Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-20
RETROSPECTION.
Gathering From the Seeds we Have
SOWn IN the Past.

How many are there with in our
midst who have stopped for a moment
to think over and sum up the fruits
and profits which they have derived
from a course of wrong doing; the pro-
fits and fruits of "crooked Gfe?,'
Very few of our number, we ween,
have cared to take this retrospection.
1t is ever pleasant to look back upon
the past and view again with memory,
the good, true, and noble events which
somewhere forms leaf in the book of
every day life. It is sweet and beauti-
full to look back upon our innocent
childhood days, so full of glee, sun
shine and JOY, as we stood at mothers
knee and listened to the tender admoni-
tions Of love which fell from those dear
lips, which, perhaps, have long since
been silent In death. It is pleasant
to recall to our memories, our happy
school-boy days, when with romping
gleeful, companions we spent the
happy may-time of our lives, little
dreaming Of the seeds sown upon life
pathway, which were destined to bare
such bitter fruit in time to come; seeds
which we need to have sown, had we
been more thoughtful Of the future.
It is ever pleasant to recall the bright
and good deeds of the past, but the
dark, wrong, ignoble, and unmanly
acts and deeds We try to forget, to
Danish and crush from our memory's
and obIiterate from our lives. But
this we cannot do. Memory often
slumbers, but never dies, and the har-
vest which we are now reaping, the
fruits which we are now gathering
from the seeds soWn in the past, and a
constant reminder and warning, if we
would but listen to, and profit thereby.
But many Of US go right along, in
the same manner as in days gone by,
without giving thought to the future
harvest, the future gathering of the
fruit of our misdeeds. Let us stop
moment now, and gather the fruits of
our misspent past, and sum up the
profits. 1t will be impossible to gather
them all at once in the caseket of our
memory, but We'll gather what the
casket will hold, viz A blighted
name; in many cases an almost ruined
life; in some mothers broken heart,
fathers blasted hopes; a sisters
burning tears, and brothers pride;
the best years Of our young lives in a
living tomb; outcasts from the world;
outca8ts from the society of all those
who are good, pure and true; dishonor.
regret, shame, misery, Wretchedness
and woe; these are the fruits which we
are gathering from the seeds which we
have sown, or will have to gather, if
we continue to SOW as in the past. Is
the harvest a profitable one? Shall
we continue to SOW the seeds of wrong
doing, knowing full we'll that with each
succeeding day the harvest will become
more and more abundant and oppres-
siVe until at last the burden of gather
ing has broken and crushed from our
lives all manliness, all hope, and finally
our wrecked forms are laid away to
fill an unloved and dishonored grave
Oh, what bitter fruits to be gathered
from lives which might have been, aye,
and may yet be made resplendant with
honor, truth, purity, usefulness and
love. And, oh, how many boys and
young men are there in the great
world out side, who are thoughtlessly
sowing the self-same seeds Of 'intem
perance,' 'untruthfuIness,' and little
dishonesties, which we have sown,
and who, like US, will soon be gather
ing, from beneath the cold grey walls
Of a cheerIess prison, ''the fruits from
the seeds which they have sown in
| dissipation and folly-in the past. -
| Be warned, be warned our brother,
lest our warning be to late, PRISON
Press.
The above article is certainly well
adapted to any of US, even though
not confined within prison walls. We
heartily recommend the reading of the
above article by all young men who
are inclined to bad things, If any, are
among the readers of the REPORTER.
Reflect upon the lessons given by
those who have been through the mill
and profit by their experience in wrong
doing. Young men remember that a
right start, early in life, is half of the
battle won for future glory and success.