The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-06-30
IN TOUCH.

we owe the richness of our words
Men watch the tender grass of the
field that to-day is. and tomorrow is
cast into the oven. and by it interpret
the shortness of life; they watch the
mighty rushing of the waters, that
bear before them all obstacles, and
carve for themselves channels from
out the hardest beds of earth, and there-
in they recognize the force OF anlbi-
ton
Night after night they behold the
BRILLIANT stars, steadfastly burning
through the darkness, and straightway
they deem them fit emblems of inn
mortality. Thus by learning the subtle
laws which govern The material uni
verse. they trace the resemblance be-
tween il and the spiritual world, and
therefore conclude that both sprang
from the same vast mind; hence, the
origin and the strength Of fgurative
language.
Now then. fit is necessary that man
should appreciate the deeper meaning
of visible nature in order to be great
poet, or a great teacher, 1t is ten times
more necessary that he should be
in touch with the heartbeat Of humans
ty before deringto portray it. Thus,
he shonld actually feel the throhhing
pulse OF the age in which he lives, IN
order to pass judgment on its moral
temperature; and to decide whether it
be feverish and eScitabIe, dull and
phlegmatic; or whether it be vigorous
and full of health.
By this means, he viii be enabled to
entertain and uplift the masses OF men
/ that do not care at all for distractions,
and that are influenced only by those
writer's that paint pictures of common
place lives and characters; pictures
that are easily understood
Indeed, it is through sympathy alone,
that we receive all pleasure. For in
stance: The young enjoy the spring
time, for they are in touch with its
Joyous. ripening beauty. 10 them,
the soft. shifting, pearl tinted clouds
that constantly break into new shapes,
the stirring Of the forest leaves and the
fleeting shadows on the ground, are
like their own fair dreams of the far
off mystic future. And on the same
principle, are storm-clouds, dark and
convulsive. apositive relief to hearts
in anguish.
The cry of OtheIlo, after he has
smotherea Desie mona. voices this Fee
| ing. He turns from ..the tragic load
ing Of the murdered girls bed and
says:
ooh insupportable! Oh heavy hourl
/ Methinks It should be, now. a huge eclipse
4 or sun and moon, and that the aIrightes
globe,
Should yawn at alteration y
For him whose nature has suffered
shock to its foundation. the placit
stars and the calm of the midnlgh
: stiffness are torture.
There should, by virtue of God
sympathy, be in the heavens "a hug
eclipse of sun and moon. y
Darkness over the soul of the man
!; and darkness over the face of the dee
lit is, in truth, an awful, awful cry
! However, IL is not the contact wit
| books, but the meeting with our tie
! low beings that best makes Us reallz
+ the importance of congeniality. w
j have all noticed. with wonder, ho'
: quickly some persons understan
y each Others character. For Instance
: two men have wandered separated,
= through the misty vale OF religion
t thought and speculation. They me'
It on the open plain of social life. Il
II stantly, they see each other, symp'
n thy is established between then
# Their hand-clasp. like that of seer
8, fraternity, proves them to be brother
g. Both have .'faced the spectres OF I'll
n mind, and therefore can. alike. a.
II preciate the nobility of spiritual tt
d umphs and the pathos Of hard-wrtI
= defeats They are soldiers that ha'
Q, fought on the same DIM battle fiel
II They are comrades.
Nov, the truth is, to be in touC
'e with the lives OF those around us,
o to be interested and happy; wherea
1. a lack of sympathy Is al'cays the caat
g.. Of cynicisas.
II AS a matter of fact, any actie
j. whatsoever, whose spirit IS ignore
le appears ridiculous and unworthy
sr To those people that consider VOL
b to be, ..the be-all and the end-all."
J; existence, gaiety is bat a hollow fare
D. In the midst of the widest scenes !
If merriment. they ever see staikin
,r the hideous skeleton of sin. that max
g. tho ft;vofitics seeyn like ss)auce