St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-20
WHAT Do WE LIVE FOR?

the Standpoint of the filler of
the Soil.
Special Letter to the GLOBE.
FOUNTAIN, Mimi, May 13.-What do
we live for? is a question often asked.
and answered in many ways; but it is
doubtful if any two persons would reply
in like manner, though absolute
strangers and of foreign speech. 1t is
curious to see how some people pass
through life, apparently without any
the time away until the summons calls
them. I had almost written hOme-but
if such have shelter of their very own,
place they call-home; is it home?
1t seems to me the many that live
and have being in this world must
have and do have time to make home
here and lay the foundation for home
in that land whose maker and ruler is
God. Apparently they do not; with
dull eyes they pass and repass and
never improve so far as mortal can see,
the same dull eyes meet yours, look
ing as if bare existence was all that
was needed in this world, and we had
nothing more to do than to die as the
beast dies. The very horse that he
drives over his fields may possess more
intelligent-l0Okin eyes than he can
show, or does show when you meet
him. And yet. this very man may
have very kind heart and a most
obEging disposition. He may be the
best kind of neighbor, but never
neighbOr to hold converse with.
If one could only instil an active
nature, or set his brain throbbing with
life enough to kindle a sparkle into the
dead-looking eyes. it would seem like a
miracle. But how to reach such people
! is the one thought which will keep in
truding into our own minds, and try to
s.down it" as we will, it comes home to
us every time we meet those dull eyes
in man or woman. We sanay wonder,
but it is more like weeping over the
unfortunate owner of such eyes that are
apathetic to all appearances, in fact it
seems dead soul looking out into the
own especial delight, and which has no
attraction to awaken a responding chord
in that brain or heart, lost, all lost on
him or her so far as you can see. These
people will work, eat, drink and sleep
the years away and 60 down to the
grave in their own lifeless way-beyond
that we may not 90.
We may try to awaken such people and
fail, but the query will come back to
plague us, and we long for the power to
awaken them to the beautiful scenery
of this earth. to have them see the life
that animates all living things. that
lives in the grass beneath our feet, that
is found in bud and blossom of the Wild
wood, and the music in the rustling
leaves above their heads, and the still
and unseen life that does surround one
when alone in the fields, when at work,
ar,1 Sc nEn Moty nd nfNxs
vealed to us by the very growth we
mark in all things animate and inani-
mate, if you can call the growing grain
and grass in animate, which can show a
new growth SO readily every week.
Those that dwell on farms are the
ones that ought to be all alive to these
revealers of divine origin, of life
that never dies.
Of all men, the farmer is the one that
should be alive to his surroundings
and intimate with all of natures trans
formations from the seed he puts into
the soil unto the mature and ripened re-
suits. His family should know all the
transformation of Seed-time and har-
vest, and should be ready at all times to
tell of the growth of all familiar plant
life in field and wood, and never be at a
loss to explain the process of growth
when required to do so.
There should never be the lifeleSS
looking eyes and dull facial expression
that is sometimes seen on any member
of a farmers family, for theirs is the
life that should awaken every thought
that can kindle the poetic fire in the
heart, that fills the brain with glowing
warmth and eagerness to learn the Sc
crets of the language of still life, and
give the knowledge to all the earth and
sing the great Creators praise unto all
humanity.