Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-08-31


goodness could have mixed this beyer'
ace of water, or hung up these brackets
Of stars. or trained these voices OF rlll
and bird and ocean, so that God has
but to lift his hand, and the whole
world breaks forth into orchestra But,
after all, it is only the splendors OF a
kings highway, over which we are to
march on to eternal conQuests.
no Rest.
You and have seen mon who tried
TO rest here. They builded themselves
great stores. They gathered around
them the patronage Of merchant princes
The voice of their bid shook the money
markets They had stock i'll the most
successful railroads and in safety de-
posits" great rolls Of government Sc
curities. They had emblazoned car
riages, high melted steeds, tootmen'
Mate that COMPOUNDED lords and sena-
tors who sat at their tables, tapestry on
which floated the richest designs OF Tor
eign looms, splendor Of canvas on the
walls. exquisiteness Of music rising
among pedestals Of bronze and drop
ping. soft as light, on snow OF sculpture.
Here let them rest. Put back the en-
broidered curtain and shake up the pill
low of down. Turn out the lights. is
II o'clock at night. Let slumber drop
upon the eyelids and the air float
through the half opened lattice drowsy
with midsummer perfume. Stand back,
all care anxiety and trouble. But, no,
they will not stand back. They rat
file the lattice. They look under the
canopy. With rough touch they startle
his pulses. They cry out at II O'Clock
at night: Awake, mani How can you
sleep when things are so uncertain:
What about those stocks? Hark to the
tan of that firebelll 1t is your district
How if YOU should die soon: Awake,
mani Think Of it! Who will get your
property when you are gone? What will
thew do with it? Wake up! Riches
sometimes take wingsl How If you
should get poor? Wake upi" Rising on
one elbow, the man Of fortune looks out
into the darkness Of the room and wipes
the dampness from his forehead and
says, "Alas, for all this scene OF wealth
and magnifcence-no restP'
1 passed down q street Of a city with
q merchant. He knew all the finest
houses on the street. He said: 'There
is something the matter in all these
houses. In that one it is conjugal infellc-
itv; in that one, q dissipated son; IN
that. a dissolute father; in that, an
idiot child; in that, the prospect OF
bankruptcy. This worlds wealth can
give no permanent satisfaction. This Is
not your rest.
Fame Is n Vapor.
You and have seen men try in an
other direction. A man says. IF l
could only rise to such and such place
of renown; if I could gain that Office; if
I could only get the stand and have my
sentiments met with one good round
of hand clapping applause; if 1 could
only write a book that would live, or
make a speech that would thrill, or do
an action that would resound!' The
tide turns in his favor. His name is on
10000 lips. He is bowed to and sought
after and advanced. Men drink his
health at great dinners. At his fiery
words the multitudes huzza. From gal
leries of beauty they throw garlands'
From housetops, as he passes in long
procession, they shake out the national
standards Here let him rest. 1t IS ii
o'clock OF night. On pillow stuffed
with a nations praise let him lie down.
Hush, all disturbant voicesl In his
dream let there be hoisted throne, and
across it march a coronation Hush,
hushl "Wake up" says a rough voice.
political sentiment is changing. How
if you should lose this place of honor:
Wake up The morning papers are to
be full of denunciation. Hearken to the
excavations of those who once caressed
you! By tomorrow night there will be
multitudes sneering at the words which
last night you expected would be uni
versally admired. How can yon sleep
when everything depends upon the next
turn Of the great tragedy? Up, man!
Of Of this pillow" The man, with
head yet hot from his last. Grafton,
starts up suddenly, looks out upon the
night, but sees nothing except the flow
ers that lie on his stand, or the scroll
from which he read his speech, or the
books from which he quoted his author
tiles, and goes to his desk to finish his
neglected correspondence, or to pen an
indignant line to some reporter, or
sketch the plan for public defense
against the assaults Of the people. Hap
by when he got his first lawyers brief,
exultant when he triumphed over his
first political rival, yet, sitting on the
very top Of all that this world offers Of
praise, he exclaims, mo rest, no rest"
From Despair TO Triumph.
The very world that now applauds
will soon hiss. That world said Of the
great Webster: "What statesman
What wonderful exposition Of the con-
stitutionl A man fit for any position. "
That same world said after awhile:
Nnoxvn with HIM He ic an of1oo cppkpr