The record-union., 1898-02-06
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
BY Memo"
copyrighted by Dave & Tabor,

Copyrighted by Dave & Tabor.)
AS to Lincoln: Some of the towering
personages Of history-possibly from
our ignorance of their daily lives-seem
more like demi gods than men, and we.
simply marvel at them; for the fame,
OF great man has elements in it that
are walls before us instead of steps We
peep at it like children from distance,
we long vainly for its altitude, and we
pass on neither aided nor encouraged. 1t
is true beyond dispute that touch of
nature makes us all kin, and like the
unexpected meeting of beloved friend
is the effect upon US Of the great who
nave suffered as We have, worked long
years unseen as we do and trlumphed
IN some measure as we hope to at last.
We are cheered by them. In them We
discover the lineamentS Of ordinary, ap
preaching humanity; their footsteps
We're no longer than ours but simply al
ways led forward, their hours were no
more numerous than those allotted to
US, but all We're made to bend to a
purpose; their hopes remained too often
unrealized-like ours-but in reaching
upward toward them came sublimity TO
the lives that we can safely admire and
emulate.
Among those who do not discourage
nor dazzle is our Lincoln. AS the fierce
light of the fevered hours in which he
stood unmoved subsidies into a gentle
day whose progress is guiltless of inter-
necine strife, he shows forth ever more
clearly as 1.-The great commoner." He
IS a living proof of a truth We too often
doubt in our haste, that neither the lack
of money nor of pedigree are enough
to keep in subsection those who will"
to shake themselves free from impedi
ments. He stands as an encourage
ment to those who strive against dis
couraging odds-by clarifying the COM
mon-place affairs of life into actual
tests of character. and by throwing his
full powers unresrvedly into every task
he takes up. He shows that the sum
total expected of a man is that he
should do the best he can-if a great
man in small place, by filling it to
overlooking; if an untried man in a
great place, by filling it through the
might and the growth that come from
modesty, humility, teacha bleness. He
is-surely one with many of us-not oc
cupied with proclaiming his descent,
but having whereof to boast in his as
cent-not handled by luxurious moth
err through the proXy-love of hired
arms, but nourished by a rugged woman
under those Strenuous circumstances
that developed unsung heroes along
every bride path of our enormous from
tier. He is not bound within the linz
its of any creed of mans inventing. but
throws out his broad soul into fellow
ship with those of all nations who do
man. service as God-pleasers. He does
not stalk along in gloomy abstraction,
but is hail fellow" in a sunshiny way
with all those weary and burdened ones
to whom a laugh is more refreshing
than new wine. He is not filled with
thoughts of some future destiny-it is
only onlookers who see the destiny OF
q man-for he is content with the next
step each time that it comes, no mat
ter where it leads. He is not even SUI
perior TO repining and gloom, but from
every hour OF depression he rises to
fling the gage of Despair into the face
of Fortune, daring her to the conflict.
There is not one great modern char
acter more thoroughly human than he
is. In fact in his day small men reach
ing no higher than his ankles could see
nDIhlnS out the nluQ on MS SHOES, anu
failed utterly to raise their eyes to the
noble head, with its face scanned more
than any mans through the frightful
soul-straining weight that was laid by
the people upon this man of the people.
As the ropes fall from a statue at the
unwilling so all his Httlenesses- traits
of humanity kindred TO yours and
mine, who too often have no greatness
TO vary our pettiness-are no longer ex-
istent, and he stands before US as a
great man.
Without slavish imitation of this
pine-knot student, this fiatboat lawyer,
this rail-splitting President, let us learn
from him.
1t is a sign OF greatness to do the next
thing that comes to hand, without
wasting time longing for greater things
TO do; to be ever larger than our task
and yet cheerful withal while doing it;
TO be ready to acknowledge error in
self and to render praise to those who