The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1899-09-09
Is Life Worth Living?

0A"0"o' eohnioh'cu upou Ill leVTtV. Some
pretend to be satisfied with their fate
out deep down In their hearts, hidden
from public gaze. there exists the SUP.
Yressed feeling, World, I hate thee, l
aoathe thee; some boldly take Che mega
tive side. but struggle on in dark de-
'spair until Death at his own free will
removes them; others are so completely
overwhelmed with grief and the future
80 envelOped in gloom, and life 80 void
OF all that is good. fancy that / hear
them exclaim:
20 World, so few the years live,
Would thatthe life thou dost give,
We're life indeed;
Alas. thy SORROWS fall so fast,
'Our'happiest houris. when at hast,
The soul is freed
When this state of thought and feel.
fmgis reached. how Natural It is for
them, "Witha bare bodkin their .quietus
make. live knew the experience of
'each individual we could fOretpli with
some degree of accuracy the. answers to
The question above. OF those who have
gust put away childish things and taken
up the pleasures of young womanhoOd
and early manhood. the reply would be,
"What'a foolish question" One who has
just finished his college valedictory and
heard the plaudits of an admiring au.
-dience. would answer none but a fool
would ask that question; the woman
who has been asked by her .achnowled-
'ged lover, will you'be.my wife; will
reply, of course life is worth living:
the woman leaving the bridal alter chm
;ging to the arm of the man whom she
has promised ito love and obey, would
look atthe propounder of such question
with amazement and contempt; t he .fiirt
unto whose ears have been whispered by
q victim the words. "I1Ove you. would
say. would live always If l could con-
tinue listening to such welcome news as
that!
The ore who has once partakeR of
welded bliss, and who has discarded the
'sonber colOrs of mourning, and been.
Hnvited to renew her vows of love and
'ebedience, would reply although 4 have
tasted the bitterness OF woe, lam williugY
TO live on as life has forme now has more
sunshine than darkness. But there are
Teal pictures which | have seen while
strOlling for diversion through a beauti-
sul and picturesque resting place Of the
dead. which suggest opposite replies to
the imaginary ones above. What would !
be the reply of the little girl just enter
ing her teens being led toy the hand dur |
ing distressingly loud scbs, with eyes,
turned to an untitled grave which was
being filled by strong arms, we cannot
tell; nor that Of the female kneeling In
grief by the tombstone
that marked the resting place of some
one, attended by a female with down
cast eyes, and a manly form standing
near by with uncovered bowed head; nor |
OF the weman standing by a flower CO.
yered grave almost concealed from view |
by blooming roses, with cheeks bathed |
in tears. upon whose face gazed a SYM
pathetic child. Here Is another scene
in which death had as yet taken no part,
though circumstances indicated his near
it was two old people, one
woman hot very old, the other q man
much her senior in years, and very fee.
bic indeed; the former was holding his
arm firmly. assisting him from lot
where the effort to make few steps 80
enfeetled him, she had to assist him
with her stronger arms 10 . seat close
by in order that he might gather
strength for few more tottering steps.
It was difficult to decide upon whose
ace more sadness rested. Ifancied that
hers presented more picture Of ankle
v and dread. and his one Of hopeless de-
pair. 1t would not be difficult to con-
ecture their reply to the question that
leads this article. As passed these old
eople taking, perhaps, their last walk
Ogether i'm that beautiful cemetery, the
bought came to me, who but a woman
I true christian feeling would have the
utiriDg patience TO spend an afternoon
a assisting this feeble old man in his
ardy steps by and over the resting pla-
rs of the dead. These were all beauti
III. but sad scenes; the reader may draw
hatever inference that seems most ma