The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1894-03-01
MUST FACE DANGERS.
THUS OUR SOULS GROW AND OUR
MISSIONS ARE FULFILLED.

was launched from Its docks with hour-
ish of music and flowing WINE, ouiIt TO
sail the toughest and deepest sea, yet
manned for an unendlng cruise along
shore? Never leaving harhor Tor dread
of storm. Never swinging OUT oil the
land grit bay because. over the par the
waters were deep ana rough. 1ou
would say OF such snip that us captain
was coward and the company that
built it were fouls.
And yet these souls OF ours We're
fashioned for bottonless soundlngs.
There is no created thing that draws
as deep as the soul OF man; our he lies
straight across the ocean ana NOT aloh9
shore, but we are AFRAID TO venture; we
hang upon the coast ana explore shai-
low lagoons or swing at ahchof III lule
bays. Some OF It's strike lne Keel INTO
riches and cruise about therenn' IKE
men-ot-war IN narrow river. some Oh
US are contented All our days 10 rue at
anchor IN the pecaiiiled waters Oh seil-
ISL ease. llere are guns at every port
hole OF the snip we SAIL put we use
them tor pegs to hahS clothes upon OF
plEeonholes TO stack luil OIL ldie hours.
We shall never smell powder although
the magazine Is stocked with holy wrath
WhereWlth TO heh' the ueVii anu MS
deeds. When see man stroilihs along
at his ease, while under MS very nose
some brute Is 1haitreauhg MORSE or
some coward venting MS lghoole "ra'h
upon creature more helpless tial Ne
whether II be chlld OF DOG. liNoiuh-
tarlly tnlnk OF double decked whaler
content To iish Tor mlnnoWs. lhelr
nselessness IN the world Is more appar-
ent than the uselesSness OF Cunarder
IN park pond.
What did God give you muscle and
girth and brain for If not TO launch you
on the high seas: Up and away with
you then into the deep soundlngs where
you belong, O belittled soul. Find
the work to do tor which you were mt
ted and do it, or else run yourself on
the first convenient snag and founder.
Some great writer has SAID that we
ought to begin life as at the source OF a
river, growing deeper every league to
the sea, whereas, in fact, thousands
enter the river at its mouth and sail
inland finding less and less water ev-
cry day, until in old age they lie shrunk
and gasping upon dry ground.
But there are more who do not sail
at all than there are Of those who make
the mistake of sailing up stream. There
are the women who devote their lives
to the petty business of pleasing worth
less men. What progress do they make
even inland! With sails set and brassy
stanchions polished to the similitude of
gold, they hover Il lifetime chained to
dock and decay of their own useless
ness at last, like keels that are mud
slugged. 1t is not the most profitable
thing in the world to please. Suppose 1t
shall please the inmates of bedlam
house to see yon set fire to your clothing
and burn u death, or break your bones
one by one upon rack, or otherwise
destroy your bodily parts that the poor
lunatics might be entertained. Would
it pay to be pleasing to such an audi
ence at such a sacrifice: we were put
INTO this world with IA clean way bill
for another port than this Across the
ocean OF life our way lies, straight to
the hafpor OF the city oI gold' we are
freighted with consignment from
roomage hold to keep which Is bound
10 be delivered sooner or iater AT tne
great Master wharf, Let US DE alert,
then, 10 recognize the Seriousness OF our
own destlnles ana content ourselves no
longer with shallow sonhdlilSs' spread