Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-02
ALTON ECHOES.
Some reflections on the Drift OF
Years-PersonaI Notes.
(Correspondence of IN

Correspondence Of the Dispatch)
ALTON, VA, December 31.-Since the
evening and the morning were the first
day, nature creates an arbitrary division
of time. Mankind watch the days succeed
one another and grow into months; the
months into years. AS the season comes
for renewing almanacs and calendars,
many OF us go back in thought 10 the
plant of Ella, II am naturally before
hand shy Of new books, new faces, new
years"
Poor Ella loved this fleeting world, such
as he found ii, far too well for his own
peace of mind, and we know the fellow
feeling when he tells us that he would
"fain lay his Intellectual finger upon the
wheel Of time" In his day the gray
headed century was young. Probably
there are centenarianS to-day who would
say that life was then better worth hav-
ing, but the truth is, that every genera
tion finds this planet Of ours q more COM
Portable place of abode. No, no; 1 had
rather be a poor man on a hair mattress
to-day than to have been a feudal baron
burked on straw in the Middle Ages-and
so had you. Nor would we be willing 10
roll back the world TO where it stood ever
half a century ago.
II, in this time, evil has grown, 1t is
because the harvest is larger; much good
has also grown with ii. Good old Arch
bishop Usher, we know, counts sixty e
turtles between mans Grst Eden and his
present advance toward gaining a second,
and great must be the wonderment OF
angels that in all this time creatures
made in the likeness of their Creator
should yet be content for evil 10 predoml-
nate. But we are not without hope. Tnat
Ormuzd, the Good Spirit Of the Persian
1agand prnyvg CtTonpqF aG the wears go
by, and better able TO wrestle with Ahr1-
man, the Spirit Of Evil, will not be ques-
toned by one who studies the history or
any OF earth's nations hat has a written
record. 1t is so in the spirit of love; the
Good Samaritan of two thousand years
ago has now a thousand followers.
The charity that Paul preached, the
love for his fellow man that softens the
savage into a civilized being, is known
Of TO the humblest Of our day far more
than it was TO the wise men and the
law-g1vers Of a hundred years ago.
A hundred years ago. the fateful CEN
fury that lies back Of this dull year,
with its losses and crosses, its labor
strike and depressed times, forms
as large a part Of the history of modern
as ever ten centuries did be-
fore. While its story is familiar to us.
we cannot realize the difference. that
the life Of every individual who has
his half-century has been
with astonishing vents. There
a greater surprise for those of us who
shall round out the next fifty years
even II we live them out beyond the
pale where time is said TO be no more.
The question is. Shall We know?
In the story OF a nation a hundred
years is an exceedingly short time. ELg-
fish history, as we read IL, covers nearly
900 years. Each OF the periods Of the
Roman empire was about five
centuries long.
"Quo vadis?"
Where shall we stand toward "the sur
vival OF the fttest." when our fifth CEN
tury Is ended-from 1888 TO 2ie?
A glad New-Year TO your many read
srs. May the Dispatch live 70 illuminate
IS front page with the latter date!
4 holiday love feast was given yester-
law at Rhodes Methodist church. 10
which the public was invited.
Mrs. John McHenry is at home "a THE
Hotel.
A delightful dance and supper was
,iven at castle Hilr' last night by
Messrs. Goodloe, OF Oman, as Committee
II Invitation.
Miss Helen Hays. Of Chestnut Ridge.
will return 10 Washington next week.
Miss Josephine Kilburn, OF Baltimore, |
$ the guest Of her sister. Mrs. j. r. Hall.
Mr.. j. Fulton Williams. OF Avon, will
TO the Medical College. Baltimore,
Monday.
Miss Maggie McGregor, OF the Woman's
College. is home for the holiday week.