The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-16
WOOD UP.

"The young people Of today" said the old
squire. "can have no idea Of the difficulties
and dangers of travel fifty years ago. l re-
member journey that I made in 1885 from
Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania. to New Or
leans. My chance Of success in an import
ant undertaking depended upon my reaching
New Orl, ans before certain day.
sit was then late in November. The cold
was becoming intense. The Ohio river was
full of large blocks of floating ice. aud there
seemed to be imminent danger that the
channel would close over before we could
reach the Mississippi. If it should do so, there
was no chance Of my reaching New Orleans
by land. Tracts of unbroken wilderness in
tervened, and the storms were frequent and
heavy.
"'Can we make it, captain p asked, as I
on the deck, watching the wheel labori-
ously ploughing its way through the masses
of ice.
al don't know, SIR he said. The chan
mel is nearly closed. If We can cut our way
through to warmer water today, we are safe,
but the ice Is making fast. Every minute
counts
IL was trembling with excitement Ny
future largely depended on the progress Of
this numbering old boat. She seemed to me
to creep, to crawl, finally, she stood still.
"The wheel was deliberately reversed.
The boat quivered ran to shore, stopped.
II leaped to the edge Of the deck. The
pilot stood idle, the captain and clerk joked
leisurely together.
"'What has happened? I shouted. why
do you stop? I am ruined if you do not 90
on
":We are wooding up calmly said the
wheelmau. Taking on fuel
"The black deck hands below were throw
ing the wood to the boat from heap on
shore, accompanying their motions with
slow, melancholy chant.
Il grew wild with impatience. I counted
each lost minute as step towsrd disaster.
"The boat started again in half an hour,
but twice that night it stopped TO wood up
each time, as thought, losing ground hope
lessly. But when morning came she steamed
triumphantly out of the caking ice into free
water and had passed on our way two boats
lying caught among the icy hummocks.
"'They had no: fuel enough to keep their
engines going said the captain. They
wouldn't stop at the last station-thought
thew could make it. In run like this, you
have got to make haste slowly if you want to
win
II oflen think Of the captains saying,
when see ambitious young people starting
on their run for life. They're too anxious,
too eager. They are not willing to stop to
take on fuel.
"When see lad growing thin and yell
low over his books, making haste to win his
honors at college or his degree in profess
sion feel like saying to him, Lay by! Play
ball-walk-sleep! You're burning up the
fuel in your body; take on more.
ssOr when see a'middle-aged man driving
night and day at one idea-buSiness or book
writing, or even preaching-I think, You're
using up all your fuel. Stop. Go out among
other men. Take in fresh ideas, fresh emo
tions-make haste slowly
More than all. when see men who pro-
fess to be Christians, living with no other in
struction for their daily life than that Of
weekly sermon, want to say to them, You
must take in fuel. Read your Bible. Do
not omit prayer. You cannot make spirit
uaI progress simply with good intentions.
Wood up, or the motive power will die out,
and the better life stop midway in It's
heavcnward journey-frozen in the ice!''--
Youths Companion.