Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-18

4ta&aFa x2--s On = uSLt Ivpr WY
hundred years. but there Is growing
feeling among grownup men who own
pianos and WAC keep them In repair, and
xho get nothing ia return bat poor play
ing, perpetual practice anu Apologies
Mar they viii senas day unite AID de-
uaad sonic other instrument. Some day
tne piano viii follow the aquarium. with
ITS sour crumbs on top and Us gasping
little goldfish dying OF mslnafrition at
the bottom. and they will 60 hand IN
hand into the great st4rless night OF OBJ
livion.
With this statement l bid adieu To
good society and become a great coarse
outlaw: also glad OF it and defiant.
Finally Madeline got started. with .
uaonthfui OF popcorn, and played Bona
parties March All looked around
proudly 10 sec If the other guests at the
hotel were paasing. awed and elevated.
In the halls and corridors OF the hotel.
but they We're not. Only one town
lady" halted near the parlor and looked
ct Madeline with a steady gaze and said:
''Hum, Oh. yes; she is one Of the
crowd from Smear Kase. Come down to
see the 'opry.'" And she passed by ON the
other side.
They were a gentle, simple, happy
crowd, and you could see by the sly way
they joked about the rough road and
how Herman had to hold Grace in the
seat to keep her from falling out," and
all those little jokes, that the ''opry" was
only an excuse for coming, and that it
was very small part of the entertain
nent.
! sometimes wish, looking on such
fresh aud beautiful. kindly JOY and =
digestion which only asks for employ
ment, that could be placed back there
for a week to forget the glimpses OF the
sad and the bad of this world, which have
been the reward of my curiosity.
would not care to so back to Smear
Kase and remain the balance of my life,
but could manage somehow for week.
On, to shuck this false and artificial
society life that lead. with its assumed
gayety; its rich apparel by day and pa
jamas at night; its rich victuals sAree
times day and the widening of our
circle Of acquaintance, thus giving one
more people to be jealous of and to strive
to initiate.
Sometimes wish that was back there
at Smear Kase, o hungry boy eating
everything could overtake, from gal
Ion of preserves to corn in the ear. But
would have ahead Of me the whacks and
stumbles and jolts of maturing years!
would have to learn again to use to-
bacco! That makes me content to stay
where ! am. would have to run again
] for the legislature. The elephant has to
be seen, even if he step thoughtlessly on
us while we are looking at him.
Vain was the man. and false rs vain, who said
Were he to live his long career OF life again
| He'd do as he had done.
! Iquote the above from Sanders Fourth
Reader. We acculd not do as we have
done, and yet that is what we would
have done. Each of rs is placed here
for purpose. Weakly we wander on,
not knowing what that purpose is any
more than the carrier dove knows, when
she speeds homeward in obedience to hel
own blind wish to be back in the cool
shade of her home, that she bears with
her a message Of war or peace, of love
or defiance, to break the hearts of mil.
lions or to thrill with joy a Thousand
souls. We are as ignorant of the great
policy of heaven as the average voter is
of the ultimate success of the tariff
tinker.
And so watch sadly from across the
hall the playing of Madeline on the &C
cursed old rosewood feed cutter, the de-
mon of unrest with the CHASTITY smile
among its white and black keys looking
out at you like the smile you see in g
dentists show window where teeth Car
be bought as low as four dollars per set
viii she be buxom wife in Smear
Kase, following the customs of her neigh
borhood, spanking the golden butter and
six or seven boys into shape? Or will she
be the wife of a rich merchant or the
leader of some great movement? / dc
not know what she will be. only know
what she wiA not be. She will not be q
musician of any kind whatever.
By and by they all go to the ''opry." Il
is not quite what they thought it was
being more quiet and subtitle. and as
heard man about town ct Fostoris
sag, "the persirnmons were little too
high for their pole"