The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1901-05-25
LINCOLN LETTER.
Lincoln, Nebr.,
Nay 20, 1901.

Ahcio 10 vase VI yciio" foSco vi euo
table beside me. silently filling the room
with fragrance, and bringing a message
OF love and Of patient devotion to duty.
to an impatient world. What a striking
example Of independence, Of single
mindedness. Of the power of an all-per-
vading idea, do We find in one single
rose! One duty alone it owes to itself,
and to the world-the duty OF growing
and developing and enriching with its
beauty and perfume a certain amount
OF space. In a palace or hovel-the
rose spreads fragrance. Its duty is to
itself. and environment and circumstan-
ces are powerless to interfere with the
accomplishment of that duty. How
different in this respect lie the rose from
the average human being! Man is es-
sentially q creature OF circumstances.
He is indeed little more than the ami
mate product OF his surroundings.
Contact with the world inevitably wears
away his individuality Of thought and
expression. Mr.. Emerson realized the
fact when he said: at is easy in the
world to live after the worlds opinion;
it is easy in solitude to live after our
owr; but the great man is he who in
the rush Of the crowd keeps with per-
feet sweetness the independence of
solitude
But am only writing letter, Pencil
ope dear, and not composing an essay
on physiological psychology or psycholo
gical physiology, which ever you may
prefer. There are too many abstract
theories aud too little practice, too
many young men with limited brain
power who have an idea that it is be-
neath ther dignity to perform any form
of labor with their hands. To these the
advice of Aristotle applies: "Ap action
and not thought is the end Of life"
Many years later the poet Whittier
emphasized the same idea when he said:
speak out in acts; the time for words
has passed, and deeds alone suffice"
You doubtless heard rumouTs
of the Delta Gamma convention last
week. 1t was very successful week OF
functions. The Nebraska chapter has
been preparing for the occasion for two
years, and with the customary foresight
of high-miDded girls, their assessments
we're paid in before the convention as
sembled. Their bills are all settled and
the young women are resting from a
week, which vas, socially, the most bril-
liant of any recent period. The Kappa
convention, which was held two years
ago in August, assembled equally pretty
and clever girls. but it was held in a
socially quiet time. the local chapter
was obliged to depend entirely on it's
own exertions. On the recent occasion
the Kappas themselves gave brilliant
reception at the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
Whedon. The Pi Beta Phis gave an
elegant tea at the home of Mrs. Stuart.
Kappa Alpha Theta gave lawn party
on the grounds Of the chapter house,
Tri. Delta gave a reception at the home
of Mrs. Bonnell and Phi Delta Theta
gave a lawn party on the Raymond
grounds which were illuminated by half
a hundred electric lights and set with
rugs. chairs and canopies. The en-
semLle of the week. therefore, was COM
posed Of the most gracious efforts OF the
other fraternities in residence as we'll as
the utmost that the Delta Gammas
could do. There are number Of very
pretty Omaha girls who are Delta Gam
mas. so that you must have heard the