Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-29

the snHfp I0clslVeHess VI Inc us"""N''-
tion; here is a gem Of description. there
|abeautHul simiie, promise upon promise.
and among it all. perhaps little Thought
lof, least noticed In tle original delivery.
these words, Your young men shall
see visions and your old men shall
dream dreams"
Doubtless at their own appointed
time these words were fulfilled In all
their original significance, but did there
pass before the old prophet some feet
ling vision of the long fulfillment Ct mis-
words. year after year. generation
after generation, through all the vary
ing conditions of human life, 50 long az
time shall last? For are we not all, by
nature, at Some time and in some de-
gree dreamers of dreams and seers of
visions? TO the young man IN the
pride of strength come visions OF all
that the yet untried. ufArodden paths
Of life which lie before. may hold
visions Of happiness, love and fame;
Visions Of the home he hopes to make.
with all its sacred ties.Ets many re-
sponsibiities and duties, and, above all.
i'll sweetness and rest; visions of the
whole broad world spread out before
most pinnacle Of success.
fair, bright visions OF the morning 81
| life, How swcetly alluring they are,
and how easily accessible they seem. -
almost within mis- reach. His heart
beats high with hope: fired with noble
zeal, he goes out TO win his way. The
world receives him as one of a count
less multitude. and in the hurry and
worry OF daily toll, straining every
nerve 10 gain the longed-for end, he
fargets the source from which first all
His high aims arose. The coveted goal
becomes an end in itself and his youth
ful visions never come again.
In after years there comes the time
when, at the close OF n busy life. the
tel all done, success and failure past.
an old man sits down TO rest and
dx cam. Dreams uf the PAST come n3w.
It's pleasures stand out in bold relief;
iis carts and trials are forgotten. or,
sofiened by the distance. serve only to
enhance the joys with which they
mingled Perhaps in the silence come
III times dreams Of the future which
il.ss before. veiled and doubtful. dreams
of life beyond. where with the elim.n
atom of opposing circumstance. with
higher aims and stronger powers. the
struggle with the problem Of existence
may he continued to a more successful
completion. And 50 dreaming he passes
on 10 try the untried and know the yet
unknown.
Thee are tine dreamers in ordinary.
To all men come such dreams as these,
and at them all the busy hurrying
w.irid mock as they pass. But wslat
words can express their scorn for the
One who holds his dreams part OF life-
Come" they call 10 him. here Is
pleasure. here are wealth and honor
waiting those who win claim them.
Lave your dreams and f0llies and
come with US. You have nothing 70
lose and all 10 gain. Waste your time
no longer on unsubstantial visions. but
core with us and seek after the re-
allties of life"
Then the dreamer, troubled. looks
ursn them and wonders what this may
mtln: but he shakes mis- head and goes
his own way, for his dreams are far
more real to him than the rewards of
the world. SO they called after blind
ola Homer centuries ago. but when ne
turned him toward them they shrank
hack from before his face, for the glory
Of the visions which those sighiless
eyes beheld shone in his countenance.
and they. because they understood
them not, said, He is mad" and went
away.
And SO throughout the ages they have
tried to drive out this element from the
world. But are they wise in this.
Can they afford to do without the
dreamers, and do they not already owe
thcm a debt which should insure theig
gratitude? Consider the names of a
few OF those who in their own time
lived the true dream life. What does
the world not owe to Copernieus. the
pioneer of astronomical truth. and how
wen it paid its debts, What shall we
say of Calico and Faraday? Can we
afford to throw aside the results of
their dreams as false and valueless?
What were the results of the dreams of
Columbus? Nothing less than the ad-
dition of new hemisphere To the
known world. He gave freely Of his
best, and what did he receive in RETURN
They sent him back in chains from the
world he gave them. Poor, frieEdless.
and sorrowful, he died
What memories cluster around III
names of such men as Savonarola ami |
Martin Luther, How great an in
nuence has been exertei by the quaint, |
wholesome dreams of the man who was |
thought worthy to be locked in Bedford |
jail because he could not agree to the |
policy of the world, Side by side with |
these belong the names of Goldsmith !
and Keats, of Wordsworth and Brown |
ing. Though separated by seas. YET |
bound by the same ties. are Whittier |
Loagfellow and Hawthorne. To-day |
who holds such daring dreams as Edi-
son and Tesla?
These and scores of others who fol-
low in their footsteps, make up the |
brotherhood of dreamers. Can the
world afford to do without them? They |
ask but little from It. Is their return
valueless?
Let us all have care how we condemn
too rashly those who seek other ends
than wealth and worldly honor: have
care lest time to come may prove error
Of judgment, and in the future life the
tangible things of the present prove
but passing shadows: the reality be-
come the dream. and the dream the