Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-02-15
SATURDAY NIGHT sOLILooU.Es.

Keen ana DfllllaDl OuT bpitiOSt w
nature Is cad in such a sparkling
armor of resistance to the blues, but
that az times the miseries Of exist
ence will overcome US, and break In
upon the bravest heart. Somehow
we cannot entirely escape the sor-
rows Of society, nor ignore the vein
OF sadness that runs through the
natural world. We may sail over
life's sea in the bounding ship OF
happiness, with JOY IN the prov
and pleasure at the helm, the cup
Of bitterness will by and by be
passed to us TO quaff. We cannot
escape it, and out Of this comes the
necessity fora reliance on a more
than human fortitude to uphold us.
From all directions come reports
Of death ty the foo !. Here father
was snatched hy the cruel waters;
there landslid crushed a helpless
mother and, sleeping by her side,
two innocent little ones; elsewhere
az engineer or fireman plunge to
their death where the treacherous
waters have undermined what were
supposed solid structures. The hid
den hand of the reaper death has
gathered here and there strong men,
flowing mothers and prattling child
rem, earthly denlzens now no more,
citizens Of the days that are past
and gone. They are laid away as
the waters recede, and We remember
the awful event by saddened
memories Of our dead.
Nor have these disasters and suf-
ferings been confined 10 the poor
and lowly in obscure country places,
far from the notice Of the world.
In our city prominent business
man, with wealth accumulating on
every nuuu, with possessions aud
a good name, with a loving family
of happy wife and children, with n
beautiful home all planned-in n
dark moment he Is snatched to
death In an almost miraculous man
ner. His life-work and strivings
are at an end. A dark cloud of sor-
row spreads over the scene Of his
activities aud joys, that enwrars his
family and friends. At Pendleton
young Frazer wos lost In the snow.
The most prominent youth OF that
city, wealthy, happily wed, full Of
life and health--in n dark hour the
storm king lays his hand upon him
and all Is over. The agonizing
search, the father stricken In years
and now stricken with anguish,
the young wife from whose warm
and loving bosom the husband was
torn 10 eruelly-they are the figures
that stand out In this momentary
panorama Of the worlds sadness.
Still higher In the social world they
too have their evil days. See. Tracy
loses In blazing mansion the idol
daughter OF his heart aud her COM
panion, while his wife Is lying In
danger with her brain shattered
from the paralysis of fright. The
family OF Secretary Blaine have
recently suffered full measure of
bereavements, a measure heaped up
aud running over. He has lost
two children, one Of yhom was the
flower and hope Of the family, aud
tho pride aud comfort of his parents.
In private letter IA gentleman In
high official station ut Washington
writes u friend la this city OF the
blows OF fate that have fallen 80
heavily on this great mans head
al felt very sad 10 hear OF the
death OF poor Prof Lane. You ne
member that II was al your sollcita-
ton that had the pleasure Of cali
ing upou him, when last at Salem,
and | shall long bear In romenl-
brance the enjoyment of that visit.
| could discover then, thought, ev.
idences Of deepseated atilictlou,
On arriving here met his nephew,
Walker Blaine, aud even as Ia hin
| have TO say that, but few days
ago stood by the side of his caskvt
aud bebeld it conveyed away To the
Silent city OF the dead but two
weeks previous to that, Mrs. Blaine
aud her family were called To Au.
g,ista, Maine, 10 bury her sister,
Thus Il will be seen how fVquenl
and how heavy the blows have fall.
en upon the household of the great
preniiee of our nation. As he stood
by Walkers grave, his great head
bowed In unspeakahle anguish, IL
could be seen even us tO hlul the
warning ofa fast tieet.ng life PLAINLY
written. lie Is very detected, aud
at any time the ncws may COME oi
his own sad taking-oif. Thus IL II,
aud thus We may SAY, that ln the
midst Of life Ne are In death. All
hvnOrs, all wealth, all happiness arv
as transient la this word as the
snow which mells uader the sum.
mer sun"