The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-09-28
THE BLANK COLUMN.

1t was last Wednesday, one OF the
hottest days we have had this year.
Soft aud fair lay the dust five feet
deep in the middle of the road. BY
way of diversion, took walk. |
On passing the BID. Office l called in |
the window, will have the article BY
~ o'clock then went on my way re-
joicing in the filmy clond of dust just
raised by team. When returning at
one o'clock / again passed the office
and said, "Am sorry. bat haven't writ
ten the article, its too hot" The
publisher looked dismayed. But what
am to dop l have left for you u
blank column and now its too late for
me to fill it, he said. At this prom
issd to ..make up something and
went home.
II have left for You a blank col
umn." What a fine text it is! A
blank column, one in which you may
write whatsoever you viii. whether it be
of good or evil import; blank col
unln on which you may inscribe words
soothing and strengthening. or words
sarcastic and cruel, but on which you
must write something. | thought OF
| the white sheet lying there, and the
truth that 1--WE are always and ever
| our own Judges came to me with q
force it has has never had before
The column is blank. 1t is indiffer-
T emit and negative; only ready to receice;
not actively to affect. You alone are
the responsible party, but the thoughts
put on this clean sheet will be always
a plea for or against you. what is
+ writ, is WRIT, and time and eternity
cannot eface the careless words l
thought of that, and then [ thought OF
how few times in life there lies be-
fore Us a blank column; a new sheet,
on which we can inscribe whatsoever
We will. For the most part OF our
, childhood. other people write on our
. columns; our duties, our pleasures, our
aims, are more or less prescribed for
us. and so the leaves of childhood bear
marks OF other hands rather than our
3 own. However, after this. there soon
a comes time when there lies before us
a page white and clear, and on 1t we
can inscribc the characters we will.
The first of such pages ia woman's
life is turned on her graduation day
After the diploma has been given her
/. she leaves the alma mater with tend
. err appreciation for all the days and
I nights of eager study, and for all the
assistance. intellectual and spiritua
which she has received. In some din
a way. she knows when the doors of The
r dear school close upon her, they shu
1 out forever the soft, rich gloom OF ths
n life lived in the records OF the past
3 She knows she leaves behind her for
a ever the life devoted altogether, K
y acknowledgment She knows this
: and great tenderness comes into be-
. heart when she thinks of some
3 one friend, some teacher, most prob
ably, whom she remembers to hav'
ever strengthened, ever comforted
# ever guarded her.
! Attic same time her heart beats higf
n with the feeling, that in little whil'
4 she will enter the great world. the yea
world; that there she will see mate
realized the beautiful dreams that hav'
been drifting through her mind, al
during toe school days, the dreams o
helpfulness and nobility and sympathy
e.i And then, in truth. what q gloriou
thing it proves to be, this first out
: look into the great world! The thrill
= of congenial companionship; the assur
le ance that men and women are reall.
- noble albeit their faults are number
less; the assurance that the race o
" men and women with fire-tonche
, hearts OF eloquence and martyr power
N endurance. is not neurological race
A. What joy it is to the young gin
graduate when she sees lying fair be
fore her, the unsullied column 9
womanhood!
q. Again, there comes such JOY as this
only infinitely more deep and prayer
full into the heart of the bride, rs sh
at kneels, white robed at the marriag
alter and sees, stretching before be
to the grave the blanched Co
,! umn of welded life.
It, And then the same consecrated fee
.lll ing touches deep, albeit silently th
heart of the woman who first enters III
on some great life work. May be it. sh
/, trembles slightly when rememberin
how, on those other pages, she mad
y so many weary, faitcring character
>, and dreadful, dreadful bots: may /
a it she longs to '.raze out the write
~ tablet Of the brain" and feels MOI
: ere yet the struggle las begun; neYe
theiess there is real hope lett I.
Is knows bnt from her vegy mistakes an
q failures she may not draw the strene'
L. which teaches her. ..Do rot denen
m too mitch on yonr own rosEsss. !
q are pitiably weak though yoia ms
% not think it. But there is Oh
stronger than aught else in the va