The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-06-19
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY MEMO.

/ To THE Boys AGAIN.-We viii en-
/ JOY one more brief talk about lighting
and then next week turn back to sub
jects for older folks The reason l
have written to you about battles for
these three weeke has been because OF
the great amount of war news in the
paper and because Of the keeping OF
Decoration Day in number Of States.
And since there are many boys who
think only of battles in connection
with bloodshed, it seemed right to
show you other ways OF lighting. 1t
is think, now understood between
us that most of us will never be called
to a conflict except that OF brains
against brains; also, that all of us are
in state of siege because of tempta-
tions that are trying to work damage TO
our characters; temptations that really
do us good II we resist them. Now, |
want to give you some idea that there
may be soldiers In your neighborhood,
whom you have never thought of as
being fighters at all.
-
know school-teacher very thor
oughly in little country town. She
gave several years TO preparing to
teach and she teaches well. She gets
very little pay, yet she never COM
plains, because she feels sure she Is at
the post of duty. Scarcely any of the
parents ever come to see her at her
work, or cheer her with a word uf
thanks. and sapaaffn,ne e.,.,u.t al,gtc 70
girls will whisper TO one another that
she is an s'old maid because she Is
over twenty-five. She reminds me OF
a good general who lays out plan of
campaign so well that he is quite
sure he Is right, and then carries out
out the plan in spite of all opposition
by the enemy or by lazy helpers. He
tries to be right and TO be successful,
or II he cannot be successful, at any
rate TO be right: so does she. The old
Roman legions stood up for many
years attempting to roll back the flood
|of barbarians that threatened the
northern boundary: but bravery failed
and the Roman Empire went to pieces.
This dear woman is just one of many
there are such soldiers right in your
town-who stand by school-desks,
like modern Roman soldiers, aud fight
with the danger that threatens our
land from ignorant men and women
The greatess power OF warriors could
not make knowledge increase: but
what the arm OF flesh and deadly war
fare would fail to do the patient, gen
tie, large-hearted teachers are doing
and doing successfully, else our dear
country would not be improving as it
is. want to say some more about
this teacher because / know her, and
because | know there are many more
like her. You would say of soldier
that he was good one IL he content
ed himself with doing exactly as he
was told. But teachers are not Ike
this; nearly all of them do much more
than they are paid for My friend,
for instance, lives In town that has
a very bad name. There is much
drinking and roughness and vulgar
talk and vice. This pure minded lit
tie lady, who is hired merely to train
the brains of the children is not con-
tent with Going that, but she is also
~aoenins over Ihelf morals. iter great
hearu lakes theni an Ia, ana she is
oiylne' ula,ueu oy many OF the par
ehos, 70 toll away the shame OF her
town. She does this by often explain
ing the right and wrong of things TO
all who come under her care. She
teaches them to respect their bodies
too. She Is a soldier. | tell Won. and
d o'aNo ohe' Ieriiaps ohere IS one IKE
nei ~ your school-nouse. fiease thinK
" eeaoieis III i1ou.e as lighters lof
eoou, anu you VIII then easily under
sea,u viiaO que weahesl nghOing OF All
- li'eo VI iiieie pouiis strength.
wv
Down on the East side of New York
City, where in some places three
thousand people are crowded into one
small block-think of that. YOU bows
who have wide acres and woods TO
roam over-I met some time ago. a
young man who was scarcely five feet
tall. He was also very light in weight.
hollow-chested pale, weak. He looked
as though strong breeze would blow
him away: and, as for walking. he
told me that ten miles would cripple
him. But he is a brave soldier lust
the same; drawer by far than many
man who has smelt powder. Which
do you think needs the most bravery
in real war; the lonely picket off in the
mysterious whispering. rustling
woods, or the man who marches on
ward with hundreds of Others. cheered
by their shouts? | think the lonely