The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-12-02
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.

Icnnvrlghted by nawe & Tabor.

yet caused wings to bud, but the wish
has been father to numberless
thoughts about free movement over
the face of the earth, and thus asses,
camels, horses, and so forth have been
broken to our use, and used until too
slow for our hasoGning spirits. From
them we have passed to steam, to cleo
tricity, to compressed air, and to other
forms of propulsion. Even the flying
machine is rapidly nearing a CONNER
cial possibility Better than the birds
who fly, yet needs must rest, our ser
wants carry us, so that we skim the
arr il through proy effort and eat or
sleep or transact business while being
fitted from place to place by tireless
machinery.
But | do not write this in order to
minister to human pride, on the con
trary, it is to point moral to those
whose hearts seem like bursting at
being shut away in a narrow place. |
know just how you feel; eager to do
great things, sure that you could do
if you had chance, and yet prevented
by conditions that seem so cruel in
themselves, and more cruel when you
see how they are hindering you.
Have patience-at least for five min
utes-and let us draw a little inspira-
+;o,, Fro,n ,,nDr win ulaCC man who hn-
ing without powers of flight and yet
desirous of such powers-learning that
longing for the boon does not grant
him his wish, he sets his brain to work.
Its results we know. Like the traveller
who scaled a cliff by turning this way
and that, the absence of wings is a
limitation that has been set aside.
Apply this method to yourself, pin
ing and eager one. Mere longing for
different circumstances will never
bring them. Opportunities are not
forced by pulling wish-bOnes, nor do
chances come by chiding fate. Since
you cannot be in two places at once,
your place for the present is percisely
the place you are in, and if viewed
Alright you will be 10th to change it
until you have done your all with it.
The most solemn spot in the world
for you is the spot you stand on; for
it is yO1tr testing place-not some one
else's, but yours-it is your Opportu-
nifty to show what man with limita-
tionF ,ea,a do and can dare. Trans
ported suddenly from where you are
doing less than your all-for that
must be true if you are grumbling and
fuming-tO new circumstances that
seem ideal, you will still find reasons
for discomfort. But is where you are
you make a wholesome blending of
content and discontent,- content that
you know your limitations and
and discontented to the extent of fit
ting yourself for wider scope, the time
of fuller, more satisfactory life is prac-
tically certain to come. The waiting
may be long, but even if long or the
change forever deferred, you will
have done well.
#*M
OverwOrked one, pressed with
anXieties and harassed by those who
ought to, but do not seem to cooper
ate with you, calm yourself. You are
like a tangled kite, tearing yourself
to pieces in a tangled 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 it 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 annoyance will assume their
proper size. In your calm moments
you are thrilled by the things you in
tend to accomplish during life; multi
ply your calm moments by sheer eXer-
else of will and your belief 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 net
ties? When the smoke has rolled
away and the dust of conflict settles
you shall stand triumphant beneath
the silent stars. All of life is not the
present harassed moments; there re
maineth an eventide for the solace of
those who toll and triumph. At
twenty-five James Watt, who has
transformed the world with steam,
begged for the benignity of death, SO
troubled was he, yet he came to be
the sweetest, sunniest old man you
could wish to meet.
*x#
Questioning one, do you complain
because God is a mystery? Would
you have Him as visible as tree and
as tangible as a rock? Then He
would be the one understandable
thing in world of mystery. Your
inner details, your outer life, and two
natures within you-these are myster-
les. The workings of the mind of the