San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-01-18

there lived fairy named kopperkin, who,
when children called him, would always ap-
pear, and grant them some wish, il they
spoke in time; but il they loitered mo-
ment, to pluck some flowers, or chase n
butterfly, when they looked to find him,
Kopperkin had gone. So
Snow he cometh to US,
Comes TO you and me;
| Wouldst thou know his ttlef-
Opportunity"
Life itself is grand opportunity. The
evil and good lie spread before us for choice,
If we earnestly seek to bring the jarring ell
ements of life into harmony, to bring hope
and Joy to the sad and sorrowing, peace and
rest to the troubled and weary; If we try to
make life better and happier to those around
us, opportunities will multiply as we use
them. To the earnest heart, active brain.
and willing hand, the world is a great store
house of blessings, and tho Kopperkin OF
the children's legend symbolizes the spirit
of labor which gives shape to these good
providences.
Sometimes there comes great opportu-
nifty to a whole people, such as the last war
brought to u.s. The Sanitary Commission,
SO largely supported by the women of our
land, opened way for hundreds of mothers
and sisters to labor for the cause. There
all might pour their tribute-great or small,
into the common store, which was to relieve
the suffering of those who had gone to save
the nations life. In hospitals, wherever
there was ''dearth of woman's nursing and
dearth of woman's tears" it was because
the eager and willing hands, so anxiously
waiting, could not reach the suffering ones.
Such an opportunity for whole people has
seldom come, but it seems as though it must
have Christening influence on those who
pass through the experience.
One neglected opportunity stands out in
the History of those sad years. Early in the
war, after one of the dreadful battles, when
the whole country was in breathless sus-
pense, waiting the horrible Details knowing
that hundreds and thousands of fathers and
brothers must be among the dead or wound
ed, Mrs. Lincoln gave grand ball in the
White House. If she had done what true
and noble woman would saastinctj0e(y have
done in such crisisi e-thrown open the
White House to the wounded and suffering,
doing whatever she could to relieve them,
how many hearts would have blessed her,
and in her old age, the Nation would have
cherished her as the charge bequeathed to
her by her martyred husband
Tt is an old maxim that "Fortune knocks
once at every mans door" suppose the
obscured vision of many prevents their rec
ognition of the visitor; and while they wait
and linger, like the children in the legend,
lol opportunity has fed Our responsible
4 ty must be measured by the chance we have
to do good If favored by talent and wealth,
our duties will be multiplied accordingly,
while poverty and incapacity will plead for
many, who, under different circumstances,
would be inexcusable We should search
ont opportunities, and not think that for us
they do not exist Bacon says: "a wise
man mates more opportunities than he
finds" Few lives are SO barren of them
that each day may not record the chance to
bless by word or deed, some living being.
It is pleasant to have the gratitude of even a
dog which we may always win by Kind
word. Longfellow says:
- ic min he
R0ldness has genius power, anu magic in It."
II duty presents itself, however formid-
able it seems and far beyond our power of
Accomplishment, but to begin it gives us
strength, and each days labor, while it de-
.creasss the task, gives us added power for
It's fulfllment. There is one opportunity
which We all have in common, that is, of
lstudying our own moral nature, understand
ing It's weakness and defects, and putting
Yourselves under influences to strengthen and
developo what is best in us, avoiding She
ldeveioprnent Of such characteristics es shall
weaken and make us less sure OF ourselves.
Our friendships, our recreations, our col
Ileues. ollr libraries, ARE all 50 many oppor-
t,uit:es: and ne lives most who thinks
most. feels tie noblest, acts the best"
let the Old Heathen maxiIl, ''The gods
themselves cannot save those who neglect
opportunity" apply to none Of Us. The
viscst nan is he who most faithfully en-
pIoys II his opportunities II the service Of
his kind. for TO worship nightly is to love