The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-08-26

Inc IW1tterlns OF an occasional Early
| Bird-A Few Thoughts Human Dis
content and Narrow nIindedness.
4 NEW ORLEANS, Aug. II, 1882.
Ny DEAR AUNT Char:
ain up betimes this morning, and
before this sleepy old town has fairly
aroused itself have set myself to the
pleasant duty Of pennng you my usual
missive.
You must not fancy, my dear, simple
hearted Aunt Chat, that I am addicted
to that greatly commended habit of early
rising. 1t is never particularly soothing
to have virtues wholly unmertcd at
tributed to us, as the uneasy sense of
holding in possession what does not
| rightfully belong to us is too apt to dis
sipate any pleasurable emotions VIC Nigh,
experience in the undeserved approval
| of friends. So, disclaim at the very
outset the smallest prctension to being an
| earl riser, and am free to confess an in
herent objection to the practice. Though
long indoctrinated with quite opposite
ideas on the subject, and having quoted
| scores of times that trite old provcrb
about the early bird catching the worm,
| the original inclination or rather disin-
| clination mauitests itself in startlinyy
positive degree, and it is entirely acct
denta! when initiate the good example
of the king of day. Having made this
humble confession, You will in simple
charity be prepared to graeiously pardon
dizziness, long windedness, slowness of
conception, sleepimess Or any other form
of stupidity.
Ii could transport myself to GER
tain old country place, endeared through
many cherished memories and associs-
tions, and wander at random to familiar
rnooks where the blithesome carolinc of
birds would remind me that nature was
astir, think could dip my pen in sun
shine and write you Il pleasant enough
epistle. A bad workman quarrels with
his tools-I acknowledge that-and it
may be very unfair to this gray old city
not to be able to gather inspiration from
stone and mortar, not to speak Of the
living green, and bright blossoms that
relieve the nlonotony of rows of buildings.
So shall throw open my windows and
endeavor to appreciate the roseate dawn
apart from mundane Accomplishments.
These words have pcnned set me to
thinking, and I wonder with a sort OF
panied surprise why there should be this
lurking tendency in human nature to
lightly regard the familiar, commonplace
blessings of the daily present achile they
are oars. Is the poet right when he says,
| "We look before and after, and pine for
'rhat is not9" Then, too, we are so apt
to settle into grooves of thought, opinion
and feeling, and Il worse condition Of
! mind is the result than the out-reachiny,
restless one. We then lie stranded upon
the rock, like Holsters, and unless kind
billow sweeps over MS and sets us atl.,at
on the sea OF inquiry, we may live in !,
state OF inertia and passivity to the end
Perhaps if the certain set of narrow
minded people who environ the lives of
most Of Us, held to their opinions aud
beliefs merely passively, they would not
prove sncl, terrible hindrances to The
advancement and growth Of Thought.
Unfortunately for those who come within
their Influence, they arc usually very al
Go<salet and aespotic III tho insistane. of