, 1880-05-03
Ball and Chain.

The editor of the Sioux City Journal
has been reading letter from one "old
friend" to another, and neither are
forty. The matter as to whether the
life of either had been failure or sue
cess was discussed as if both had al
ready entered the valley and rested on
the bank of the dark river and only
waited for the ferryman to bear them
over to the other shore. And neither
of them forty Of course at that age
one is in the prime of life, or ought to
be, with more and better working days
before than he has passed. In Iitera-
ture, in art, in science. in politics, in
society, there is very much more of
substantial character to be achieved af
ter forty than before. We may all
agree to that = if the life in the previous
years has been set in the right current
All, there is the rub. AS matter of
fact, therefore, it is not such q wild
thing to do to sit down at forty, or be-
fore. and review the record of the life
that has been the record of the whole
life. The habits are made, the assecia-
tions are formed, the responsibilities
which the world has for one been iden-
titled, and what is before is only the
matter of fighting out to the end on the
line that has been fixed. Surrenders
are made all along the journey, and
calamity falls here and there ut every
stage Of life, but we need not stop here
to consider the exceptions. The multi
tude does not surrender, and what
would generally be recognized as cal
fob 20
lives. One at forty, communicating
with himself, must be an exceptional
person who is unable to detect that
more than cnce in the years past he
took the wrong path. Que at forty is
pretty likely to know, what he could
not comprehend at twenty. that a wrong
path ouce taken is forever after a part
Of the road for his feet. The saddest
thing in youth is ignorance of this fact.
Young people run hither and thither,
thinking. if they think at all, that they
can come back and bring only the
flowers and none of the thOrns with
them. But at forty they understand
that more of the flowers have
withered than there are thorns that
have lost the sharpness of their point.
all green, and sees Joy in living in the
weaving of garlands for mis- own head.
At forty one takes rainy days and FROST
ed paths as q matter of course, and
knows that an esthetical life comes of
weaving garlands Cor other hearts to
wear. At forty, one can see where he
put up barriers that he cannot now
pull down, and that because of these
his best powers are in chains, and that
such victories as he wins must be won
with manacled hands. Perhaps the
mistake was in giving way to folly,
rosy tinted at the time, that has made
lifelong cripple of the health and
vigor of manhood. Perhaps it was
neglect of opportunities at school,
whereby ball and chain was attached
to all the aspirations of after years.
Perhaps it was so glad a thing az love
affair. in which all the serious concerns
of life were lightly brushed aside, if
their existence were even comprehend
ed ut all. The bail and chain is upon
some part of nearly every life. Happi-
iy other eyes than one S own do not see
it; and one is judged by what he is, as
he seems, and not what he might have
been, as at forty for himself he Can
understand. Yet there is opportunity
for vast amount of self-deceptiOn in
this view. The burdens that are placed
upon life to bear have a wonderful in
huence, Oftentimes, in developing both
mind and heart-ln strengthening the
will and hardening the muscles for the
conflict that has come hand to hand.
to- lad in
ton, men often turn with zeal they
otherwise could not have had In anOth
er way and win victories the world calls
heroic. We need only to study the
lives of soldiers, of statesmen, of philos
ophers, of men of renown in all the
walks of life, to equip ourselves with
an abundance of proof of the truth of
this proposition. Then where is the
loss? Aye, how many hearts can an
swer how the ball aud chaip, of which
they are never rid, have CALLED So
the Journal may say that the friend,
writing familiarly and mayhap careless
ly to the friend made in school days
long ago, woman though she is, and
womat's letter to a woman though it
was touched upon truth that will hold
BOou IL seVereSC logic, Wneu SIG COLI
sidered the record of their lives as full
ly made up and neither yet forty.
TIT FOR TAT.-Mr. c. was pastor
of Baptist church in a certain town of
one of the Western States. He had
been on very bad terms with his flock
for some time. They abused him
whenever they could find occasion, and
he reciprocated with equal readiness.
Before his contract with the parish ex-
pired, he received the appointment of
chaplain at the State prison. Elated at
this lucky opportunity of getting rid of