Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-01-03
!: THE ROSARY OF A RAMBLER
Y people do ynu suppose

How many people do you suppose
made good resolves on New Years day?
Perhaps not so many as did few years
ago, for the old custom is going out of
fashion, so they say, as the beautiful
one of making New Years calls has
Gone. 1t is just us we'll no doubt. There
may be some people who have kept their
self inflicted promises. but they are even
fewer end farther between than the old
saving would imply. There is relig-.
ious body which seeks to reform in a
way which is as wise as it is novel sin
is not painted in attractive form, and
the injunction to withstand its allure
ments given, but the desire to do the
wrong is taken away and then the theo-
~ is, he reformation will be complete.
II is not, in reality, a new theory at all.
For so long ago as when Grecian phil
osophy was stamping upon the thought
of the world an impression never to be
effaced, Plato taught that man did not
know thing to be a sin when he did
it. Not maliciousnsss, but ignorance.
was the cause of wrong doing. All men
long to be happy; only by doing good
can man be happy, therefore man will.
not willingly do that which Is not good.
Such was the philosophers reasoning.
Observation may make it appear to US
that there must be some fallacy in the
deduction, yet as theories go it is good
sone. The only difficulty is to be found
in the definition of happiness. The ttleo
retical side of this syiiogisn may be of
more value than the practical side eff
Swearing off Perhaps if we believed
the one il would not be so hard to put
s. Ot hcr y,rnf.tjf.e
One habit ushered in with every COM
ing year does not threaten to fall into
disuse. IT is the habit Of keeping di
airy. How bravely is every trivial oc-
currerce jotted down during the frs
fortnight of january and how one comes
70 the conclusion that writing the do
ings of each day is the easiest and most
interesting thing in the world. But,
iolesssd4is the diary which has more than
a line Oh. two in March and which Is not
altogether forgotten in September. The
gradualyceasing to record snot always
to be regretted. Fewof us have thrilling
adventures enough TO eaiiysn many
pages and our thoughts and inpulses-
are they to be written down in black
and white for others to .augh at and to
or 10 rebuke us by their tacit complaint
NATIVE have not fulfilled them? Yet in
diaries as in all things. there are excep-
tions and of one of these il is we'll TO
know 4 dear old lady, whose strong
hand clear head and sympathetic heart
made lle, a favorite among all who ever
ilsnew her. kept for many years d record
of each day. One night, after day of
= y, Il.
\ friends, She Closed the book and she
never opened ii again; for in the dark
watches of the night she slippet
lawa',,' and if, as our old theologies
teach there is recording angel. the
4 book in which, he wrote she had no need
/ 20 fear. 1'hen the little journal which
sshe had kept became almost invaluable
to her children, and each day of the
year they would read what she had
written on that date OF the year before.
The ordinary happenings Of the day, tne
f.iends who had called arld words of
hcnssly thought and CHEEKY Wit. all
these have made the pa;ses gerry dear
and each days record has seemed lilst
that best thing on earth % the lonely
ens-7a letter which comes from home.
The papers this week have told Of tbs
+ release from an eastern prison Of j
Imam held for twsnty-two years for a
l murder which ii vas finally discovered
he had never committed. II would be
Of interest to those VINO area not isssi
4 cholGsists to know his feelings w,ls.
justice was finally done him ard IL
went out from the prison, a free man
+ Elaiy ene has heard the tale of tbs
man who was Released from his cot
tirenent after years OF innocent suffer
81 ing. He had always lenged fer frsf
dem. bG1 when he went cut into tn
4 world ne had not known For Sc long, h
felt 50 strange and alane that he weai
& back 10 the prison AID begged to Gt
i taken in again. for that was the only
place which seemed like home, The
story is not overGra H,n, as stories
sometimes are. 4 lar,ly Justice MAY bt
little better 5ilan none az all. OF Nha'
value is pesse stun il one have lost the
power 70 Use ard 10 cure for it, Ant
0iie may Become so tssai he does MOI
know what to do with his frssGonl.
He was not a very large boy and h.
had bssa spending the afternoon wist
little friend The tspst was the OH.
f son Of wealthy parents. who delighted
is lavish uraa him everything tat {
\ child could possibly desire. TIE WIS
dom d such a course nlag BE- gGSs
tionea, but the lone which piHRlpts !
nrvee Il is mt al5aget6et hag.aful
ftswovei fer children are sometime
rare clever al separating the seqs
! from the al'gss than grown people. ans
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