The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-06-20
THE pRlsoNER,s ONLY HOPE.
How tho Chains of Captivity May Be
Llghtened and Ereedom Gnlhed.

How tho Chains of Captivity May Be
Lightened and Freedom Gained.
From somewhere comes an old story
of prisoner. This man was chained
in cell, bound hand and foot. Scant
motion his chains allowed; he could
scarcely move limb, and his days and
nights he spent in lamenting his miser-
able fate.
His captor sent him broom, with the
message, "Sweep your cell and you
shall be free" Free! The man laughed
scornfully What power had he to
sweep his cell? He could but move his
hands little to and fro.
Came the message again: "Sweep
your cell, and you shall be free De-
spniringly, and with bitter smile, the
man took his broom, and as well as he
could cleared the place at his feet. His
strokes were feeble and uncertain, but
as he swept, To- the chains hung lighter
on his arms! lie moved them more
freely. The long unused muscles be-
gan to work. Longer and longer grew
his strokes, larger and larger the space
he cleared, family and more family he
felt the weight of his fetters. Filled
with wonder and joy he rose slowly to
his feet, and with an almost forgotten
energy walked back and forth, sweep
ing now with glad haste which soon
brought him freedom.
Throughout the world are many such
prisoners-prisoners none the less that
! the walls of their cells are invisible, and
to the eyes of others the captives walk
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open sky. We are bound fast and sure,
and by chains which encircle our bodies
and souls more firmly than bands of
| iron. Some times the chains have been
forged by love, and we would not break
them if we could, for when we try, they
cut into our hearts as knife, and lib
erty purchased with bleeding heart is
dearly bought sometimes they are
forged by circumstances whose chains
are light and slender, but strong
sometimes by necessity, whose bondage
is hard and sore. sometimes by fear OF
ridicule: often, how very often, by oul
own reluctance and procrastination
These are the hardest of all to break
They may stretch, but afterward they
tighten the more, and though prone tC
the earth, we mourn our incapacity, We
lose daily the strength to break tn,
chains which daily drag more and mor
heavily Our virtue is gone, we cry
Why mock us with hopes we can never
realize? Let us lie here until we die.
Grant that the power to sweep thu
whole cell is gone. What then? Can
not we move little to and fro? Enough
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brush away a trihe of the dust which
clouds our eyes, that more light may
fall through. 1t is true we may neve
do the great deeds of which we one,
dreamed. Few are the blessed hands t.
whom it is given to sweep broad path
where the feet of others may walk Sc
curely; but the spot, though small anc
cramped, to which we are chained
might be made purer and brighter be
cause it is we who are chained there.
And as we strive-who can tell
may be a strange strength will stir il
our urlong-fettered limbs mystical grac
may rest on the determined effort t.
break the bonds of lifelong repres
sion. 1t may be that the strokes vii
; grow stronger and drawer That wide
and wider may become the circle w
can reach. 1t might even be that some
where, perhaps near, perhaps afar off
a prisoner as hopeless and desolate a
ever we have felt will see the struggle
and into his heart it will put fres
courage For every prisoner who sit
to-day grieving silently his wasted car
tivity, his forlorn helplessness, there
a message; Sweep that way lies free
domn'-iarper's Bazar