Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-05-22

In the East there dwelt a man-in the
effete and not the languorOus East Wealth
was his and station power and fame. At
his knock society opened all its doors.
Women Wed to win his smile and all the
world seemed glad and bright for him.
Yet often, in the twilight, in quiet,
thoughtful hours, as the embers cast forth
htful phantoms that played al hide and
seek on the shadow-lattice wall, his soul
turned face TO face with itself ana sighed
for happiness that II did not know
sighed for something truer than the hollow
pomp of pride and purse and place; for
swceter music than ambit!On's siren voice;
for fairer scenes than ,gldei gatherings
of the earth'S bespanSled ones.
This man had been taught that wealth
could buy a happy heart as bauble in the
market; that the worlds best opinion and
even womar's love hung upon the gold a
man might have, upon the mansion that
he lived In, upon the station that he tilled.
All his life he had held this creed and wor-
shiped at this shrine, yet found that men
in other walks of life, lower far than his,
feel; that without money and without price
they drank at fountains whose ripping
music Knocked his thirsty sou! and all his
boards, while his own heart hunsered
So lie left this Eastern land and the old
life behind him--left the smiles Of beauty
TO snare the hearts of others ana left the
rest to win the prizes he had struggled
hard TO gain. And IN a quiet hamlet far
from the great, empty town he cast his
lot and rested and found strange, sweet
peace in simple scenes and simple folk,
man, from the commou common rank;
clad I'm lowly garb and with no dowry but
a heart of gold; untaught in fashions fool
ish lore, but richly learned in gentle deeds
and those who suffered and who mourned
her of ali the wide, wide world he chose
built, a little nest, among the crags and
clouds and rocks Of life, in the sunshine; /;
our human shores 50 high that swift
winged care could not mount up TO it; so
high that sorrow'S strongest pinions flut-
tered beaten in their upward course; so
high that only sweet, immortal love could
rise in swift and happy Night and fold her
wings before that mercy seat-a happy hu-
Ana through the years there walked be-
side him this simple, brave and gentle
her little home above a mansion. a loving
word more than tlattery's sweetest lie
Time ran on and baby fingers touched
his bearded face and baby voices echoed
back the dear, loved tones OF her whom
of all the wide wide world he had chosen,
wooed and won. so he lived In soothing
rest in the holy joy of home and wife and
child and friend, Of hearts made lighter
ana the peace Of gentle deeds, until the
golden tresses turned to gray, Then il
was that the OLD life came ha 10 him
Ike a dream mat he had dreamed, like
faint sounds OF the hunters horn. hut Ions;
ago he had looked about him and had
"The old life told not the truest story of
the soul. The happiness is the real. They
who preach that happiness lies i'm gilded
halls and beauty's smile alone, in pride of
purse and pomp Of station, In births low
vanity and hateful love OF gain; amhi-
TONS fierce unrest; ears that itch for the
worlds applause and hear not the simple
psalms of sweet content; hands stretched
forth to grasp fame's worthless toys and
life none fallen IN; feet that seek life's hot
and crowded highway and shun the ar
bored paths of peace-they who preach
that happiness lieth in these things do
mr.. "a "A
But they who preach that the hearts true
joy lieth in humble walls, so love Is there;
in pride of heart more great than crowns,
birth-they who preach that life's warrior
wreath Is his who oYercomes himself that
life's fadeless bays are placed by loWlv
hands on him who helps another rise:
they who preach that life's true happiness
heth In gentle deeds and sweet content
pound the very gosrel Of the soulp
MAURICE SMILEY.