Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-01-17
The Greatness of Small Things.

Thomas q shearman, in DiO Lewis's Monthly
The obscure multitudo of laborers in
humble spheres, who long to do some
great thing for the world, and are dis
couragod by the littlcness of their daily
tasks, are often told, when they com.
plain. that they should be content, be-
cause theirs is but the common lot OF
the great mass of mankind. This,
however, does not suffice to comfort
them, and should not, Tho great mass
of mankind are ignorant; but that
should not make any of them conloHt
with ignorance. They are oppressed;
but that should not MAKE them content
under oppression. Some better reason
must be given.
The truth is that the little daily duties
of commonplace people in common.
+lace life are really far more impOr-
tant than any of the great shining eX-
plOits which make men famous, and
which require genius for their accom-
plishment. Indeed, tho deeds of great
men are only of value in proportion rs
they make it easier for commonplace
people to perform commonplace duties.
The little thirgs ofthis world are actnal-
ly of moro value than tie great, We
can live and prosper without the great
deeds; but we should all perish II the
littl0, obscure, unnOticed deeds should
cease.
Pass over military exploits rs often
worse than useless. Take the case Of
the great, eloquent, successful preacher;
the one of all others upon whom good,
humble women look with the greatest
admiration and envy. Compare his
work with that OF the poorest women
who sit under his preaching. If he sue
ceeds in stirring them up to be more
faithful and wise in their daily round Of
nursing, washing, mending, cooking,
and otherwise caring for their own
families, to be a little more kind TO
their neighbors, little more patient,
tender, ard sympathetic with those
around them, his life is Il success. II
he entirely fails in this, his life is
absolutely thrown away. 1t is quite
possible for the poor women to do all
these things without hearing any
preacher; although u good preacher
will bo n help to them in their work. If
they do these things well, preacher or
no preacher, the world will advance
and improve. If they do not, q mil
lion devoted preachers would DO of no
use. The humble, unhonored, des-
pissed work is essential to the physical
and moral life of the race. Without il,
we cannot live. The famous and hon
orable work which brings applause
from without and IL glow OF conscious
delight within, is not of the slightest
value, except as an inspiration and en-
couragement TO that which never is or
can be famous or conspicuous, which
indeed loses all its charm and useful
ness if made conspicuous. Fancy a
mother training and nursing her child
on stage or in pulpit! Yet the
home work of one mother, thoroughly
done, is of more positive value, from
every point of view, material, intel
lectual, and moral, than that of the
greatest artist, actor, or preacher.
The same thing is true in every de-
partment of life. The drudgery of
business is the Indispensable part of it.
Genius may discover new ways of per-
forming drudgery and make it easier
to the drudge; but after all, the COM
monplace detail of every business is
precisely that part which is indispensa-
BILE and which gives all the value to the
rest. Statesmen, soldiers, preachers,
artists, inventors, heroes of every kind,
may make life eaiser or brighter; but
life would not cease if they all ceased.
But let all farmers cease to SOW and
reap, all laborers to labor, and above
all, all mothers to caro- for their chill.
dren, and the world would come to an
end speedily, although statesmen,
preachers, and heroes Of every kind
should abound more than ever.
Not alone in matters of religion, but
deep in tho foundations of human
nature, God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty; and base
things on the world, and things which
are despised, hath God chosen: yea,
and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are"
Five quarts of Florida strawbe ries sold In
New York the other day at FIVE dollars a
quart. Z he Gothamites ore Just rolling In