Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-08-01
THE CATARACT and ITS LESSON.
SEQUEL TO THE FOUNTAIN AND ITS les,
SON.
BY W. G..

Dicks prophecy of Jacks down
fall was literally tuitilled. Not many
days ago Jack Henderson bad
reached high rung in the ladder of
fame and popularity. When hs de-
livered his speech before the citi.
zens of his native town he was
proudly riding on the wave of popu-
lar favor, but now be found himself
struggling in the maelstrom of ruin,
amid the jeers and examinations of
an unstable populace. The cause of
his fall was due not so much to any
wrong-doing on his part, as to the
scheming of political tricksters, and
though this fact should have had a
tendency to mitigate, in measure,
the pain of his failure and disap-
pointment, it nevertheless had the
opposite effect On it, as being almost
entirely undeserved. AT no time,
therefore, did poor Jack need COM
fort and sympathy more than now,
and it was not only cruel but sinful
on the part of Dick to withhold it,
or desert him. Not only common
humanity, but Pythian friendship
demanded that Dick should at once
offer his services in extending TO his
friend and brother all the aid and
comfort within his power; and Dick
was not the man to overlook or
shiik his Pythian obligation and
christian duty.
Jack had a summer residence at
the foot of the Laurel Hill moun-
tain, near stream that ran through
a gap in the mountain. In his ais
tress he repaired to this pleasant re-
treat, away from the turmoils of the
outside world. Here it was where
Dick found him-not the bright,
cheerful, healthy Jack of other days,
but a mere shadow of bis former
self, and scarcely possessed of suf-
ficient physical strength to open his
arms and embrace his friend.
80 Dick" exclaimed the wretch
ed man, 'tkank God you are left
to me, one true and faithful friend
among the many who have forsaken
me IN this my extremity.
Williams they are. With my own
hands, and with my own means and
influence l pulled them out OF the
mire and placed them on plane of
responsibility, and for this I am re-
warded, not only by desertion, but
by elimination and abuse. Fallen
wretch flat am, how can / bear
this disgrace n
"Dear Jack, fallen you have, it is
true, but don't call yourself a
wretch. A fall such as yours, how
ever it may effect your business
prospects, and retard your recovery
in that line, is not necessarily a
blemish on your personal character.
The clouds will roll by, and with
proper care and the blessing of God
all will come out right in the end"
"Dick, o Dick, you are very kind,
and you mean well, but ! cannot see
it in that light. You do but fatter
me and hold out delusiye hopes.
Your words and your wishes in my
behalf were always characterized by
kindness, discretion and sound judg-
ment, and your own course was al
ways deliberate, steady and uniform,
and your advancement, though slow,
was always sure and abiding. /,
on the contrary, was impulsive,
FESTIVE, and sometimes allowed my
ambition to run away with my judg-
ment. Hence my career was more
rapid and brilliant, bat at the same
time more liable to come to an
abrupt end, and close in disaster
like that of Aaron Burr, whom you
wisely and aptly held up as an ex-
ample when dedueing a lesson from
the fountain. Would that ] had
needed that lesson, and escaped the
modification and misery of my fall
fall for which | see no remedy in
spite of your kind and encouraging
Words
IF you do not fiud remedy il
will be your own fault. Instead o.
nursing your grief and sorrow here
in solitude, and borrowing trouble
from the future, go 70 work. You