The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-03-19

allegiant to my Gege queen ana Iauy1
Maud of England, and to her son and
prince, Henry P~lantagent, and
thereof your Grace is witness
"EAnd between my hands, as your
Iege s~overeign's proxy, lay your
hands
"sGilbert held out his joined hands
to the queen, and she took them be-
tween her palms, while Anne OF Auch
held the the great sword, still kneel-
ing.
"I put my hands between the
hands of my lady, Queen Maud OF
England I am her man. said Gilbert
Warde.
"Then Eleanor took the sword OF
Aquitaine and held it upin the right
hand, though it was heavy, and she
spoke holy words:
"'Gilbert Warde, be a true knight
in life and death !"Whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever thing r hon-
est, whatsoever things are just
whatsoever things are pure, what
soever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report If there
be any virtue, and if there be any
praise, think on these things"-and
do them, and for them live and die
"When she had spoken, she laid
the sword flat upon his left shoulder,
and let it linger a moment, and then
lifted it and touched him twice again,
and sheathed the long blade.
"'Sir Gilbert, rise ="
Said a young man after reading
this passage: "In these days when
most young men seek renown and
standing by worship of gold, it is
inspiring to read Of these brave men
pledged to noble deeds, sweet lives
and heroic endeavor. Though they
lacked many Of the c~Onveniences
and luxuries that we now enjoy, l
am inclined to envy them them the
privilege of joining an order Of kim
dred spirits pledged to develop in
themselves such high virtues and
and all that makes a MANI"
But why should we envy them?
For no reason, unless for their trap
pings, the forms and ceremonies of
those days. These we have not, but
the better part we have-the priv
lege of living such lives, of having
the same high ideals, of working for
the same worthy objects. And
privilege it is, one not to be lightly
esteemed. The elaborate ceremonies
of other days days we're only for the
few, but it is within the power of
each and every man to set for him
self the same high standards of
honor, courage and virtue, and to
live as near them as ever did a plum
ed knight in the days of chivalry.
Opportunities for doing good have
not decreased.
"To reverence his conscience as his
king,
To speak no SANDER, no, nor listen
to it,
To honor his own words as if his
Gods"
What day eve passes that we do
not have opportunities of putting
these into practice?
And I have spoken of the pr5Ui-
Lege of living such lives, of having
the same high ideals, etc. Did you
we think of the ability to live a
noble life as a privilege? There was
once a man who lived in a dirty hut
in a foul swamp. From the hut
could be seen a magnificent castle
situated on the summit Of a beauti-
full mountain. This, too, was the
property of the man in the hut, and
it could be occupied by no one else.
But because the castle was not within
a days journey, because the way to
it was rugged and rough, the man
lived and died in the howell, and the
castle remained unoccupied.
Even so, I fear, too many of us
live not up to our privileges. Noble
lives, high ideals, a spotless reputa-
tion-"the purest treasure mortal
times aford'-may be ours. Yet,
like Rome, they they are not built in
a day. Like other prizes, they are
won not without struggle. Hence,
like the man in the hut, we make
no efforts to attain unto this high
and noble life, because the way to it