Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-06-05
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF.

Opposition or antagonism is the
main spring of creation. The con-
cussion of the flint and steel pro.
duces fire-the collision of mind pro-
duces wit-from the meeting of the
opposite sexes results the mighty
stream Of organized existence--oppo-
sition multiplies steamboats,, accelc-
rates speed and reduces rates-oppo
sitlon multiplies merchants and me
chanics, lawyers and litigation-op.
position made Mr.. Van Buren, Presi-
dent and Napoleon Bonaparte EN-
peror-opposition stimulated Philip
OF Macedon to play the hero and in
spired Demosthenes to thunder forth
bis Phillippics-opposition planted
Nauvoo, like cancer, on the bosom
of the Mississippi and pimpled the
whole valley of the West with rival
churches = opposition reduced the
price Of brogans and built UP the ri
val towns of Rock Island and Da.
venport and opposition drives out
the very dogs of those two respective
villages to howl defiance at each 9TH
err by moonlight across the cold shi-
ming river. Rivalry and competition
stimulate the active millions that are
swarming over this new continent.
The great globe itself blooming
afresh with every annual revolution,
were it not for the antagonism of the
centrifugal and centripedal forces,
would cease it's glorious career and
would fall into lifeless, formless, cha
os. There seems to be two opposite
principles of mind, the conflict of
which is essential to call into eyer
else all the faculties and to deyelop
all the capabilities of our nature. Ii
these opposite principles be weak the
character will be feeble. "Confound
your harmless folks" as lady of
wit and beauty once remarked Bet
ter be wavering and lnconstant than
to be nobody.
Several circumstances had lately
combined to cal into exercise the
better principle of Major Whites ma
ture and to effect a change in his
character The injury upon his head
so nearly fatal, had led him to reflect
on the shortness and uncertainty of
life, as yet neither useful nor virtu.
ous. His pecuniary circumstances
lSere now such az placed him above
the temptation ito steal" He found
himself suddenly man of some in.
portance and felt growing selfre-
spect and pride of character. But
his passion for the elegant woman
whom he idolized, more than all 9TH
err causes had been instrumental in
purifying the fountains Of his heart
and ennobling his soul. No man is
irreclaimable who is capable Of Elm.
cerely and devotedly loving a woman
of purity and refinement Men Of
dissolute habits may love-men Of
dissolute hearts cannot. Those pol
ished sooundrels who "drag angels
down" generally pass for men OF
good morals. There is hope for
those who are not toe selfish to look
up and be guided by "some bright
particular STAR Love assimilates
those who exercise it perhaps by
some law Of physical affinities better
understood by Professor De Bonnie
vile than by the writer. Major
Whites resolution to reform was also
strengthened by the following letter
from his parents:
Ciockton, Conn. Jan. 10, 1884,
Ny SoS:-So then you are in Wis
consin? Where in the world have
you been for these ten years ? James,
james, you are old enough to be q
man. What on earth is the reason
you could not stay at home and be
steady and enjoy the ordinances Of
the gospel, like your younger BROTH
er John who is now settled at Rag
ton, and owns large cotton factory,
and 10 one of the pillars in DR.. Brim.
stones church and society You
was always Maynard boy and re-
quired frequent chastisement. Con-
secrated, as yoI were in childhood,
by the holy ordinance Of baptism, /