Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-01-14
Kansas Musings.
Notooo niuotbSS'
SCOTT City,
SCOTT COUNTY,
KAs.

Editor Independent:
January, 9Th, 1888.
This part Of mother earth is COW
cred with snow-pure, white, daz-
ling snow How it glitters and spark
les as the moonbeams fall upon it |!
How it creaks as it is pressed on the
sidewalk by the footsteps of the pass
er-by! 1t covers the house-tops and
the fences, and hides all unsightly
objects from view. 1t looks like a
sin to disturb it, and perhaps this is
the reason why it cries out when it is
trodden upon. Who knows but that
every little creak is an ejaculation of
displeasure at being ground under
foot and despoiled Of it's beauty.
Snow has ever been an emblem of
purity, and why? Because it comes
from Heaven and is fashioned by the
infinite One. Each little flake is a
study within itself. They are end
less in variety and as regular and
beautiful as the most perfect work of
art. Other things may be white, but
they can only approach the resplen-
dent purity of the snow, which is
typical of the robes we shall wear if
We are so fortunate as to reach the
land Of love and sunshine. AS i
gaze from my window at the beauti-
full mantle which the God of nature
has laid over the earth, I am remind
ed of other days, when / lived in a
more eastern latitude where the snow
fell in the early days of December
and sometimes remained until the
sun kissed it away in March. Mem
cries of school days when we chose
up and fought sham battles with snow
balls, in imitation of the courage of
the heroes we read ofin the histories.
Memories Of coasting on the hillside
until we were so sore and tired that
it would almost bring tears to our
eyes to be compelled to bring an arm
full of wood or fetch bucket of
water upon our return home at night.
Pleasant memories these, and how
they come galloping through my
mind and crowding each other as /
sit thinking. | sometimes fancy we
would be happier if we had life to
live over again, but can that be ?
Would our experience and the knowl-
edge we have gained be of any adj
vantage in this respect? am per-
suaded to the contrary. Happiness
is sly nymph and is not caught by
wisdom or stratagem. Those who
seek it most, usually find the least of
it. 1t comes unasked and unsought,
like the genial sunshine or the gently
falling dew. 1t is questionable
whether we could extract any more
pleasure from the years that are past
or could improve our lives by living
them over again. There is destiny
that shapes our ends, rough hew them
as we will We are creatures of cir
cumstances, instruments in the hands
Of a providence that "doth all things
well" and without a change in the
conditions and surroundings, there
would be no material change in our
lives or conduct. The courage and
aggressiveness displayed in the sham
battle of boyhood days, was a true
index Of what the participants would
do In the real struggle which they
were soon to encounter. Many of
those who were foremost in the MINI
ic fray, have stood the crucial test,
and are in the front rank to-day.
They are filing important stations in
society, in the political arena, in the
ministry, on the bench and at the
ssr, and the spirit that led them to