The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-09-19

90 the neceaity Of Circumstance sometimes
rasps away our asperitles and lights up . charm
In the face u our enemy, teaching ~ the leason
that the best OF 10 ore worse and the worst Of u
arc better than ws seem.
do not know that you have taken note Of
what has come to yeu In your experience during
those carly days. but one which gave me much
surprise vas how We corrected many Of our false
estimates. leaning almost unconsciously truef
way to measure men and things. When we lcft
Har behind ~ our old familiar homes we got out
OF the grooves and ruts that exist In al old and
established communities. Old customs and ways
OF thinking and acting become part Of the order
OF things Al We mAtured un Ter their influence
they grew into our lives and became pam Of u.
making US conceited. angular. and In degree
intolennt. Social position. artificial advan-
tages. or the want them. set us In places where
our shadow fell ACROSS . neighbor. or, on the
other hand, some one shut the light on from ms
Old communities grow to be rigid. and. biased
By interest, sometimes submit TO the claims Of
some fayorite Of birth or fortune. compromising
their manlinc1 'hat thrift taay follow fawning. !"
But in this new and unrestraincd lite where al
stood on . level. where every stranger was sup
posed and generally proved TO be . friend, we
were obliged to 30 through the vasnish and We.
neering III there was any to dnd what was un.
derneath. Broadcloth. patent leather and kid
gloves didn't count. II migl be eli right. but, II
anything, Il was against the wearer. Fine man.
ners and high sounding talk wouldn't pas cur.
rent unlcs II was backed up with good sense.
sound judgment and manly conduct. Not be-
cause we thought them entirely useless, but be-
cause We were too much in earnest we threw
away the nnery and the tinsel and took things
for Just what they were worth. Ne measured q
man not 70 much By hoc he talked, bit by Aoss
he acted.
measuring men and things we were surprised ~
find how many things that We had always thought
important were Of little Or no account. After We
had toaed away the tSumpefy Of artificial life
discovering this new and ready way or inspecting
and settling the claims ef each other. one Of the
happiest and most surprising experiences was,
that the real differences among any Of us were
% very small. Come from wherever they might,
reared In whatever way Of thinking. possessed Of
much or little OF this worlds gear. We took
their measurement: and most OF them held out
sixteen vunces to the pound BY weight. twelve
inches to the foot by measurement and one hun
dred cents to the dollar IN value And 80 In this way
we learned thst new and large lesson: that many
Of the distinctions We make In life are shallow,
artincial and false. and that the real difference
between man and man among men Is less than
the seeming.
The time passes too soon to let me say all the
things meant and want to say about those early
days. and al the lessons. wise and unwise. that
we learned and unlearned.
do not forget that = we are here In our places
to-day. each recalling for himself the budding
hopes and worthy aims that be has carried 70
stously and manfully through % many hardxhips
and disasters. marking these yean OF toll and
trial that have passed. that those hopes and aims
have brought to most Of US, - we thiuk but
small fruit tor tho large promise and strong desire
suppose that we all have sore need sometimes
to search through our minds for some consider
ations to reconcile u to what seems . common
lot; some way Of looking at the ills OF life
that may serve I'm some wise to tighten tho shad-
0ws that lie here aud there alsng the years that
have gone by-'in that past that cannot change
''and will not Co." OF that may serve to give us
present strength to meet threatening disaster
Though such reflections can bring US NO direct or
positivc good. jet In . negative way they give us
relief for much Of the satisfaction that comes 10
us In Life comes through contrasting our owl,
condition with the condition of others. II seems
commonplace to say that OF all the millions. with.
earth. since the earth was. that 1t some time and
In some way. life has brought to each more OF
less Of bitterness or the millions Of buds and
blossoms that open 10 the smiles OF spring. few on.
~ mature; 50. many Of our wishes wiihcrcd and
eur hopes perished. But this knowledge while
giving us no pleasure helps Us to bend our backs
with patience; since II Is the lot Of al ct some
time TO carry some great and Srieyous burden,
making US familiar with 1.-THE unwritten TRACE.
dies Of liie." With these reflections VIC are ready
70 say that the allotmcnts aud cOinpensations OF
life are vastly more equal than In our thought.
leAs impotence We are ready TO admit.
Three score years count twice the number al
lotted to average liic and surly esti,n ate Of ii
worth would be In the bitter words Of the weary
patriarch. when reviewing his stormy history
Few and evil have the yeais Of my life been.'
philosophical but cynical friend Of mine sum,
II up in about these words: '.Luring the first
twenty years. lacking knowledge, We do moi
AhOW SssOu8A " ~ my 6seSu OuS VI UutlDg
the next twenty we are too busy: and in the last
twenty. five have been fortunate, as men count
good fortune land - not one man In q hundred
iD we are % completely dcranged. morally
mentally or physically. In the strife that we can
not enjoy the costly prize % dearly won." But L
seems 10 me that this Il . very unfair view and
unjust treatment Of the real good that life brings
You will excnse me II try to look It II . LITTLE
more carefully.
II Is related Of Fitx Green llallcck, who was fol
many years the confidential adviser and bushes,
man Of the elder Astor, and to whose fidelity and
judgment his employer owed much Of his bust.
ness success, that reviewing some annual state
ment Of the Affairs Ct his estate. Mr. Hallcck OBJ
served that II he could have the revenue for one
year 1t would be all he would ask or worldly
wealth. when Mr.. Aston made this inquiry. .Mr
Hallcck. would you collect these rents, the in.
terest on these loans the dividends on these
stocks. look after the details Of this business fol
just what you could eat, drink and wear" Mr..
H>lleck made negative reply, adding that ey.
cry year he got that much more than this,
To this his employer made this brief and notable
reply. "well. Mr.. Halleck. that Is all I get
Well. my. friends. THAT r. all any one can get.
The hard sense ana truthfulness OF this rich
mans reply to the frctful complaint Of his friend
helps Ms to understand In these respects how
little Is the real difference between the rich and
ft,n ssnOe tho s,rl,sCo Nl.o q, 49,