The record-union., 1898-04-17
THE UNAPPRECIATED.

(Written for the Record Union" by
Hiram Hoyt Richmond)
Once there was a brain filled with
great and gracious thoughts; that was
always active in it's labor for human
kind. 1t was true to all of life's loft
lest impulses. 1t bridged with firm
granite arches the seen from the I'M
seen. 1t placed the hand of the finite
in the firm grasp o. the infinite, and it
comprehended the ultimate measure of
both worlds. 1t throbbed with sorrow
at the sight of the Borrowing, yet it
threw it's radiant light into every
abysm of darkness. 1t sported with
childhood as with a sunbeam, and gave
the cOmmonest thoughts to the loneliest
and most ignorant, and yet it's wisdom
outreached the stars. Philosophy said:
Here is our home" Simplicity said:
Here is our dwelling place." but love
claimed it as its citadel, and it said
not may"
Once there We're eyes, whose horizon
was boundless. Eyes that wept with
those that wept, whose clear blue
depths were restful with an infinite
vision. Eyes that could pierce the cold
features of the hypocrite, and from ev-
that could draw the sunbeam from ev-
cry trouble and that were quick to
catch the diamond from every tear
drop. Eyes that never flashed with a
passionate anger, and yet We're living
Goals to the sinful heart. Eyes through
whose teardrops a perpetual bow of
promise has been painted for all the
human race.
Once there was a heart that never
throbbed for it's single self; that pull
stated for every created intelligence;
that was always warmed with the
hottest impulses; that welled with a
love that was measureless as the uni
verse; that never beat with an unhoIy
desire. 1t said to the race: Take me
! for a dwelling place" 1t said to the
weak and wicked: Come in and be
| cleansed." 1t said to the cold and
proud: Let your hearts be melted into
mine" Every drop of it's blood was a
benizon, and every throb for the heal
ing of the nations.
Once there We're hands that were al
ways active; hands which, though they
handled but little coin, were always
dispensing charity; hands that had a
warm grasp for every mothers son OF
earth; hands that drew heavenly heal
ing to the blind, the deaf, the dumb ;
| hands that when raised in appeal
| brought legions of angels hands that
| hallowed the labor of the workshop;
that stopped to the washing of their
companions feet, that played lovingly
with the golden locks of infancy, and
yet pointed the way of the spheres, and
showed the unerring path of earth's
| highest wisdom.
Once there were feet that were swift
in their errands of mercy; that We're
never weary in their search for the lift
ing up of the degraded and sinful; that
sought the house Of mourning to fill
| it with rejoicing; that were swift to
cleanse the leper; that were many
times bruised and bleeding, and yet at
whose majestic pace the sea became
as granite; feet that never passed by
| sorrow without comfort, or by sin with
out lessons of wisdom; feet whose
earthly paths We're circumscribed and
| limited, and yet whose footballs have
echoed in every segment of both worlds.
Once there We're ears that were held
to the heart of the universe, and yet
| they were familiar with every childish
prattle. They were never deaf to hu-
man misery. They caught the cry of
the beartbroken, and listened attentive
/ ly to every appeal of the oppressed.
! They waited not on the lips of the PEN
itent, but could hear the throb Of a
ripened energy before the tongue could
| give it words; ears that were never
| tired of hearing, when purer aspira-
| ton was breathed Ears that were so
/ 70 hot
/ they rendered succor in advance.
| A voice was once heard that rhythm
| ed with the music of the spheres; a
! voice that was never raised in anger
| against one human soul; a voice whose
! chords. were attuned to pity and pene-
| trated the pathos of earth with the
! high notes of eternal hope; a voice
/ whose melting tenderness won the
/ plant heart of childhood, drew the
voluptuary from his habitues, and the
Magdalene from her vices, and yet
whose lofty tones linked on the ages
to their echo. A voice that the infant
! could translate into his schoolday ram
bles, and yet a voice whose words were
so fraught with meaning that philoso-
ply was stricken dumb. A voice that
harnessed the homliest proverbs to the
/ highest IeSedTCneS. OIL destiny, ana InaL
| filled the world with the wisdom of
| its simplicity.
| l have but poorly described the one
| imperial character. Only the Christ
could have united all these members
into the single, harmonious whole. Here
was the one transcendent life of the
| ages. Not a blemish can attach to it.
Call it divine and it needs no enlarge
ment- Call it human and it cannot be
/ duplicated. And yet how did the
earth prove its appreciation?
BY simply cutting it off, because it
could not understand it, could not APP
! preciate it, could not endure its trans
parent purity and grandeur.
| Soul of the universe, take heart! 1t
is better to rest dust-ridden with Mil
ton, than pass through the passion
| THUNDER hands with Boecaccio. It is
better to be neglected with Irving and
| Prescott, than sought for with Dumas
/ fills and lola. 1t is better to be dead
with Dickens and Thackeray than alive
| with Ouida and the other thousand
and one sensualists that crowd our
| book stalls. 1t is better, far better. to
Law with the mute inglOriouS Millions