The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-02


the lower be shut out altogether. |
tell you this and | confirm it bypages
from lives that have been laid open
before me; for | want you to have a
new sense of what love can do and
has done for our race. tell you this,
because love, in its highest form of
devotion to an ideal, is capable of
entering your bursting heart, no mat
ter how obscure you are, and making
of you a new creature, with clean
life, pure thought and good purposes.
-
AN IDEAL.
| Something to live for!
Something that stretches far beyond
The earthly limits of each fancy fond!
Something that draws us by pure lovliness,
! And ever seems more iair as on we press,
| SO drawing ncarer-thinking to attain
! We see it stlll afar, losing gain
! More from the added zeal we needs must
show
| To win our prize, and ever higher go!
! As some strong traveller through a desert
wild.
Secs snowy SUBMITS up to heaven piled
And misty noun ms still but dim outIined:
And though as nearer yet his way he wends
| Fresh beauty to his soul the prospect LENDS
OfroSy shadows fitting DER the snow.
And peaks with golden coroncts that glow:
| Or plant his cOnquering banner where he
hopes.
But by high striving towards lofty end,
With eyes that ever on pure SUBMITS bend,
| Through seeming failure claims lf-victory,
\ nd ne'er attaining, wins etcrnally
*..*
lsee almost daily a man, who though
| separated by an ocean from the wom-
an who knows his love and feels love
i'll return, is held by her gentle infiu-
ence and her high views of life, Just
as firmly as though he were by her
side. Saddest of all-but why sad
dest?-most beautiful of all in this
instance is the fact that, increasing
bodily weakness is gradually bringing
her to a bed of lifelong suffering.
What does he gain from her? Phys
zeal pleasure? NO-such thought is
remotest from his mind But the
purpose to live a life that would please
her, to gain reputation that would
rejoice her, to carve a career that
shall embody her goodness and nobil-
ity-these things he gains and he is
content
There has been given me from the
lips of a magnificent man, a man of
keenness and strength, his own story,
while we were talking of such things
After his second child was born, his
wife was previously afflicted. For
| ten years and more he has been Just
as you are in relation to your beloved
Depression is foreign to him. Life is
one continuous courtship, and as mid
die age creeps on he grows more and
more into the habit of showing little
delicate attentions that are precious
to her aching heart, and vocal of his
faithful devotion. What is he gain
ing? Honor among men, reputation
for probity.
could bring many more cases to
illustrate various points of my argu-
ment, because ] often receive conf
dences in relation to such matters:
but must deny myself the space.
*s*
Love will find an outlet. AS the sap
moves within the tree forcing it into
foliage, so true love is bound to dis
play itself. If kept from degradation,
it will swell up your heart with good
will towards the world, your world,
and the HOPELESS misery of its swelter-
ing crowds. No man can have lofty
love for a woman without making the
world better Love is the key to the
enigma of our relations to our fellows.
1t breaks down selfishness and releases
gentlemen, kindness, pity. The spir-
itual faculties under the stimulus of
the softer sex, show forth in thought !
fulness, and the physical powers run
more naturally to deeds of good |
Your beloved has shown you your
incompleteness with out her and much |
more can she show you of duty to the |
world and its need of love actively |
worked into its mass. Show me any
man, Catholic, Protestant or Agnos-
tic, who is trying to better his day;
back somewhere in his heart will be
found the image of a woman to nerve
him. She may be of flesh and blood
or she may be the immaculate one
whom so many millions venerate;