Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-05-14

MORNING OBSERVATIONS.

sometimes ndppenS plhl HIS bOubS dio
mechanical, soulless performances that
beget wearlness instead of pleasure
and inspiration; but 1t Is not so with
the birds. Their songs are born of
their intense enjoyment of life, and
they sing as sweetly wnen there are no
ears other than their own to hear as
when kings and queens listen. Sing
ing, not because an hour and place
where appointed therefor, but because
the song wells up and seeks utterance
their song l always feel that there is
divinity in their songs.
In addition to the singing of the
birds, the air was fragrant with the
odor of wild flowers that grew by the
wayside, and the grass and grain grow
ing in the fields over which l looked
added beauty to the landscape and pro-
missed abundant returns for the hus-
bandman's toll. The lambs on dist
ant hillside, invigorated by the morn
ing air, wer frisking about gaily beside
their quiet dams. A farmer was ptow-
ing near the roadside and the look OF
content on his face indicated that he
did not consider the duty of the hour
bit OF drudgery that had to be endur-
ed, while his horses with arched necks,
firm and quick tread, seemed to be en-
joying their work.
Those that met on the public high
way seemed to have been drinking
fresh from the fountain Of good cheer
and friend and stranger alike smiled
and bade me hearty good morning"
as we passed.
There seemed to be no discord any
where and as rode on l meditated up
on the glories Of the world and the
joys that fall to the lot OF man. 1t was
not hard just then to believe in the
goodness of God, and life seemed to be
its own reward. Having reached the
limit l had set for myself, l turned my
horse and started hOmeward. AS yet
nothing had appeared to beget doubts
concerning the harmony that seemed
to prevail; burt few minutes later
while passing an orchard, noticed a
branch heavily laden with immature
fruit, lying upon the ground. The
wind had torn 1t from the parent tree
and 1t was withering in the sun.
could not refrain from asking why the
fruit that had been so promising day
or two before was not allowed to "go
on to perfection instead of being thus
cast aside. | also noticed that the
very forces that would have been es-
sential to the perfecting process had
the branch not been broken from the
tree were then bringing about the
complete disintegration of the wither-
ing and decaylng fruit. 1t was dis
turbing observation and moved
uneasily in the saddle as ! pondered
over the thought it suggested. l might
have dismissed the whole matter in a
few minutes and given myself up once
more to the delights of that morning
hour, but for the fact that l saw a
hawk swoop down on a helpless little
chick which 1t seized and carried away
thinking no doubt that 1t had secured
a most appetizlng morning meal.
heard the chicks pitiful cry and was
SO moved that l would have saved 1t at
---e cost OF the hawks life had been
able to do so. | was hot with anger
that anything so innocent mad helpless
should be torn to pieces and devoured
by stronger biru; bu. as / reasoned
about the matter the thought came to
life that another be it hawk or
probably would have been slain later
on and used as food by man. And why
should 1t ever De asked to give up its
life that another, be 1t hawk or lie 1t
man, might live! This question per-
picked me ana l could not dismiss II
from my mind. AS / thought it over
and sought for an answer to 1t that
would comport with the idea of Gods
ed the city. l had scarcely crossed
the boundary between town and cOun-
tary when / met a long procession
vending its way to the city Of the dead
Whether a father or mother son or
daughter had been called hence,
knew not; but evidently it was one
wei beloved and widely known. There
were many evidences of weeping in the
throng that was following the lifeless
form OF that loved one to
the grave. Even the horses seemed
to realize the SADNESS and SOL
emnity that attnded the occas-
ion and with dropping heads,
slow and measured tread they moved
toward the cemetery gates.
Again questions arose in my mind
and clamOred for answers An hour
before it was easy to assent to the the
ory that Infinite love ruled the world;
but to 'harmonize these later obserVa-
tions with that theory was not an easy
thing to do. Nevertheless a careful
survey of known facts equally hard to
explain at the time OF their occurrence
prompted me to reafiirm faith In the
doctrines that under the guidance of
immanent Deity, all things do work
together for good. Under trying con
ditinns tba frua nraver must evar ha.