Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-13


locked by the law Of gravitation with
other worlds that they viii go too, aud
so far from having our memory perpet-
mated by monument Of Aber-
deem granite In this worlo
there is no world in sight
of our strongest telescope that will be
sure pediment for any slab Of commem-
GRAFTON Of the fact that we ever lived or
died at all. Our earth is struck with
death. The axle-tree Of the constella-
tions will break and let down the popu-
lations of other worlds. Stellar, lunar,
solar mortality. Oblivion! IL can
swallow and will swallow whole galaxies
OF werlds as easily as a crocodile takes
dOWd a frog.
Yet oblivion does not remove or swat
low ANYTHING that had better not be re-
moyed or swallowed. The old monster
is welcome 20 his meal. This world
would long ago have been overcrowded
II not for the merciful removal OF
nations aud generations. What II all
the books had lived that were ever
written and printed and published.
The libraries would by their immensely
have.
OBSTR UCTED INTELLIGENCE
and made all research impossible. The
fatal epidemic OF books was merciful
endemic. Many Of the State and
national Libraries to-day are only
morRues. in which dead books are wait
ing for someone 10 come aud recognize
them. What if all the people that had
been born were still alive? We would
have been elbowed by our ancestors OF
ten centuries ago, and people Whoought
20 have said their last word three thou-
sand years ago would snarl at US, say
ing: what are you doing hereY
There would have been no room to turn
around. Some Of the past generations
OF mankind were not worth remember
ing. The first useful thing that many
people did was 20 die; their cradle
misfortune and their grave boon. rms
world was hardly a comfortable place
10 live in before the middle OF the last
century. So many things have come
into the world that were not fit TO stay
in. we ought TO be glad they
were put out. The waters OF
Lethe, the fountain OF torget1ul-
ness, are heilthful draught. The
history we have Of the world in ages
past is always one sided and cannot be
depended on. History is fiction Illus
trated by few struggling facts. In all
the Pantheon the weakest goddess IS
Clio, the goddess of History, and In
stead OF being represented 0y sculptorS
as holding a scroll, might better be rep
resented as limping on crutches. Faith
full history is saving d few things out OF
more things lost. The immortality that
comes from pOmD aud obSeQuies, or
granite shaft, or building named after
it's founder, or page Of recognition In
some encyclopaedia is an immortality
IN worthy OF ones ambition, for it will
cease, ana is no immortality at all. OBJ
liyion A hundred years. But while l
recognize this universal submergence OF
things earthly, who wants to be forgot
ten? Not one Of US. Absent for few
weeks or months from home, it cheers
rs 10 know that we are remembered
there. Iii a phrase we have all pro-
nounced: II hope you missed me-"
Meeting some friends from whom we
have
BEEN PARTED MANY YEARS,
we enquire: Did you ever see me be-
iore?" aud they say, eyes, and call US
by name, and we feel a delightful SEN
sation thrilling through their hand into
our hand, aud running up from elbow
to shoulder, and then parting, the one
current of delight ascending to the
brow and the other descending to the
foot, moving round and round in con-
centric circles until every nerve and
muscle and capacity of body and mind
aud soul Is permeated with delight. A
few days ago, visiting the place OF my
bOyhOOd, met one whom / had not seen
since we PLAYED together at ten years Of
age, and had peculiar pleasure in puz-
/ cling him little as 10 who | was, aud
can hardly describe the sensation, as,
after awhile, he stumbled out: "Let me
see. Yes, you are Dewitt" We all
/ like TO be remembered.
Now, l have TO tell you that this OBJ
/ liyion Of which 1 have spoken has it de-
4 feats, aud that there is no more reason
I why we should not be distinctly and
/ wildly and gloriously remembered live
| hundred million billion trillion'Quadril-
/ lion ouintillion years from now, than
/ that we should be remembered six
weeks. / am going to tell you how the
thing can be done and will be done,
We may build this everlasting re-
| mem brance," as the text styles il, into
I the supernal existence of those 10 whom
/ we do kindnesSeS in this world. You
must remember that this lnfrm and
/ treacherous faculty which we now call
I memory is in the future state to be COM
/ Dlete and perfect. Everlasting re-
/ membrancer' Nothing will slip the
/ stout grip Of that celestial faculty. Did
I YOU help q widow pay her rent? Did
/ YOU find for that man released from priS-
/ on place 70 get honest work? Did you
/ pick up d child, fallehon the cnrbstone,
/ and by a stick OF candy put in his hand
stop the hurt on
HIS SRATCHED KNEE?
| Did you assure q business man, swamp
I ed by strlngency of the money market,
| that times would after awhile be better?
! Did you lead a Magdslen Of the street
\ into a midnight mission, where the
Lord said to her: Neither do l con-
I denim thee. Go, and sin no more?'
/ Did you tell man, clear discouraged
/ in his waywsrdness, and hopeless in
plotting suicide, that for him was near
! by a LAYER, In which be might wash,
and a coronet OF eternal blessedness he
might wearP What are epitaphs in
graveyards, what are eulogiums in pres
] ence OF those whose breath is in their
l noStrils, what are unread biographies
/ In the alcoves of a city library, COM
pared with the imperishable records you
I have made In the illumined memoir
! les Of those TO whom you did such kind
nesses2 Forget them? They cannot
/ forget them. Notwithstanding all their
| might and spleudOr. there are some