The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-07-16


ness of the stature of the perfect man."
But life is q struggle, a terrible strug-
gle sometimes, for even the lowest order
of success which is material, and when
we think Of the short span of years al
lotted to us here in which to acquire the
vast knowledge that is revealed to man
and the moral training necessary to fit
us for higher service, we may naturally
feel tempted to surrender all hope of
reaching the ideal that in the first flush
of enthusiastic youth we confidently
aimed to attain some day. Such mo-
ments of hopelessness do come at times
to the most earnestly striving soul, but
let none cry, or moan, or weakly despair
because all light can not he shed upon
his path, and that at once.
am not going to moralize, Aunt Chat,
nor preach, but / do think e oftentimes
discourage ourselves by trying to view
the whole field at once, as it were. In
stead OF learning faithfully and untiring-
ly the daily lessons that are opened to
us and steadfastly bearing the burdens
by the day or by the hour, we dwell npon
the fact Of their long continuance and
reflect upon the knowledge we yearn to
acquire, naturally turning heartsick
away when the magnitude Of the whole
affrights us.
You have doubtless heard the story of
the lady who, when child, once began
enumerating and thinking of the many
times she would have to perform the task
of dressing in the morning if she lived to
u reasonable old age, and became SO op-
pressed with the thought that she cried
heartily. Thus it is always. We over
task our strength too often by imposing
upon ourselves burdens that were never
meant for to-day, but for the shadowy
and dimly outlined to-morroWs stretch
ing into veilol futurity. If we could
but remember always that the Past and
the Future arc nothing in the face of the
stern Today" and bend all our energies
to the faithful, earnest performance of
the smallest duties that come to us,
bearing in mind that other truth as well
that as our hour, SO shall our strength
be!"
But am now wandering away from
the incidents Of the present which, how
ever small and insignificant they may
be, trust will prove interesting to you.
First of all, shall not say word about
the weather, which is mooted subject,
even if it is "the warmest summer
known for twenty years" and sunstrokes
occurring frequently. 1t seems to me
"twenty years ago" must have been an
astonishing era, as so many evils are da
ted back two decades.
The summer exodus has been unusu-
ally large this year, and many moro con-
template leaving within the next few
weeks. Rather poor judgment, think,
to remain during the heated term and
leave as soon as the city becomes pleas
antly endnrable. am forcibly reminded
of the manner in which distance lends
enchantment by the gushingly hopeful
view some of our fashionables take of
their summer wandcrings when the sea-
son is yet far off. 1t was amusing in the
winter to hear certain votaries Of style
talk about a grand European tour in
contemplation for the following summer
doubtless in perfect sincerity, too. In
the spring that was conceded to he a
mere Utopian dream, and the season
would be spent in the North instead.
When the time for departure actually
came they found it cminently desirable
and exceedingly pleasant to sojourn
across the lake for u few weeks! Sure
ly, we are remarkably adjustable crea-
lures and soon learn the admirable art
of adapting ourselves to circumstances
the most adverse.
The courtesy and kindness of Capt. J.
j. Brown of the Edward J. Gay has been
long known and commented upon, but in
no way could it be manifested more
clearly than by his time -honored custom
of treating the little orphans of this city
to a ride on his boat, feast and a pic
mic. Regularly, once year, he gathers
together the homeless waits and makes
them so happy that I am sure he must
feel tenfold repaid by the very fact of
irradiating so much sunshine into the
sunless lives of these little ones. Last
Friday was the date of the latest excur-
sion, and a gala scene it was when a
crowd of joyful children assembled OH