Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1890-03-13
MISSED HIS CHANCE.
A Man with Implements and
Material for Burn.up
Given Him,
Neglects the Opportunity and
Writes q Commentary Oh
the Chances Of Life.

ltapt Reflections Of Butld Reeve.
the Philosopher From
Trail County.
"Sit down and write me An article"
This is what an editor said as I entered
his room. "What is the name of your
paper?" I asked. IAN Alert newspaper;
editorial opinions furnished at the lowest
rates. Write on any subject you please
and it will be all right" "You would not
dare publish what l would write" "Yes
would. Try me and see." Well now
let US try hlm.
After reading this much to him and
asking what should say next he said:
"Hold On, there is an opening for duel
right now. The only thing that will
save you, is to take the road for wide
open roast" 'For whom?" inquired.
He answered: "Choose your own victim; !;
you have the altar and carving tools, now
pEOC0oO Will yOuE OloVOAAC0A wOAns oAN
take the responsibility for it."
That is the trouble With this whole
world. The majority of people in it want
to get rid Of all responsibility. They are
willing other people should take it, and
if the harvest is good they will help
handle it and if q failure, they will draw
in their credit.
But this is peculiar day in more ways
than one. stood yesterday afternoon
at the corner of Maine aud Fourth street
in this city, and Cyrus Wellington, the
great lawyer of the northwest, in COM
pany with Col. Bud@e,stopped to look at
a pool of water rapidly running into
catch basin. He said as he looked at it:
There is law OF nature no one can ac-
count for-only it IS o-that is all we
can say about it water will run down
hill. Why it is water, and why it runs
are only matters we can assert without
any knowledge on the subjective see it
run; that Is all We know"
From looking at the water run down
hill, MIR. Wellington Then ent' red into
very able discourse: why, under certain
circumstances, it was legitimate, proper
and even religious duty to lie IL order
that the truth might not disgrace and
ruin man. I had never heard it in
| this light before. But when he was
through, though'to myself, lying pro-
perly understood is not only one OF the
greatest plishuents, but greatest
virtues. For instance, said the great
lawyer: "Suppose you and 1 were out
together, and l Was put oD the stand
to tell where we were, and by telling the
truth it would make trouble with your
family, disgrace your children and wreck
you, isn't it my duty to lie, to make you
happy? Suppose somebody should in
quire ;sbout your credit, and by telling
the truth, all your creditors
should rush in on you; when by
waiting month longer, you would be
all right; would 1t not be great wrong
IN me to tell the truth and break you all
up in business?" Well we'll never
thought of it in that light before, but
come to think of it, 1t would be great
wrong under some circumstances to tell
the truth, not particularly in my case,
but in that of some others. l claim
not to be afraid of the truth, for my as
sociates are pure and my creditors are
kind and judicious)y selected.
I should like to write roast on some
one. but this is not day calculated for
it. From water running in the street
and the virtue of lying, we turn to the
exciting scenes Of politics, and from that
we stand today in the presence OF the
suspension of all things, under the
shadow of death. Great and sudden
are the changes here below. At nine
o'clock last night Superintendent Mitch
ell walked the streets in full strength,
deeply absorbed in the interests OF life.
in the work of his Office and the future
of the country. Within few short
minutes, without accident or violence.
the world knew him no more. What to-
morrow, the next hour, or the next mo-
ment will have in store for any one. IS
unknown. Today, We are in the heat of
passion and contention, tomorrow we
may stand as common mourners
over great change common
to ALL 1t is a singular
life and world we live IN. We may kiss
and embrace today and quarrel tomor
row and quarrel today and kiss
tomorrow. So it goes. From
the water that runs down hill TO the
passage of spirit from 4 rth to eternity,
all is under one great and all wise author.
We must take life as 1t runs and write of
it as it is. Whether in the chamber of
birth or the chamber of death. it Is the
business of each one to keep a record OF
events honestly and truly. This is not
day for roasts, but one for solemn con-
temptation. This is not day to remem
Der apimosities, but love and while we
may be carless in dealing with facts and
conditions before US, We must take them
as they come. As we are called on TO
weep with those who weep and rejoice
with those who rejoice, believing and
feeling that God is the author and
father of all, able to forgive and save
everything on Earth below or in heaven
above-and that death is as natural a
state as life.
"Jaurh where we must be candid where We can.
But vindicate the ways OF God to man."