Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-12-18
Letter from Chasseur.

[ CCTfSt pOodenc3 OF the Ale&snullA HaZeLto'I
CApEvILLE, Va. Dec. 16.-Is wss that
prioce of story telera. ss we'll as of good fellows
Washington Irving, WAC WroIc, that every man
ought to leave homo sometime asst to sac how
people liv,, think and act outside Of his narrow
life AID he goes Oh o say that travelling broad
eos ones sympsthiea enlarges tho mind and
softens tie heart. This is o truism that every
man feels, and the Justine of the Saga OF Daer.
fsld's remarks lies 10 tho fact that when zen
route" our observation il brought ioto play.
and having uothiog to do save to kill time. Wo
Thick deeper. morazs more and draw c1nclu--
sious about things and people that NO would
not otherwise bother our brsios about, spd our
pity aud sympathy is strongly excited. Nor IS
this ala msp, when travelling. soes so much
CT real want. misery and hardship sclttored
around that frcm Tho very contrast 1t makes
him, fer q tine at least, superlatlve!y content
ed with bis own'lo'. He csn fight the battle OF
lite with souter heart when he witnesses how
| full tho worlds hospital is CT sufferers
vho have dropped nerveless o. thu high
say OF life, and who arc wounded
nigh unto death By the siDgs and
arrows of outrageous fortune. Tho in5clence
Of office. the proud mans contumely, the Law 8
delays, aud the papgs Of despis'd love- the
bard cf Avon tells US ia hard to bare, but hard
| or than all this is the struggle for moro cxls-
tsnce.
An CID ssw saith that zone half of Tho world
don't know how the other half live, and 1t
might BIO added. that if they did know they
| would rather die than to tsks their plsces
These thoughts iotted down ct GordoDsVille
tho other day while wsi.ing fi7o mortal hours
for oro train OF ono road 10 connect with ono
tain of another. l. gas wet, rainy day, and
everything looked blue, if l excspt a bcvy OF
barn yard ducks that were Clustered around
mud puddle, enjoying their bath with rs much
keen Joy as school boy does his plunge in the
creek, with fascinating deep holes, on summer
dsy when he his played truaut.
Five hours 10 railroad station house, witt
Jog for train, on rainy day, lnci!es the mind
10 evil thoughts. and thus it is that | bo'e tho
public with this tIuSoo.
Am?ng the toilars aud noilers Ct this earth
the heWers Of wood end drawers Of water thero
| are many tips. caca pursuing his dangerous,
| or bis muscle tirrg pursuits from youth to
manhood, from manhood 10 the grave. giving
GO sigr. ultc!iag no complaint, ard suffering q
martgIdon tina. discounts tho self Abnegatlon
| of tho saiats themselves. There is thu sailor
| lEaG CllURH ~ lHC lEt Ia IL 6utCulS hnSu tEO
| ocean, lashci to madness By the winds, dashes
| its wives sky ward ns il seekiog to engulf the
very clouds. and in tho rush and roar of tie
| tempest, with but rope bstWeen him and
death, the mariner watches tho stormy night
| through. Yet, buoyed up by visions OF the
ships arrival in port. and days of thoughtlcss,
| o,relcss reVclrY with the Back.cyed Susaus and
Buttcrouns Of tho seaport toHno, he keeps .
stout heart through it oil. even eiaging bis wild
| refraia ia tho teeth OF tho gall; AID, b3|i27l0g
With a child.like faith,
There is o little c1erub, who tiIs up alol!,
| That takes oure Of tho ila OF poor jack.
The miner secs hard time. as deco down 10
| the bowels of the earth, away from Gods sun
shine, With lamp 10 his hat and pick 10 his
| hand be delges with measured strokes IL the
black strata Of coal, fearing caoh moment that
slide may smother, or deac5 gas futf5oale
him with its deadly, uoYous fumes; yet he, too,
| has his pleasure. and half of the hours O.! the
day is spent 10 tho midst CT his femiy
The mechanic lite is ono of constant labor;
tho daWnug dsy 6ud5 him OF his post, aud all
| through the long hou;s with hammer, mallet
aud s!cdge, aud tbs vbiri of tho machinery, AID
| binding glare Of tho fGrso aud furnace. BIO
earns his bread By the sweat of bis brow. Still
With the setting of tho suu bis task is done. aad
| be HES MIN homo AID washing the grimo Of
| Tho wo, < ebo from his fecs. hs, 10 the bosoms
Of those that love bin, With mind froo from
care. forgas the past sDi ignores the future 10
the cain O. n.entmopt CT tAe tlrcS and DendteS
OF tho household.
Tho policeman as he pao,s his lo1eiy beat in
the sisot streets 10 tho dead hour of night, with
tbs sursins rain driving like miniature Arrows
| 10 his face, nsy thipk that bis life ia full
cf hard lines, forgetting i. may DO that no meets
at cvtr; c,rner some poor homeless, shelterlcs5
wre!oh, more uotCru1ate, wretcbed AID un-
happy than he, and The strong contrast cannot
help making him satisfied with his lot.
| Who has any sympathy in bis breast. VITO
| does mol give it to tie farmer, whose work be-
GIGS with the morning star, and he is happy 1t
| it ends when o ion gems Tho glitteriug vault.
| Bat farmers lifcis The happisst OF ell; Injured
| to labor, every motion ct b s hand, every
| thought Of his brain is cheered by the hope OF
be feels is surely bis.
might 20 90 iude6uitely 10 this strain bu!
| merely uss these illustrations to draw s.!en-
lion to one class of men waoss lif. seems but
mcckers; aud by our lights not worth the liz
| ing All tho hsrdships of the sailor, al the
dangers of tho miner, ell the toll Of tho me.
caauic is bis and yet but few of their JOYS.
| Fortune ffowrs upon hin; misfortune claims
| him as her own. There he stands a Central
6suro among oil thc59 sous of Toll. Watch him
10 the stiutiog bitter weather With the bleet
co1gosling as it fall; be steades himself on the
freight car. Lis hand o. tho iron brake, or
sp.iagiug from tic tlopiog top of ono car to
another, when nis.s!ep is mltilatlon or
| verso.
Tho da.koces that falls upon tbs earth and
ssuds others with weared muscles and strained
sinews to the brightness Of tho ireside and
rcstful couch, briggs no comfort for tho brake
map. All through the long hours hnds him at
his p1st, with hand and eva alert. as the
train lhundars trough valley, plain end tunnel.
There can DO no moment of case or forgetful-
ness with hiu; 10 matter if iusdious sleep
weighs TIE eyelids down. be dafes not yield.
Should tho brain for go instant los' i:s con-
scouspcs5. tie hand is grp-!ten sudden
desth-a fall stiff d shrek that is swallowed
up 10 tic rat!lirg aud rushing Of the t,sio,
maugled form. notio, in the loc,l paper. AID
| tbo to;l 10 tnl6 lop1 uo hahnln "a Esust