Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-06-02
from such an uneven battle ~

oiOt VI JUG HNCi, TIC Size VI tilC it'Hi =
and the average of red corpnscles in
the blood. the amount of gray mat
ter in the brain aud the harmony or
confusion Of the pattern wherein the
molecules run--these are the things
which either lift US into the serene
regions of confidence or plunge us
into the tnrbid depths OF fear. A
criminal of robust physical conslitu
tion will face detection with his wits
clear and his nerves mistaken an
innocent accused, whose material is
as a broken reed or juicy cabbage.
stalk, stands self-accused by fear,
already condemned because his
brain is confused. No; conscience,
independent Reorganization, has not
much to do with cowardice, and the
torment of fear has as little cOnnec-
ton with innocence. **
There are men, and women too,
God bless them who, when the
wolf prowls round the house door,
open that door wide, issue boldly
forth, and do battle with the hungry
beast of poverty with any weapon
that lies handy. II they cannot do
this bit of work, they do that. Ii
gold is not to be shoveled in by the
scoopful, they manfully set them
selves to pick up silver, nay, even
copper, by the piece. If their cloth
does not allow of luxurious cloak,
they content themselves with a
skimped jacket. Come what may
they have ga heart for every iate,"
and will not own themselves con.
quered. And these always succeed IN
the long run. The pluck that
braves danger and the energy that
overcomes difficulties are the two
pots of gold on which the rainbow
rests. But the hysterlcal despair
which folds its hands and weeps
when crash comes and the wolf
bowls near and ever nearer, which
takes to its bed with the fever born
of anxiety, with the softened fiber,
the paralyZed nerves, also born OF
anxlety-what can you do with it !?
What can you say of it, Contempt
is pertOrce mltigated by compassion;
but what illimitable contempt you
have for the weakness which can
not accept the consequences of, may
be, deliberate act of folly aud mis-.
calculation ! The carter who drove
, his wagon into the rut, then shouted
out to Hercules to come and help
him to ply it out, is the prototype of
these tatneants who ruin themselves
by their carleSsneSS or their folly,
then tumble into helpless mass
like SO many limp rags, and have to
be upborne by their friends, who
are unwilling to see them die. The
world is full of these wretched apollo
gies for men; and scarce family
exists which does not own, at the
least, one among its members who
Is always coming to grief and falling
back, like the stone of Sisyphus,
from any safe ledge where he may
have been lodged. Nothing can be
done with him. By the united
strength of the company post has
been found where flows sufficiency
of milk and honey for the remain
der of his life. By some inexcusable
act Of folly this post is lost, when
the miserable being takes to his bed
and lies there till he is lifted up by
main force and set on his shaky legs
again. Fear wraps him round as in
a Nessus garment, and he can do
nothing of himself against its fatal
influence. But within a stones
throw lives CHEEKY, self respecting
little woman, who struggles and
does not cry out; who meets her
essential poverty with flimsy cover.
ings of brave device; who confesses
to no fear and submits to no vicari-
GUS torment ; and who does not add
to the smart OF the thorns where.
with she is undeniably scratched the
fear of asps and adders which are
not to be seen, which may not exist
at all, and which if even they are
there, are best met by courage, not
by cowardice. ~.
Fear and Hope there they stand,
the two presiding deities over mems
minds. To the pessimist the former
straddles all across the highway of
life, formidable as Appollyon when
he met, assaulted, and sought to
kill Christian to the optimist Fear
sinks into dusty shadow of non
terrifying aspect, while Hope sings
like lark and shines like a star
above his head. The pessimist,
standing stock still at his own post,
sees naught but evil in every change
of public feeling or private custom
that has taken place since Plaucus
was his consul; the optimist forgets
himself and looks both before
and after, and before because he
looks after. He sees where human
ity stands to-day, and where it stood
when the paleolithic man Clipped
his flints and learned to keep him
self upright. He contrasts the
times of the great Pharaoh, when
slaves were held as machines, and
not treated with so much humanity
as we treat our beasts or burden,
and says: 1.-THE term has not been
reached. What has been will be,
and those dead selves ever lie as
stepping stones for higher things"
= = " While We live let us liye,n
says the old Latin proverb. Good.
But we do not live while we fear.
We exist in state of constant deli.
quiescence; and when our hearts fail
us and our knees smite together we
are practically only half alive, and
by our own cowardice turn danger
into death and fear into destruction.
Bucklen's Arnica Salve.
The Best Salve in the world for Cuts,