The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-04-02
THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 2. 1891

n"h uoWh cast 'ulu DAheu so as
to make ii look old, and sold with
Others for ten dollars dozen. People
who will lie about nothing else will lie
about a picture On a small income
we must make the world believe that
We are atlluent, and our life becomes
cheat, a counterfeit and sham.
Few persons are really natural.
When say this do not mean to slur
cultured manners. 1t is right that we
should have more admiration for the
sculptured marble than for the I'M
known block of the quarry. From many
circles in life insincerity has driven out
vivacity and enthusiasm A frozen
dignity instead floats about the room,
and iceberg grinds against iceberg.
You must not laugh outright; it is vul-
gar, You must smile, You must not
dash rapidly across the room, you must
glide. There is round of bows and
grins and batteries and obs! and abs
and simpering and nambypambyism-
world of which is not worth one
good, round, honest peal of laughter.
From such hollow round the tor
tured guest retires at the close of the
evening, and assures his host that he
has enjoyed himselfl
What round of insincerities many
people run in order to win the favor of
the world Their life is a sham and
their death an unspeakable sadness.
Alas for the poor butterflies when the
frost strikes them!
LIFE A MASQUERADE TO SOME.
Compare the life and death of such
s-oIr-, with that of some Christian aunt
who was once blessing to your house
hold. do not know that she was ever
offered the hand in marriage. She
lived single, that untrammeled she
might be everybody's blessing. When
ever the sick were to be visited, or the
poor to be provided with bread, she
went with a blessing. She could pray
or sing "Rock of Ages" for any sick
pauper who asked her. As she got
older there were days when she was
little sharp, but for the most part
auntie was sunbeam-just the one
for Christmas eve. She knew better
than any one else how to fix things.
Her every prayer, as God heard it, was
full of everybody who had trouble.
The brightest things in all the house
dropped from her fingers. She had pc
culiar notions, but the grandest notion
she ever had was to make you happy
She dressed well-auntie always dressed
well-but her highest adornment was
that of a meek and quiet spirit, which
in the sight of God is of great price.
When she died you all gathered low
ingly about her, and as you carried her
out to rest the Sunday school class al
most covered the coffin with japonicas,
and the poor people stood at the end
of the alley with their aprons to their
eyes, sobbing bitterly; and the man of
the world said, with Solomon, Her
price was above rubies," and Jesus, as
unto the maiden in Judea commanded,
Say uIlbO tlee, dIlSc.
But to many, through insincerity,
this life is a masquerade ball. AS at
such entertainments gentlemen and la
dies appear in the dress of kings or
queens, mountain bandits or clowns,
and at the close of the dance throw off
their DISCUSSES, SO in this dissipated life
all unclean persons move in mask.
Across the floor they trip merrily The
lights sparkle along the wall or drop
from the ceiling cohort of firel The
music charms. The diamonds glitter
The feet bound. Gemmed hands
stretched out elasped gemlned hands.
Dancing feet respond to dancing feet.
Cleaning brow bends to cleaning brow.
On with the dance! Flash and rustic
and laughter and Unreasonable merry
making! But the languor of death
comes over the limbs and blurs the
sight.
Lights lower Floor hollow with
sepulchral echo. Music saddens into a
wall Lights lower! The maskers can
hardly now be seen. Flowers exchange
their fragrance for a sickening odor,
such as comes from garlands that have
lain in vaults of cemeteries Lights
lower! Mists fill the room Glasses
rattle as though shaken by sullen thun-
der. Signs seem caught among the
curtains. Scarf falls from the shout
der of beauty-a shroudl Lights
lowerl Over the slippery boards in
dance of death glide jealousies, dfsap-
pointments, lust, despair. Torn leaves
and withered garlands only half hide
the ulcered feet The stencil of smok-
ing lamp wicks almost quenched.
Choking damps. Chilliness. Feet still.
Hands folded. Eyes shut. Voices
hushed Lights out!