The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-07-14

the joy OF looking back over H long life?
Nothing, unless there is stretched along
aud of nigh character; unless here the
grave of some buried weakness and
there the monument erected to com
memOrate triumph over self; unless
here "a kindness done and there a good.
ness displayed, not To the world but
only to the object on whom it was done.
That is life. But it is surely nothing to
contemplate with calmness thatther is
coming a day when one will be only n
nuisance tn oneself and burden TO
others; or that the backward glance
will show nothing but waste aud heed.
lessness Of all the precious things that a
life well lived can contain.
Xxx X
Length of days is important, of course
but it is not all important. There is
something much more to be sought al
ter than that. Lengthen out your life,
if you will, but broaden out your heart
at the same time. Living long is one
thing, but in comparison with living
long and aimlessly, there is something
much better, and that is to die in the
harness Of effort. Mere living like a
sheep is perhaps harmless, but it is not
human nor humane. The bodily shell
of the soul is and should be cared for to
make of it the best possible covering
for the precious thing inside-much as
one would devote care to the casket
that contains jewel-but how FOOLS h
to give all the care to the casket. II
distilled water Is to have its perfect
work in you, it has to take you out of
yourself and give you broader heart,
otherwise the whole effort is selfish
You can live to become wonder of old
age for the curious to stare at; but that
does not mean enough. If your head
has been bowed down like the OK simp'
ly to the "wherewithals" of life, not car
ing for nor comprehending the uni
verse nor even that particle of it that ii
represented by the very simple word OF
long and fruitlessly long. Such living
reminds one of the very old oaks tina
are occasionally seen in England-per
feet marvels of age and of decay. Blu
so far as having fulfilled their utmos
they would have better been cut dowr
in the prime of strength to give of IL tt
others, than to simply stand as harbor;
for all that is unpleasant and destruc
tive in old age.
There is always one danger in thi,
sort OF writing to the general list o
readers-the fear of creating feeling
of encouragement in the hearts o
those who realize that, at the best, tn Ell
lives are always likely to be narrow
and hard to toilers, and such who ar
held down by stern necessity to on
place or to one task. Yet such a feeling
of encouragement is not proper; for al
ter all the tasks of the world are man,
and no one person can do them all-th
one therefore that you are doing ma,
indeed seem to you very small AM
thankless, yet in its relation to all tn
other world of effort be very importan
indeed. Then again any man and ever.
man-woman as well-must of neces
: sity be larger than the task before then
or live very narrow life. There i
absolutely no excuse for even the hum
blest artisan with routine work of tn
most hopeless kind-living so narrow
life that he has neither time nor hear
for the progress of the world or tn
need and sorrow and suffering of h.
neighbour. MEMO.