San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-24

possibility understand or appreciate.
Where there is abundance there is no
special merit in generosity. 1t is only
parting with something that the owner
really feels no need of, and parts with
often without regret or any special
realization of what the act implies.
But those who give of their penury
have learned to the full what giving
means, and with them, whenever a gen
erous act is done, it signifies a good
heartedness and depth of feeling born
and bred of a clear understanding Of
the circumstances that make such an
act worthy of record in the chron-
icles of the angels.
And the same thing is peculiarly true
of people of moderate means who have
refined and cultivated tastes. They
have a wider range of experiences, and
much more comprehensive grasp Of
the meaning of self-sacrifice than those
who live with rougher environment.
The finer the feelings and the more deli
cate the sensibilities, the the greater the
sense of obligation TO others. And
when with this there is lack of means
with which to carry out generous in
tentions and impulses, the situation is
hard indeed.
It is in just such instances as these
that love smoothes the pathway and
makes trials and WEAKNESS tolerable
which would otherwise be too much for
human nature to bear. Who could live
through the struggles and privations
that hundreds of thousands of families
undergo if there were not deep and
abiding love underneath to buoy up the
fainting spirits, to rest the tired feet,
and to support the trembling hands!
And who shall say how much love it
takes to keep dropping lids from closing
when the overtaxed wife, sister, mother
or daughter sits up hour after hour
to wait for the hayward one who may
never return, or, if he comes, may be
in state to inspire terror rather than
affection, or may appear in the likeness
of a fiend.
And the love that prompts two trust
ing hearts to leave all else and to count
the whole world we'll lost if only they
can have each other and live in the light
of their own devotion and the sunshine
Of their own smiles, is beyond all price
Many a home has been founded with
nothing but love for its basis, and those
who know whereof they speak will not
hazard the opinion that they could have
chosen better material of which these
temporal and spiritual dwellings, were
to be composed.
Love and hope are the twin gifts
from Heaven. But for these. how could
the mothers of this great world watch
and wait and work for the day when the
little feet grow strong enough to walk
in the right way! How could they live
until the baby hands are big enough
and the tiny shoulders stout enough
to lift their share of LIES burdens, and
carry their part and mothers too?
But for love and hope, how could wives
sit patiently, day after day, looking
and praying for the time when their
husbands would see the errors Of their
ways and turn from the dram shop
and the gambling den and reform their
habits, and once more appear clothed
in their right minds? And then will
lingly, nay gladly, would they take up
the old life as it was in the days of their
first acquaintance, and renew the
pledges and pleasures of love and hopes
of their youth.
How long could these wives bear such
trials as these if there were no love or
hope to support them?
Truly the most wonderful thing in the
world is love. 1t forgives all things,
hopes all things. 1t covers the faults
of the loved ones until even their crimes
find an excuse. 1t makes light of petty
misdemeanors and reclaims hayward
heads and strengthens weak hearts. II
unites hearts and lives, and rears homes
and surrounds hearthstones with bright
aad happy faces. 1t builds churches
and schools and hospitals and homes
for the poor and those who are without
friends or hope in this wide world. OF
a truth, the world is full of wonderful
things, and the most wonderful is love,
which makes an epicurean banquet OF
. dinner of herbs.-N. Y. Ledger.