The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-04-04

On ocean on shore
1 know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
| only know l cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.
SKETCHES FROM CIRCLEvILLE.
BY RENA REAM.
HER SPHERE.
THE IDEAL.
"We make this life mournful, empty dream,
And stones for bread we give;
And know not that the souls realities
In its ideal live
These are the stars that shine within its night,
The angel one it sees;
And eyermore unconsciously, it learns
Its possible from these.
There no limits to the real,
Save those that bound the pure IDEAL
{" Woman, frail and fragile though she be,
still, if good and true, is none the less real
heroine. The Almighty has bestowed upon
her intellect talents, many or few, not to
fold away in napkin, but to cultivate and
improve to the utmost of her ability.
A sacred trust that God-given intellect.
| Given for noble, holy purpose, and, if used
according to the design of the Great Oliver,
will surely become enlarged, its powers in
creased, not alone through constant use, in
diligent cultivation, but also that the ''bless-
ings of the Almighty rest upon those who
fear and obey" If she pursue the path of
duty her efforts will be crowned with success.
Her province the home, rendering it cheer
full, comfortable and attractive. Domestic
duties, perchance drudgeries, falling to her
lot; though she perform them willingly,
cheerfully, still she should not allow the per-
Torrance of these common details to hinder
the performing of these other duties equally
as important.
Of those who are free from the burdens
and perplexities of daily toll, who spend their
precious time in an infinitude of queries as to
minor points of etiquette and formalities, a
continual quest of change in style-of these
I shall scarcely speak. How belittling to
/ themselves, that they neglect the culture of
that which is capable of measuring height
and depth, length and breadth of great myster
les, that which will fit them for the society of
the truly great and noble. Neglect all this
for the minor occupation of determining the
latest or most extreme fashion of bonnet or
dress, dwarfng, choking the growth of intel
lect with the rank weeds of neglect. Has not
God given her these gems to brighten and
beautify her home? Like clay in the hands
of the potter, SO are the men and, women of
the future plastic in their hands. Whether
they shall be successful or non-s1ccessful in
performing their life work, vastly rests with
woman.
How great the responsibility How i'm
portant she waste not her hours, but spend
them in the diligent performance of duty,
spiritual and intellectual as well as the rou-
tine of domestic duties"
Madam Wyatt paused, and glancing at the
bright, hopeful faces before her, said impress
sively:
'.Ponder well these truths; then, with Gods
assistance, act we'll your part there all the
honor lies" and we were dismissed.
The hushed voices of the girls spoke vol
umes as to the effect of madam's 6 lecture"
as we girls termed it, and very inappropriate
was the term. "Motherly talks" would have
defined them far better; given in kind,
wise way that was peculiar to madam herself.
"Well, girls, think I shall apply to some
board of foreign missions at once. Perhaps
there are some little Fijians to be enlightened
in French and music. If so l am ready to be
sacrificed to duty" said May Elton, the life
of our set, and she looked SO doleful we
could but laugh.
The very thought of her doing aught in the
teaching line seemed so absurd in itself. The
wee little one the pink and white fairy, soon
to sail for Europe with her father and brother.
Then there was Minerva King, our leader,
our queen if she was ''King." The aroma
VI dudlutueSS duu Ioydlty SuiIouHetinS h0t
name was similar to the peculiar charm and
stately grace that she possessed. NJ
Bright and glittering prospects lay before
her. All that wealth and social position could
grant seemed hers, in addition to all her per-
sonal charms At sixteen she was skilled
woman of the world, conscious of her at
fractions, still she never seemed to overesti-
mate them. She was too egotistical to be
vain; cool, clear-headed and calculating.
While /, Jerusha Hilton, had little to boast
of; neither great beauty, wealth nor flashing
wit That excelled in scholarship l deemed
but natural result. the law of cause and
effect. stftff p lNff
Dissimilar as we three schoolgirls were, it
was but an example of the large number at
tending madam's select school Nobly and
faithfully did she strive to win them for good.
AS the days grew fewer in number ere we
should leave to mimgle in the crowd of work
ers and idlers that throng the avenues of life,
it seemed madam grew more diligent and ear
nest, if such thing was possible.
At last we took our final leave, with fearful
protestations of everlasting regard.
Minerva, cool and self-possessed, carried
off the prize for mathematics. |, with my
prizes for elocution and composition carefully
slowed away in my trunk, madam's advice in