rocks
and icebergs. If he treads
the beaten path, people jostle
and crowd ahead, or he is held
back by the weight on his coat-tails'-
and Mr.. Marlowe looked with an ex-
preston of mingled fondness and dis
couragement at his growing family of
children. "Man proposes and woman
'disposes. laughed he, as final con-
clusion-" and between us, think they
who drift get about as much enjoyment,
and make just as good progress, as we
do who try to navigate. Take your
places as best you can, do the duty near
est to you, and live one day at a time.
Who ever saw tomorrow"
81 should like to give you even your
dinners on that plan, or no-plan, for
one week only!" said the wife, amid
the laughter OF the company, who knew
quite well James's fondness for good
dinner. "For one," she concluded,
rising and preparing to put into execu-
ton her plan for getting home, 81 hold
that it is our duty to plan every thing to
the best of our ability, and do our ut
most to carry it cut and leave 'the stars
in their courses or other people and
things in theirs, to thwart us if it be so
ordered. Let those go it blind who
have no eyes to see; and let people drift
who are either too unskillful to sail or