Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-05-22
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
RAMBLEs THROUGH THE COUNTRY.

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
FAMILIES THROUGH THE COUNTRY.
From the earliest hours of vigorous and
romantic youth to the present, when we
trace with visible sadness the growing tinge
Of the "sear and yellow leaf" we have loved
to ramble where
"0n either hand
The and meadow-ledges midway down
Hang rich in flowers, and below them rosrs
The long brook, falling through the cloven
ravine
In cataract after cataract to the sea-"
BY nature this country has been blessed
with extraordinary charms, but an intelli-
gent and well directed industry is making
it nothing more or less than an agricultural
parterrc Every acre Is being made SUBJ
servient to the demands of Its owner by
system of scientific cultivation. The fields
are being gradually fringed with beautiful
hedges or artistic wire fences, whilst the
gardens are smiling under the burden of
the sweetest and rarest flowers The hills
are covered with the richest verdure, the val
leys stretching far and wide, save here and
there like some modest beauty, they are hid
away between the tree-cspped hills, are
teeming with acres of rich grass. Soon,
when the golden flush of Summers beauty
lay DER the full blossomed clover, the busy
bees will be at work In the white cups OF
every little flower, or barred deep In the
ssasyu hezfrUf every Wild rose, whilst the
Fipphag streams, which skirt their borders,
will be singing q new song, something of
youth, Of beauty, and of freedom.
Occasionally the eye rests upon some old
homestead, trembling beneath the changes
of accumulated years, but still command.
ing and sacred because of their hallowod as
sociations. A few yards, in some instances,
from these old residences, and in some neg
lected corner can be traced q cluster of
graves Solemn expresses grow here ap.
parently in rich luxuriance, but the little
flowers have long since died from the want
ofcare, whilst the rude and nnlettered tomb.
ctohec tAaOW ugly bhonOWh W tuC WtStWdTu.
Naturally we turn from the contemplation
OF such sad and weird pictures 70 the broad
expanse OF landscape which everywhere ia
dotted with farm-houses and cottage homes
smiling In the sunshine of love, teeming
with plenty and made redoent with the
music of the dimpled checked country beau
ties. These are pictures in real life which
fastens the eye, touches the heart and soothes
the rough feelings of our nature with more
Of exquisite harmony Of sentiment than the
richest gems Of music. 1t has been said
that mollusks live two hundred fathomi
down in the Norwegian seas. The Siberian
stag grows fat on the stunted growth of the
Altian peaks, and tufts Of osier and birch
grow on the hot lips Of volcanic Chneehal
tan. So 1t may be said, and that with more o
certainty. that it Ia in these country home
where the pures. and noblest influences
have their Origin and best mature. Wher,
true happiness aud contentlnent is most,
to be found, and where the cheek Of modesty
is seldom blistered by the breath of the ball
room debauchee, or the lips OF the unsus
pectiDg youth are scorched with the fires O
ruin. Where no gambling bells rear theii
massive fronts, or the jasper walls of temp
tation shut out every evenings unalloyeC
joys
The genius Of the American people derive:
is energy and originality from the character
-rw tho guEcrwment itis the genius OF the
old Saxon race, freed from the restraints Of
monarchy; freed from the feudsl system
turned loose in ample fields and thrown
upon its own resources. II disdains re-
straint, shut IL up in dungeon and il will
lit in the centre Of is own light, shut it up
in the centre Of the world and Il will bore
hole through, make an Artesian we'll and
sell the water by the quart Place il in the
centre Of an iceberg and it will be warmed
by its own native heat and cheered by the
music Of its own thoughts. 1t illuminate,
its path by the knowledge and experience
of the world. aud then mounting its car and
selling the reins it drives onward into the
future. Il il this genius armed with edu
cation and driven by an energy which
shrinks IRON no responsibility, fears no bar
rier that is identifying this broad land anC
developing its hidden resources We say
educated genius--educated labor. We ar
aware that there il certain school o
economists who do not hesitate 10 estimate
the value of q man as that Of horse Ia th,
pillow, how long he can be worked withou
feeding or by his perfect indifference as /.
what sort OF food he may he grinding on
They believe that he is born 10 be a "hewe
OF wood and drawer of water" whilst other
appear through life booted and spurred 70
= ride. In the light Of the present age. un
der government OF equal rights and equa
men. such an idea is absurd, - all recng
nize that culture eleyales the common min,
and raises society 10 high leyG A work
man will perform his daily task more cheer
fully when he realizes that he is something
more and better than Nm sppendage Of
pillow, loom or anvil The engineer vii
run his locomotive with more Of indspend
ence when he comprehends the principle
Of its mechanism. and is conscious that b
is something more than part Of the ma
chine. The seaman holds the ships helm
with more sturdy arm when he know
that he can converse with the winds snt
read the language az the stars. Labor, IN
less intelligence direct il, has neither homo
nor reward. AS We honor useful lsbsr be