The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-28
SOMETHING GREEN.

Ah'G hNii 10 tiidl ldlAtfASf Api the rest
Of their eyes, have a screen Of baize
close to their canvas. Everyone sees the
wisdom Of that. 1t but follows the teach
Ing Of nature that covers the earth with
grass that refreshes us when we cast
down our eyes for thoughtful rest; and
that clothes the trees with a bright,
though serious verdure, 10 meet us as we
a little lift up our looks; that sobers and
softens us in the midst Of the fiery strug-
giles Of life. Chances mock, and changes
fill the cup Of alteration with divers
colors Natures fayorite color is beauti-
full, delicious green, with almost a thou
sand tints, from the delicate young leaf
to the deep, dark, greenness Of the mag
nola.
Ardor flash, brilllancy. striking hues
prevail in the open world; and right after
them, and with them. comes wearine.s.
and almost pain; and next wear and
whitening and vexation Of spirit. The
green grass that goes all through the
season tells the tale Of progress from
morning to evening. from young life TO
death. from the freshness Of the green
TO the fading, whitening, drying hay
that is not worth the gathering. And the
green Is the color that stands for life
and lasts longest The flowers come and
go, but the steady green only changes
its degree till tine fall; then the scene
closes, and death relgns
He is a happy man 70 whom the way
Of life, before It is fairly begun. does
not become STALE fiat and Improbable,
its very best things threadbare and play
ed out. Vicissltudes that we all so com
plain Of, cups and downs" are the alb
solutely necessary things 20 keep life from
becoming utterly intolerable. Plenty OF
money, no poor kin. nothing to do. moth
ing 10 fear, nothing TO look forward 20.
the only care 10 find some idle recreation,
or show, or amusement. Why this is
the high dead level OF infinite ennui and
disgust, absolutely devoid Of the necessary
conditions of vigor and manhood. That
is the Siberia 10 which idle, selfish peo-
pie are consigned by nature; the desolate
region OF safety. And 1t IS in that waste
that there is nothing green. The merry
go-round loses all its gayety and
becomes hopeless. dry desert;
add a bad conscience. and its heavens
are iron. its earth brass.
The difference between Egypt and the
Promised Land was, that by the over
fiowings of the Nile and irrigation the
people Of Egypt were very sure of their
seasons and crops. They had no changes,
therefore they feared not God. The Land
Of Promise was one Of brooks and rivers
Of water that sometimes ran very low.
almost dried up; but the land received its
water from the rains Of heaven. II was
a land constantly dependent on the AL
mighty II was one that the Lord God
cared for; therefore felt its dependence
on him, and lived on his favor. Egypt
felt safe from changes, therefore wor-
shipped all sorts Of absurdities. A steady,
dry, unchanging, careless and fearless
life. fixed in its conventionalities and
forms and ruts and luxuries and vanities
is almost uncomfortable. That life Graves,
starves for something green, something
fresh, something natural, something a
little out of the wretched sameness Of
an easy life. A fellow from the country.
awkward and unsophisticated, as green
as grass" the very opposite Of the So
cie;y man, is a high luxury; an honest,
frank. natural. well-behaved man, that
does as he pleases. is delicious. Men
and women that feed only on the dried
grass Of society, fits set forms and COM
mon-place art and literature. shop furni-
ture. shop goods. canned food. get worse
and worse They dry and die.
The punishment Of the wicked is that
he shall be like a heath in the desert
in a parched land, and uninhabited. The
blessings of a true. natural life are given
in the words OF the prophet Il will be as
the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as
the lily and cast forth his roots as Lee
banon. His branches shall spread, and
his beauty shall be as the olive tree. and
his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell
under his shadow shall return: they
shall revive as the corn and grow as the
vine; the scent thereof shall be as the
wine of Lebanon" What a refreshing
picture.
CONVENTION OR PRIMARY