Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-03-21

Ills was soul susceptible OF the nigh
est happiness and the deepest woe.
How few of us"-she paused, then
added, 81 will say no more. Where
is your mother and Elsie?"
''In the garden, / believe; they
will be in directly. What were you
going to say?"
81 was going to say how few of us,
under the sorrows and disappoint-
ments which clouded the life of
Byron would have been aught else
than what he was"
"But, Miss May, you must admit
that every man has the power to
make or mar his own life. God has
given man the power to be blessing
or a curse to himself and his fellow
mortals. If we do not our duty, it is
our own fault"
81 shall not admit that man has
the power to make or mar his own
life. Bernard, you forget the law of
nature, which places the virtues and
vices of the parent in the heart of the
child. Byron certainly inherited
very little good from his parents !;
then his early training was not such
as to counteract the evil. Such souls
as his are like ships in storm; the
most skillful hands cannot save it
when once it gets among the break
ers. / cannot condemn the soul
driven to desperation by the neglect
of friends and the scorn of the world.
l think it no great wonder that Byron
stood a ruin amidst ruins, himself
the greatest blight of all that wither-
ed around him, when call to mind
the peculiar circumstances which sur
rounded him. All, my friend, it is
easy for man to sit in judgment
against his fellow man, but not Sc
> easy for him to clear his own skirts.
Let him who is without sin among
: you cast the first stone.'"
"That is all very charitable and
forbearing; but do you know, you
a advocate dangerous theory. Sup
pose you and l were to lay our sin:
: on the shoulders of our ancestors,
/; imagine in that case the moral &C
: countability of man would be vel
, nigh destroyed"
\ "Ah, my friend, / see you would
a preserve the old landmarks. Believe
: me, can't see where mans respon
!, sibility rests. The world is guided
e by the opinions of men scarce able t
. guide themselves. tell you there
i are truths men dare not bring to ligh
for fear of the destruction of som,
d moldy, motheaten ideas, or some pri
vate pet theory which they hold.
:, what from this barren being do we reap?
Y Our senses narrow, and our reason frail,
y Life short, and truth gem which leave
V the deep,
And all things weighed in customs falses
. scale;
Opinion and omnipotence, whose veil
= Nantes the earth with darkness, until RICH
) And wrong are accidents, and men groV
n pale
Lest their own judgements should becom
h too bright,
e And their free thoughts be crimes and cart
! have too much light"
y The conversation was interrupteC
e by the entrance of Bernard's mothe
and sister. The girl greeted Ma,
|, with kindly welcome, while tn
/; elderly lady said: "Well, May,
r. am very glad you came today; Ber
IS nard and Elsie have been wishing 70
/, you every hour. Bernard says h
will be ready for business soen."
l. "It won't do, Mrs. Stanley. Bel
il nard knows he needs many NOR
IS days of quiet and rest yet; you mus
n keep him idle as long as you can"
r "But / don't see how mother an
l. Elsie are going to get along withou
" my help. If / were only well, quit
G. well again! But here | lie, day afte
l, day, until l verify believe l shall di
lg for want of action"
a Nonsense" said May. "You al
Is getting well fast enough. I sha
"a bring you some books. Now l mus
h. be going. Remember 1 shall expeC
"a you to keep cheerful-there is reall
" no cause for gloomy thoughts; b,
V, sides, if you disobey your physician
ld shall turn you over to the tendt
IN mercy of a walking Latin dictionar
k and a pair of mysterious saddle pool
a cts. Goodbye" and gathering u
e. her gloves and riding whip she wall
e. ed out.
in 1t was dusk when she reache
rs home. The house was in a blaze
ce light, parlOr and halls. The servan