The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-10-11
TRUE NOBILITY.
How IL was Illustrated by a Sweet
Young Lady Graduate.

nOunS Lazy Graduate.
1t was conceded by all who heard il
that Mis- Woodby's ESSAY was an excel
lent production, and at the graduation
exercise there were a great many listen
ers-attentive listeners, too, with the
power of discrimination in such mat
tiers. Miss Woodby honestly earned the
credit. In preparing the essay she had
worked conscientiously and hard, and
under difficulties the public could not
have appreciated.
Fortunately we are in possession OF
the facts in this connection that we now
propose to lay before our readers that
they may judge for themselves of the
number OF thorns which not only lay in
Miss Woodby's road, but which beset
every path TO true excellence.
Miss Woody having devoted a week
to revolving over in her mind the variety
OF subjects presenting themselves with a
view to the selection of Il suitable topic
chose under the head of moral improve.
ment. On Monday morning she re-
solved TO begin the work that day, as
soon as she reached home from school
The title selected was True Nobility.'
Having few minutes to spare at noon,
she got the paper, and wrote down the
head, with some pretty ffourishes be-
meath II. 1t was an unpropitious day
for the beginning, being washing day,
and the house in consequent disorder at
tendant thereon. The washer-woman's
child, never at the best n rugged child,
was to-day suffering from the excessive
heat, and its little body was broken out
with blotches, and its little voice piped
forth in pitiful protest. The washer-wo-
man was herself more or less influenced
by the suffering of her child and the eff.
feet OF the heat upon her own body. She
was noble little woman, with a thin
face, from which had apparently been
wrung every hopeful expectation, as
though II had passed through Il great
moral wringer, and had come out in a
condition most complimentary to the
thoroughness of the process. 1t was a
waiting face with the shadow of a cross
resting constantly upon it.
The crying of the child was a decided
annoyance, especially to one striving to
get her mind into an even frame for
thought. To Miss Woody the sounds
were most irritating. She said to heI
mother:
what on earth is the matter with that
imp to-dayg'
Her mother having her own hands full,
vouchsafed no explanation.
81 declare" she calculated u moment
later, ''if had brat like that 1 would
choke it,"
And she hurried away to school to gel
out of the sound of the noise, leaving
her mother to attend To the dinner dishes
In the afternoon she brought out hel
paper, found cool place in an open
window for her desk and began:
TRUE NOBILITY. 90
There is the nobility of blood, an6
the nobility of life. The former is but
an accident of birth; the latter is the re
suit of development. The former is bu
for the few; the latter is for the many
True nobility is a life nobly lived i
comes neither from birth nor from cir
cumstances 1t springs alone from tn,
heart. Money cannot purchase it; edu
cation cannot bring it; talent will no
produce it. 1t is treasure which every
man may possess, and yet its price il
above rubies."
AT this juncture Miss Woody wa
obliged to take long pause to rear
range her thoughts, and while thus en-
gagged, her little brother appeared at tn
door. Miss Woodby looked up impa
tiently.
Don't come in here" she commanded
But l want my hat"
swell, get it and leave at once"
"You needn't be so cross" he said.
"lf you don't leave at once I'll max
you"
He got his hat with all the speed pos
sible, but on leaving had the satisfaction
of screaming out:
"Mean thingr'
And slamming the door with all hi
might. 1t was fully fifteen minutes be
fore Miss Woodby was sufficiently com
posed to renew her work. Then sh
wrote:
ut is jewel whose luster grow
brighter with every day of its use. 1t
a possession that time cannot wear
that misfortune cannot diminish, that N
combination of circumstances can 70
us of The hardest battle is the figh
against self. The grandest victory
the triumph over self There can be N
true education where self denial is nc
accomplished. Self degrades-"
Just here Miss Woodby's mother cam
to the room to tell her to put away he
clothes that had just been ironed
81 can't bother about that now" sal
Miss Woody.
But they are in my way"
Gracious how can 1 write or do any
thing if I've got to be jumping up ever
minute ?" demanded the young autho
ess in tone of very proper resentmen
Mrs. Woody withdrew her tired bod
and went back to her work with sigl
II don't see what makes ma act so col
trary," murmured Miss WOOdby to he
self. "She could have put away thos
things herself, If she cared to be any wa
accommodating" Then she bent hi
mind again to the task of composition
Before she could get in order to comm
matter to the page, tea was announces
After tea her mother asked her to cles
the table and wash the dishes, but 81
had IN think and annfA ,Of 10
inquired, with considerable reason,
she was expected to do everything Q
earth and get an essay ready too? 81
went out and sat under tree until IL
table was cleared and then she brougl
out her manuscript and continued:
"Self deadens the better instincts, an
makes him who yields thereto a tortul
TO himself and a burden to those abol
him. True nobility is to care for other
TO give up self, to lose your own will
the will of those depending upon yoI
He who is without self will be patiel
in trouble, calm in trial, trusting in a
versity, temperate in prosperity. H
heart is ever open to the cry of the bu
.dened-his hand ever ready to minist,
TO the afflicted. No thought of himsel
no care for his own advancement, is ev,
allowed to stand in the way of other
In honor preferring one another is Il
motto of his life, the guide to every act
At this juncture the baby sister
Miss Woody climbed upon chair
the table to see what she was doing. tt
child was affected by the heat, she la
no amusement, and no company, an
she climbed up to see what was goiI
on. The white paper and moving pt
interested her. More than that. they a
;sorbed her very soul.
~Ohi" she exclaimed, in paroxys
of excitement
What are you doing up here ~ expl
sively cried Miss Woody "Get dow
from that table this instant and tai
yourself out of sight"
The great round eyes filed with tear
and the lip of the girl baby trembled. 9
Miss Woody could have cried vii
Nexation.
what for PHYS sake, can ma
thinking Of 10 let you come here 10 bot
er.the life out of meG Go away this mi
ute or III slap your
The child scrambled down and To
died away to ind her mother, cryiI