Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-06-19
FIND YOUR Level

FIND YOUR Level
You can be fishing sballop if you cannot be
aship,
fyou cannot be lighthouse be at least
tallow dip;
gou can be a valiant soldier though you may
not be host,
gou can watch a single headland if you can
not guard coast;
chere is everything that's noble in the wis
dom and the grace
Of fulfilling every duty, whatsoever be your
place.
f You spend the day in piEing and in star
ing at the sun,
gou will find that you are blinded long be-
fore the day is done.
Setter be the humbl, limpet that is safe
where'er it clings,
han attempt an eagles soarings when you
lack the eagles wings.
There are some as swift as swallows, there
are others who must creep,
md you never saw turtle try to take a
tigers leap.
fyou cannot be a Paixhan with its thunder
Gus report,
Be content te carry powder in corner of
the fort;
you cannot rule an army with greet
commanders skill,
1ou can fire common musket in obedience
to his will;
here is but single compass in the ship,
however great
But each rivet and Sail-ibre holds portion
of its fate
Sever try to hold bushel if designed to hold
peck,
n outreach the cranes and camels with your
half an inch of nerk;
'ever try to race with dolphins if you can.
not even swim,
II to challenge hawks for vision if your eyes
be old and dim;
'eVer spread a grain of butter over fifty
yards of bread,
)r attempt with penny trumpets to awaken
up the dead.
lot every stick of timber that is fit to make
"a mast,
Iot every structure builded is Pyramid to
last,
'ot every piece of music is an anthem or
psalm,
lot every growing sapling that is pine or
lofty palm;
Yet every messy atom has its own peculiar
grace,
ind each its perfect usefulness or beauty in
its place.
these truths are old and hoary, yet we need
them every day,
70 reconcile our longings to the limits of our
way;
he only true philosopher is he who learns
content,
'hough quartered in a palace or but shell
tered in his tert;
whose cheerful soul is ready to encompass
what it can,
'or vex itself in criticizing Gods eternal
plan.
fhe secret of the journey is to know and bear
its length;
The key of every effort is to rightly gauge
your strength;
AcceptingIwhat is given you with the patience
that but asks
The knowledge for its purpose and the cour.
age for its tasks:
Content to struggle bravely and with honor
in his strife,
Whether called to lead or follow on the bat
tlefields of life.
We ask no higher mission than successfully
to teach:
The vanity of grasping for the things beyond
our reach;
II wasting modest talent in ambitions use
less fret,
TO reap but bitter failure and the ashes of re.
greet
10, study what is in thee and to be noble
man,
Know first; then do thy duty in the Great
Eternals plan.
30 shalt thou know contentment and con
tentments rich increase,
4 life endowed with blessings and spirit
filled with peace;
4 dearth of disappointments and of hour.
with pride perplexed,
)f jealousies, heartburnings that so many
lives have vexed
Hhen dead, though prince or peasant, til
enough that they should tell,
lie knew his place and purpose, and per
formed each duty we'll"
j. Edgar Jones, IN the Current