The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-07-25

gladly that the perfected ones may shine
down upon it some of the glory of which
the whole mass is capable.
At night. without tree or house to break
the outlook, and freed from all incongru-
Gus sounds to mar the vocal silence Of the
stars singing in their courses, there bursts
upon the vision of the eastward gazer a
wondrous view of the prodigality of Gre
alive effort in stellar space. In the pres
ence of these thickly studded points of
light, electrically bright, that have swung
and glided, circled and guided for ages
before our puny advent, the soul, by the
scene made to supernal thought receptive,
sinks into abiect humility at the appalling
sense of its insignifcance, then rises to
triumphant humility at the power within
it to hear and understand the voice of God.
And when at last the soul has taken a
surfeit of the beauties that sift through its
windows, and the eyes grow heavy with
sleep, the last conscious impression through
the closing easements of intelligence is
given by the kindly CLEAN of the vigil
keeping stars shining in through four
square frame; the last sound, the gently
swelling and receding sibilant monotone of
the ripples, mingled with the love-lorn
signing of the breeze, or possibly the dull
grating roar of the angry waves, lashed
into fury by the spirit of the storm, as it
whistles and shrieks; the last feeling, the
peace, that the noisy city can neither give
nor ever fully take away; the last thought,
thankfulness.
Then when the curtains of the night are
slowly and silently drawn aside and the
light of new day shines through upon a
slumberous world, the soothed senses glide
back into consciousness. The faint aroma
of the wet sands and Of the salty sea weed
sratifes the nostrils; the nourishment for
the body is surrendered from the plenteous
stores of the sea; the ear yields itself once
more to the somnolent sounds of the night,
continue on with the day, but now occa-
sionally broken by the voices of the Gotta
gers; the appreciative eye sweeps with full
and lingering glance around the noble
| spread of the watery horizon, or turns to
rest for "A few ecstatic moments upon the
intense greenery of the marsh fringed by
the distant woods; dimly outlined at one
moment through bridal-veil of mist, al
another darkly silhouetted against sky of
metallic clearlIess; feelins is swallowed up
in thought, and that thought is a supreme
appreciation of the power of Nature to up
lift the soul that is not case-hardened
against its Divine impressiveness.
Here he who doeth wisely, doeth little;
and he who doeth much, doeth i'll. 1t is
ali eight cottaged oasis of Incidence in a
world that too frequently seems to us an
arid. disappointing, unproductive desert of
effort. But just as the rich juices of the
grape are yielded only under the strain and
stress of the wine press, so this spot sacred
to revivifying idleness gives up fully of its
treasures only to the one who wrenches it
desperation born from consciousness of
burden and pressure, toll and exhaustion.
The steady idler with no plans, and the
vigorous worker with many would find the
hours unutterably burdensome, because
UNMARRIED with the gaudy display and hollow
amusements of fashionable watering
place. Yet time does not hang heavily
here. The hours run swiftly by though
spent in absolute inaction, or given to the
enjoyment Of the few amusements that the
sea itself furnishes.
The days of brief vacation are rapidly
passing into the catalogue of pleasures that
have been and are no more The wish to
hinder their nimble feet with loaded
hobbies is as strong as it is vain. Yet
who would deny himself the value of such
restful experience, just because it may
not continue Away? Sleep is given for
refreshment. everlasting sleep is tantamount
to death Positive cessation from active
effort is wholesome only when it is brief.
Forth from the inspiration that comes
from the attrition of kindred minds, forth
from the impulses for good that cluster
close around friendship, forth from natures
own temple, sanctifed to Heavenly rest,
the feet move on. With frightened eye
and invigorated step the marching order
burdens of life are carried on the shoulders
once more, and the hands take stronger,
tighter grasp than ever upon the weapons
of our warfare.
Slaughter Beach, Del.