The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
A PLEA FOR BEAUTY.

Perhaps in your reading you may
have come across this anecdote:
There were two brothers. country
lads, who lived upon q farm. As they
went about their daily werk. . differ
ence might have been seen. Ono devot-
ed himself to his work. understood 1t IN
all its details, became In course OF time
q prosperous farmer. and, dying. be-
Queathed to his heirs Geo1ly heritage
Of broad acres.
The other neglected the work In hand
to survey the beauty Of the landscape.
| to admire the effect Of sunlight and
sight Of the plow in admiration Of the
shifting clouds and the tender colors
Of the foliage; hard. stern existence
faded in the enjoyment Of nature. He
died leaving to his son few acres. but
an inheritance of keen insight into and
sensitive appreciation to the beauty OF
nature.
The son Of the former. following In
the footsteps Of his father. became q
still more prosperous farmer. The son
Of the latter. with enlarged concepts of
beauty. became a great artist.
What significance has this little
story?
1t is not possible for everyone to be-
nature In her varying moods. Men are
gregarious: they flock together. city
life confines and restrains them, limits
their acquaintance Of nature to q mar
row strip Of blue sky seen between nigh
walls Of red brick. to Q feeble imitation
Of nature in tiny parks. or to an occa-
sional trip to the seaside or country.
History shows that there Is an in
creased tendency toward city life; its
opportunities for wealth. culture, pow
er. fame and civilized pleasures are the
lodestone which attracts mankind.
There 10 q beauty, value and oppor-
tunity for development in country life;
there Is also a beauty, value and Op-
portunity for development in city life.
In this city life Of ours we are as
creatures In cage, becoming short
sighted, seeing radiant nature. which
like man Is an embodied thought of
God, 'as through q glass darkly." How
can this be obviated? Where does our
duty lie?
Assuredly. II we choose to be bound
ed by high walls instead Of broad
stretches Of living green, we must
beautify those spaces.
There must be placed upon those cold.
bare backgrounds, harmonies Of color
that will charm and refresh the mind,
fine and stimulate the spirit.
There must be something on those
walls to arouse intelligence. to spur
ambition, to aid spirituality, to cultivate
poetry. to charm and fascinate with
mystery. Is our accumulated wealth
(symbol of mental energy and Vitality
| to be spent upon upholstery for indulg-
ence in physical ease? Is 1t In that d.
rection that young minds are to be al
lured? Are they always to look down,
never up. or out to anything Of larger
view?
Parents. guardians and teachers, i
earnestly implors you to educate and
strengthen. 80 far as lies within your
power. the susceptibility and love for
beauty, which Is another name for
goodness. that Is hidden within the
| soul OF every child. Show it the luxuri-
ance Of the clouds. the exquisite color
Ing In shadow as we'll as sunlit object,
| the color In the dusty road a. well al
on the mountain side.
surround the growing mind with in
struments OF aesthetic value, pictures
on the school walls of the grandest OBJ
tects that art has bequeathed the world.
The artists soul was inspired as he
produced: his creation will inspire 9TH
ers to great works and deeds. There Is
also duty to the present generation,
duty we owe those confined to insti-
tutions from which they may not wan
DER. the charitable homes, poor houses,
reformatories and jails. May not beau
tiful pictures aid In spiritualizing sor-
row, refining and softening those hard
ened by deprivation and sin?
~ live not In myself. but ! become Der
ton OF that around me."-Byron.
LEA NJ. HEATH.