The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-17
Some Rambling Thought
BY MEMO"
for the Citizer


the earth. and thus asses, cAmels,
horses. and forth, have been broken
to our use and used until too slow Tor our
Fastening spirits. FROM them we have
passed to steam, to electricity, to COM
pressed air, and:to other forms OF pro-
pulsion. Even the flying machine is
rapidly nearing commercial possible
ity, Better than the birds who fly, yet
needs must rest, our servants carry US
so that we skim the earth through
prosey effort and eat or sleep or transact
business while being fitted from place
to place by tireless machinery.
But l do not write this in order to a
minister to human pride; on the con-
trary, il is to point moral for those
whose hearts sometimes feel like burst
ing at being shut away in narrow
place know just how you feel; eager +.
TO do great lhiugs, sure that you could
do them if you had a chance, and yet
prevented by conditions that seem cruel
in Themselves aud more cruel when
you see how they are hindering you.
Have palIenCe-al east fer ii e minutes
and lei us draw little inspiration
from poor wingles- men, WHO bling
without powers of fight and yet desir-
GUS of such powers-learuing that long
| ing for the boon does not grant hir
his wish-ses his brain to work. d.
results We know Like the traveller
who scales C i'll by turning THIS way 4
auu that, the absence of wings is linn
itati0n that has been let aside.
Apply this method TO yourself, Iiningn
an! ca .er one. Mere longing for diff
| ferent circumstances will never bring Z
them. Opportunities are not forced b. !
pulling wish-hones, nor do chancei
come toy Gliding fate. Since you cauO
not be in two aces at once, your placth
for the present is precisely the plaqdi
you are in, aud if viewed Alright yG n,
will be 10th to change it until you haFo'
done your all with it, The most solenpn'
SPOT in the world for you, is the SPAS
you staud on; for it is yOur resti
place-nOt someone else's, but yOnrs7 -;
Is your opp ,ltunity TO show wha ".
man with limitations eau do and 4SOn
dare. Transported suddenly ff1jUt11
where you are doing less than you. d.l
for hat must be true if you are grum-
bling and fumlng-.o new circumslan-
ces That seem ideal, you will still find
reasons for discomfort. But if where
you are, you make wholesome blend
ing of content aud dIscontent-con ent
that you know your limitations aud
disconnected to the extent of fitting
yourself for wider scope, the time of
fuller, more satisfactory life is pH ii
cally certain 10 come. The wal g
may be long, but even if long or the
change for ever deferred, you will have
done well.
Overworked one, pressed with ankle
ties and barassed by those who ought
to, but do not SEE M to cooperate with
Sou, calm yourself. You are like a
tangled kite, tearing yourself to pieces
in thicket, instead of the eagle you
should be, soaring far above. You
know full well that the work you are
doing needs to be done; That il is laid
upon you to do it; and in your heart
you try to feel that the man and the
task will surely fit Believe this with
your whole heart and little annoyauces
will assume their proper size. In your
calm moments you are thrilled by the
things you intend to accomplish during
life; multiply your calm moments by
sheer exercise of will and your balief in
your own purposes will carry you far
above petty interruptions. You are in
a battle, fight it through. Would you
in such place pay any heed to nettles?
When the smoke has rol ed away and
the dust of conflict settled you shall
cfonA tri., h.noarh hka Gill
stars. All OF life is not the present
harassed moment; there remaineth an
eventide for the sOlace of those who toll
and triumph. At twenty-five, James
Watt, who has transformed TIE world
with steam, begged for the bsnignity of
death, so troubled was he, yet he came
to be the sweee est, sunniest old man
you could wish to meet.
Questioning one, do you complain
because God is mystery? Would you
have Him as visible as tree and as
tangible as a rock? Then He would be
the one understandable thing III
world Of mystery. Your inner details,
your outer life, the two natures within
you-;hese are mysteries. The work.
ings of the mind of the one you love,
hidden as effectually as strangers
from your own thought-this is mys-
terry. The impossiOility of man
thoroughly understanding woman
and Uice Uersd-this is a mystery. Clear
out of your daIy life, in its simplest de-
tails, all that is strange; fathom it all
and understand it; then may you raise
querulous complainings at the mystery
that hedges around the creator Of all
mysteries.
The prisoner prayed that he might have some
light;
1t came, and showed him but his sorrow plight.
The savant prayed for power to pierce the sky;
1t came, and, dazed, he begged that he might
die
So give us, LORD, such light as suits our mind,
10 know not over much nor wander blind.
| X
Beleaved one, weeping bitter tears
beside the empty chair, you are not
alone in your sorrow. Human woes
have preceded you by ages and human
woes will last long after time has taken
the smart from your own wound. But
these seem naught to you, for they
We're not your sorrows. Yet, dear one,
tribulation has its place aud its value
you will yet live to see. In tears are
great sorrows assuaged, in tears are
great purposes born, in tears are noble
resolves formed. Rise to live as the
vanished one would most fondly wish!
Thus will the dead live again in the
deeds of good you do, consecrated to
I the memory of the lifeless.
L