The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-08
EINDYOUR LEVEL

You can Be fishing shalop if you cannot be
aship,
II YOU cannot bc lighthouse be at least a
tallow dip;
You can be valiant soldier though You may
not be host,
You can watch a single headland if you can
not guard a coast;
There is everything that's noble in the wis
dom and the grace
Offulflling every duty, whatsoever be your
place.
you spend the day in pining and in star
ing at the sun,
You will find that you are blinded long be-
fore the day is done.
Better be tho humble limpct that is safe
where'er it clings,
Than attempt an eagles soarinSs when you
lack the eagles wings.
There are some rs swift as swallows, there
are others who must creep,
And you never saw turtle try to take {!
tigers leap.
If you cannot be a Paixhan with its thunder
Gus report,
Be content to carry powder in a corner OF
the fort;
If you cannot rule an army with great
commanders skill,
You can fire common muSket in obedience
to his will;
There is but single compass in the ship,
however great,
But each rivet and sail.f fibre holds portion
Of its fate.
Never try to hold b,,shel if designed to hold
peck,
Or outreach the cranes and camels with YOUR
half an inch of nerk;
Never try to race with dolphins if you can
not even swim,
Or to challenge hawks for vision if your eyes
be old and dim;
Never spread grain of butter over fifty
yards of bread,
Or attempt with penny trumpets to awaken
up the dead.
Not every stick of timber that is fit to make
mast,
Not every structure buided is a Pyramid to
last,
Not every piece of music is an anthem or a
psalm,
Not every growing sapling that is pine or
lofty palm;
Yet every messy atom has its own peculiar
grace,
And each its perfect usefulness or beauty in
its place.
These truths are old and hoary, yet we need
them every day,
To reconcile our longings to the limits of our
way;
The only true philosopher is he who learns
content,
Though quartered in a palace or but shell
tered in his tent
Whose cheerful soul is ready to encompass
what it can,
Nor vex itself in criticizing Gods eterns l
plan.
The 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
tlefelds of life.
We ask no higher mission than successfully
to teach:
The vanity of grasping for the things beyond
our reach;
OF wasting modest talent in ambitions use
less fret,
To reap but bitter failure and the ashes of re-
gret.
Go, study what is in thee, and to be noble
man,
Know first; then do thy duty in the Great
Eternal's plan.
So shalt thou know contentment and con-.
tentment's rich increase,
A life endowed with blessings and spirit
filled with peace;
A dearth of disappointments and of hours
with pride perplexed,
OF jealousies, heartburnings that so many
lives have vexed.
When dead, though prince or peasant, It's
enough that they should tell
''He knew his place and purpose, and per-
formed each duty we'll"
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