The Red Cloud chief., 1891-04-03

TO dress themselves They say. '.ths
furnace has just zone out when IN
truth they have had no FIRE in IL al
winter. They apologize for the un'
usual ~barrcnness of their table wher
they never live any better. They decry
their most luxurious entertainments q
win a shower of approval
They apologize for their appearance,
as though Il were unusual, when always
at home they look Just 10. They would
make you believe that some nice sketch
On the wall was the work Of q master
painter. 1T was an heirloom, and once
duke gare IL TO their grandfather"
When the f.ct Is. the painting was
made 10y n man down east" and
baked. 80 as % make il look old. and
sold with others for $40 a dozen. Pco-
pie who viii lie about nothing else will
lie about 4 picture. On a small income
we must make the world believe tina;
we are aflnent and our life becomes a
cheat, a counterfeit and a sham
Few persons are really natural. When
] say this, ] do not mean 20 slur cult
ured manners II is RICH: that We
should have more admiration for the
sculptGred marble than for the un-
known block Of the quarry. From
many circles in life i~nsiaccrity has
driven ont ~vivacity and enthusiasm. A
frozen dignity instead floats about the
room, and iceberg grinds against ice
berg. You must not laugh outright: il
j. vulgar. You must smile. You must
not Cash rapidly across thc room: you
must glide. There is a round Of bows,
and grins, and batteries. and Os, and
abs. and sirnperinC. and nambypaInby-
isgn-a world of which j. not worth one
good, round peal of laughter. From
such a hollow round the tortured guest
~retires al the close OF the evening and
assures his host that he has enjoyed
himself
What u round Of insinccriti.s many
people run in order 10 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.
Compare the life and death Of such q
one with that of some Christian aunt
who was once a blessing 10 your house.
hold. ! do not know hat she was ever
offered the hand in marriage. She lived
single, that untrammeled she might lie
evcrybody's blessing. Whenever the
sick were to be visited or the poof 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 a little sharp. but
for the most part auntic was a sun-
beam-just the one for Christmas eve.
She knew better than any one else how
u 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 Frandcst notion
she ever had was 10 make you happy.
She dressed well-huntie always
dressed well; but her highest adorn-
ment was that of a meek and quiet
spirit, which in the sight of God is of
great price. When she died you all
gathered lovingly about her, and as you
carried her u u rest the Sunday
school class almost covered the coffin
with ~japonicas aud the poor people
stood at the end of the alley with their
aprons 10 their eyes, sobbing bitterly,
and the man Of the world said with
Solomon: Her price was above rubics;"
and Jesus, rs unto the maiden in Judca
commanded. Il say unto thee arise"
But 10 many through .nsinceri.y this
life Il n masquerade ball As at such
entertainments gentlemen and ladies
appear in the dress of kings or queens,
mountain bandits or clowns. and at the
close of the dance throw off their dis
guises, so. in this dissipatcd life, all I'M
clean passions move in mask. Across
the floor they trip mcrrily. The lights
sparkle along the wall or drop from the
cohort Of fire, The music
charms The diamonds glitter. The
feet bound. Gemmed hands stretched
clash gcmmcd hands Dancing feet
respond 10 dancing feet. Cleaning
brow bends to cleaning brow. On with
the dance. Flash and rustic and Laughter
and immeasurble merry-making. But
the languor Of death comes over the
limbs and blurs. the sight Lights
Floor hollow with sepulchral
echo. Music saddcns into IA wall.
Lights lower! The maskcrs can hardly
be seen. Flowers exchange their
for n sickening odur. such As
comes from garlands that have lain in
vaults of cemeteries Lights lower!
Mists fill the room. Glasses rattle as
though shaken by sullcn thunder.
signs seem caught among the curtains.
Scarf falls from the shoulder of beauty
shroud' Lights lower. Over the
boards, in dance of death. glide
jcalousies. disappointments, lust de-
spair. Torn leaves and wi;hered gar
lands only half hide the ulcered feet
The stencil Of smoking lamp wicks
quenched. Choking damps
Chilliness- Feet still Hands folded
Eyes shut. Voices hushed- Lights out.