Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-11-28
FRESH AIR.
Pioneer Press.

| Pioneer Press.
Why our people close themselves
up in churches to the prevention Of
fresh air, seems strange and yet, it
is fact. In these places, the lights
burn dimly, the preacher blamcs the
sexton and the people get drowsy,
all for the want of fresh air. Before
the most ignorant man goes down
into we'll, he lowers d candle TO-
test the safety Of life. II the light
goes out, he knows that his life
would 60 out as quick il he'd go
down, and hence he stays out and
would hollow murder il forced down.
II the light would burn dimly, he.
would not go down; and yet, this
same fellow will sit in church and
see the lights half out, and fuss if
some one puts up window, and es-
pecially il the cool air happens to
strike him. In such place the
preachers instrument Of thought is
bmnted and his hearers dull OF hear
ing because they are naturally slee-
Ply. Once upon time LAG men
locked themselves up in a room ISx
Is, and ten hours afterward, 1913
We're dead from breathing again and
again the exhaled air--and to this
day it is called 1.-THE Black Hole of
Calcutta A man, in "a, hours,
through the process Of breathing
and perspiration, throws off about
"a pounds of effete matter and at
this rate, la persons, in 2 ..hours,
the time required to preachiand col
lect the LORDS money" throw off
88pounds Now, what sense Is there
in keeping the doors and windows
closed when decency demands fresh
cir and the armament is full Of it
and at no cost. In these places, Is
where the seed Of death often takes
root, and grows to the speedy de-
struction of life. Some people are
too fastidious to drink after a per-
son with visible sore about his
mouth Well, there is scarcely q
congregation in which there are not
various kinds of the worst diseases,
and the air breathed is heavily char
gcd with matters oozing from them,
and would .go to the aerial current
| for publication were an outlet made.
LOVE IN RAGS.
The other day, as we sat by our
window watching the throng Of men
and women passing to and fro along
the crowded street, we observed
poor old colored woman, with bow
ed form covered with tattered gar
ments, holding in one hand an old
broken basket, while with the other,
she grabbed among the ash-heaps for
bits Of coal and old rags. It was
sad sight. 1t awakened train OF
unpleasant reflections, and suggest
cd many unanswered questions. The
man Of wealth passed by and paid
no heed to her petty gleanings. The
lady of fashion and luxury rode by
in her splendid carriage, and did not
az much as deign to bestow a look
of pity upon the poor old waif. With
an old woman's zeal and shutting
step she hurried up and down the
streets and into the filthy alleys.
Our thoughts were busy with the
problem Of life. What is there, we
could but say, in such a life7 She
knows nothing but misery; she has
nothing but her sorrows and trials.
That old, jaded and haggard form is
her only care. She feeds herself up
on the garbage of the streets. Poor
lifel poor wretchi What does the
world hold for her? Is there an
immortality for that poor, degraded
old woman IN her rags and filth!
Man cares not for her. Does God 7
These sad thoughts kept pressing
themselves upon our attention. Soon
we descended the stairs and, pass
ing into the street, pressed our way
through the crowd and halted to
watch the old woman pick up filthy
rn Gro and drnr, than, into hnr =; olrofxr