The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-01-17


you then into the deep soundings where
you belong, . belittled soul! Find
the work to do for which you were fit
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
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 net 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 lifetime chained to
dock and decay of their own useless
ness at last, like keels that are mud
slugged. It is not the most profitable
thing in the world to please. Suppose 1t
shall please the inmates of a bedlam
house to see yon set fire toyour clothing
and burn to 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 clean way bill
for another port than this. Across the
ocean of life OUT way lies, straight to
the harbor of the city Of gold. We are
freighted with a consignment from
roomage hold to keep which is bound
to be delivered sooner Or later at the
great Masters wharf. Let US be alert,
then, to recognize the seriousness Of our
own destinies and content ourselves no
longer with shallow soundings. Spread
the sails, weigh the anchor and point
the Prov for the country that lies the
other side of a deep and restless sea.
Sooner or later the voyage must be made;
let us make it, then, while the timber
is stanch and the rudder true.
When you look at picture and find
it good or bad, as the case may be, whom
do you praise or blame, the owner Of
the picture or the artist who painted it:
When you hear a strain Of music and
are either lifted to heaven or cast into
the other place by its harmonies OF its
discord, whom do you thank or curse
for the benefaction or the inf1lct1on,
whichever it may have proved to be,
the man who wrote the score or the mu-
sic dealer who sold it? You go to
restaurant and order spring chicken
which turns out to be the primeval fowl.
Who is to blame, the waiter who serves
it or the business man Of the concern
who does the marketing? And so when
you encounter the bad boy, whom do
you hold responsible for his badness,
the boy himself or the mother who
trained him? declare, as look about
me from day to day and see the men
and women who play so poor part in
life, it is not the poverty Of their per-
formance that astonishes me SO much
as the fact that it is as good as it is.
With the parents that many boys and
girls have and the training they receive
| am perfectly amazed that they ever
attain to even half way respectability.
Did you ever stop to think, l wonder,
what an awful responsibility is laid
upon you with every child given to
your home: If you appreciate the risk
and take the responsibility l shouldn't
think You would find much time for
other callings. A man who is drawing
up the plans for new house attends to
his business closely and doesn't go OF
on many picnics or sail over seas in
pursuit Of pleasure while his plans are
pending. A man who has entered a
young horse for the Derby spends most
OF his time training the colt. he doesn't
loaf about town or read novels or lie
abed late; be is alert and on hand it he
expects to win the race. Carelessness
and Indifference never brought win
ming horse under the wire yet.-Amber
in Chicago Herald.