The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-20
HOPE FOR The FUTURE.
Life Like The Sand.
Ncr York Uer0id.

IF a man lives IN the cONNicllon tiiiit
there is nothing in the future he has
very little to complain Of when the
fine comes for him to be annihilated
because he has had all he expected to
get. IF. however, q man Is promised
another life on what he deems good
authority and makes great sacrifices IN
order to fit himself for it, but is told
when nearing the end that the prom
ise cannot be kept. he is "Of all men
most miserable" 81 Paul was quite
right III declaring that such a dlsap-
pointment overtops all other kinds.
How brief is the span Of human life
II i at best ONLY an isthmus 'twiXt two
bOlndless seas, the past, the future
two eternitieS. Our days and months
and wears 20 by so noislessly that we
scarcely note the footballs OF their com
ing or their going Childhood passes
into youth in the twinkling Of an eye.
A little laughter, an hours play with
few TOYS ana the time arrives when
childish things must be put away.
Youth, exuberant youth, shortly sobers
into manhood A dream or two, a few
castles in the air, feetlng VISION OF
divine possibiIlties then the shoulders
broaden to bear heavier burdens, and
the heart recognizes the graver respon-
eihIIjtics OF life. Manhood changes to
old age like flash of lightning IN a
summer cloud. Some hard work, some
short wears Of earnest toll, some days OF
bitter disappointment, some nights OF
weary weeping, and then the nerves
crow dull. the sight becomes dim. the
SHOWS OF winter are scattered over INC
head. the hopes of earlier days have
either ripcned or withered. The sun
sets. we linger in the twilight for q few
moments and then the night comes
down, in which we can neitho: walk
nor work
You can not lold on to your years,
however strong Your grasp may be.
They Will slip away from you in spite OF
entreatv or menace. When you have
stood on the seashOre you have perhaps
tried to hold a handful of sand What
a useless task it is 1t falls between
your fingers In spite OF your utmost
endcavor. and after awhile, when you
open YOUR hand, only few silvery OF
golden grains are left. SO life escapes
and every present day becomes yes
ter,Iav. The clock ticks the time away
whether YOU are hungry or well iet'
and ihe pendulum swings relentessl,
whether yol, are rich or poor. AM
the same thing says Solomon, ''hal
peneth to all
r., Tho o1,
by the roadside outlives us. The rust
sword that hangs on your library wal
telling Won of the heroic deeds of a fo1
mer generation, will be received b
your children's children after YOU hay
been laid in Your resting place. Th
pell,!c which YOU kick off the sidewall
if it had q tongue, would tell YOU IL
story of this earth when it was IN /
very infancy. more years ago than yOl
imagination can conceive.
The elm. the rusty sword, the wortl
loss pebble have kind of eternal lif
but YOU must die. What marvelol
statement How incredible it seems
Is it not stranger than words can G
press that any thoughtful man shou
a.~ert that the soul is fenced in |
death, and that the road it has travel(
endr at the grave? The body may
atisfied with seventy years. but not Il
mind The souls keen appetite is il
vhctted when it is told that there
nothing more to eat Bodies are ea
IN stated. hut by the time they are. rea'
to drop the soul within them has il
begun TO learn how 20 live. Why tn
should both die at the same momel
Why was the soul made so large,
this life is all? If YOU were told tn
Niagara was made to drive the farme
griStmii for q single day and nOthi
more. YOU could not believe it. If y
were told that q COrliss engine was
vented to move the machinery Viii
makes Il single pin and after that Is
no further use what would YOU sa
Can it then be true that the soul
man will live Just long enough to ii