The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-30


the Philistines and tn y shout "Hal ha!
We've got him. Those who have the kind
est and most sympathetic natures are the
most in danger Your very disposition to
please others will be the very tran they set.
If you we're cold and harsh aud severe in
your nature you would not be tampsred
with. People never fondle a hedgehog.
The most sentimental Greeulander never
kisses an iceberg. The warmth and suscep-
tioility of your nature will encourage the
siren. Though strong as giant, look out
for Delilah's scissors. Samson, the strongest
man who ever lived, was overcome by
coaxing.
Again, this narrative teaches us the
power of an ill-disposed woman. In the
portrait gallery of Bible queens we find
Abigail and Ruth and Miriam and Vashti
and Deborah, but in the rogues' gallery of
police station you find the pictures of
women as well as men Dslilah's picture
belongs to the rogues' gallery, but she had
more power than all Philistia armed with
sword and spear. She could carry off the
iron gates Of Samsoa's resolution as
easily as he shouldsred the gates of
G4za. The force that had killed the lion
which one day plunged out fierce from the
Ihicket utterly succumus to the silkel net
which Delilah weaves for the giant. He
who had driven an army in riot lus retreat
VIII tlS JdH-OOhCs SiulbitlR bueint
hip and thigh, with great slaughter, now
falls captive at the feet of an unworthy
woman. Delilah, in the blols, stands in
the memorable company Of Adah and Zll-
lah, and Bathsheba, azd Jezsbel, and Atha-
liah, and Herodias.
How deplorable the influence of such in
contrast with Rsbeoca and Phoabe and Hull
dab apd Tryph0na and Jephgha's daughter,
and Mary, the mother of Jesus. While the
latter glitter In the armament of Gods
word like consultations with steady, cheer
ful, holy light, tho for ner shoot like baleful
meteors across the terrified heavens, olli
nous of war, disaster aad death. Ii there
is divine power In the good
mother, her face bright with purity,
an unselfish love beaming from her
eye, a gentleness that by pangs and
sufferings and holy anxielies has been
mellowing and softenibg for many "a year,
uttering itself in every syllable, dignity
that cannot be dethroned, united with the
playfulness that will not be checked, her
hand the charm that will instantly take
pain out of the child's worst wound her
presence a perpetual benedietion, her name
our defense when we are temple /, her mem
ory an outgushing we'll OF tears and con-
graduation and thanksgiving, her heave a
palm waving and a coronal; then there is
just as great an influence in the opposite di-
rection in the bad mother, her brow becloud-
ed with UNCOVER ed passion, her eye flashing
with unsanctified fire, her lips the fountain
of fretfulness and depravity, her example
a mildew and blasting, her name a dis
grace to coming gensrations her III smory a
signal for bltteTest anathemt, her eternity
a whirlwiud and a suffoeat.ou and a dark
ness One wrong-hsad d, Wrong-hearted
mother may ruin one child and that one
child, grown up, may destroy a hundred
people, and the hundred asst a thousand,
and the thousand a millis.. The wife'S
sphere is a realm of honor a. power almost
unlimited. What a blessisg YVES Sarah to
Abraham, was Deborah to Lapidoth, was
Zpporah to Moses, was Huldah to Shallum
There are mulnitudss OF men In the marts
of trade whose fortunes have been the
result Of a wife's frugality. Four hands
have been achieving that estate, two at the
store, two at the home. The burdens OF
life are comparatively light when there are
other hands to help US lift them. The
greatest difficulties have often skunk away
because there were four eyes to look them
out OF counte nance. What care you for the
hard knocks in the world as long as you
have a bright domestic circle for narbor |!
Oae cheerful word in the event e
tide as you come in has silenced
the clamor of unpaid notes and
the disappointment of poor invest
ments. Your table may be quite frugally
spread, but it seems more beautiful to you
than many tables that smoke with venison
and blush with Burgundy. Peace meets
you at the door, sits beside you at the table,
lights up the evening stand, and sings in the
nursery. You have seen an aged couple
who for scores of years have helped each
other on in life's pilgrimage going down tine
steep of years. Long ass ociation has made
them much alike. They rejoiced at the same
advent, they bent over the same cradle, they
wept at the same grave. In the evening
they sit quietly thinking Of the past, mother
knitting at The stand. father in his arm
chair at the fire.
Now and then a grandchild comes, and
they look at him with affection untold, and
come well nigh spelling him with kindness.
The life currents beat feebly in their pulses
and their work will soon be done, and the
master will call. A few short d ys may
separate them, but, not far apart
Ia time of departure, they j)in each
other on the other side the flood
Side by side let Jacob and Rachel be
buried. Let one willow overarch their
graves. Let their tombstones stand alike
marked with the same scripture. Children
and grandchildrea will come in the spring
time to bring flowers. The patriarchs Of
the town will come and drop tear over
departed worth. Side by side at the mar
riage altar. Side by side in the long jour
nev. Side by side in heir graves. After
life's fitful fever they slept well.
But there are, as my subject suggests,
domestic scenes not SO tranquil What a
curse to JOB and Potiphar were their COM
panions to Ahab was Jezebel, to Jehoran
was Athaliah, to John Wesley was Mrs.
Wesley, to S ,mson was Delah. While the
most excellent and triumphant exhi hitions
of character we find among the women of
history, and the world thrills with
the names of Marie Ant0inette, and
Josephine, and Joan Of Arc, and
Maria Theresa and hundreds of Others. who
have ruled in the brightest homes and sung
the sweetest cantos, and enchanted the
nations with their art and swayed the
mightiest of scepters, on the other hand the
names Of Mary the First of England, NJ Ir-
garet Of France, Julia Of Rome ald Eliza
beth Petrowna of Russia, have scorched
the eye of history with their abomina-
tions, and their names, like banished
spirits, have gone shrieking aud
cursing through the world In female
biography we fad the two extremes of ex-
ceience and crime. Woman stands nearest
the gate If heaven or nearest the door of
hell. When adorned by grace she reaches
point Of christian elevation which man can
not attain, aud when blasted of crime she
sinks deepsr than man eau plunge. Yet l
am glad thet the instances in which woman
makes utter shipwreck Of character are
comparatively rare.
But, says some cynical spirit. what do you