The age-herald., 1901-05-26

own. Every lover, man or woman, who is not royal in the luxuriant and splendid abundance of star-reaching courage and daring is creature of the tapeline or the washtub.
 Alas! when the heart is deep-moved by the eternal verities, it is difficult to keep to any other marked-out line, whitherso- ever tending or whomsoever 1t is sought to serve. A wise man whose ship is com- ing home had suggested the noble speech of Polonius to Laertes as a text for a little advice to the multitude of young men and maidens who are now quitting the halls of study for the wide field of life, the gates of which they are just entering.
 Possibly the things said were best said to such as these, though other words of counsel were meant; but from the abun- dance of the heart words of other forms of truth are come. These words may stand. Whoso sees not the import of it all, there is no use in counselling him or her. The text stands for itself.
 Only this furthermore may be said: There Is no career of honor open to any one who doesn't accept at the outset the supreme value of fidelity to friendship, love and truth. He or she lives lie and will die in dishonor who does come to realization of these things.
 Thou fool, this night shalt thy soul be required of thee,' is spoken to every mortal who does not give heed to and follow the soft admonitions of truth as exemplified In common sincerity of purpose and hon esty of motive. It means to work and wait and watch and pray in the glorious light that comes of truth and fidelity and Is never dimmed. It means frankness and sincerity in the ceaseless toll and strife, the earnest purpose and hope of this life, the things which lead to success in the high calling of the higher human endeavor.
 Without these, my beloved, you who are quitting textbooks for toll in your re- spective ways, no good can possibly come to you. Patient toll alone can bring real success to any man, and steadfast faith, nobility of purpose, purity of heart and power of prayer-these alone can bring happiness to any woman; yea, to any man soever.
 
 Behold. beloved, your ship will come to the home port if you do but will 1t so:
 To you is given a vision that is come to one repentant of many sins and strong after many follies. The ship Is coming home!
 In the eternal blue of the upper deep there floats no cloud, dark or fair-only the eternal blue, impenetrable, unsearcha- ble-awful in its majesty. It forms a dome and at the zenith there beats a white light that fades the blue into a glory that 1t not of land or sea- Down. ward springing 1t falls into the soft, lap ping, langurous embrace of the vast sea, likewise eternally blue, upon the bosom of which no crested wave breaks. There is only the rise and fall of the heaving deep, the splendid threnody of the sea, the vast sea which shall one day be no more. no more
 Far out where the warm blue of the upper deep joins the cool blue of the great sea that rises and falls in sublime threnody of silence, there suddenly rises space of white, like unto fieecy cloud let flying away to nothingless when day is done. The space of white expands with astonishing swiftness. Look it is sail. Straining the vision of the hungering eye, there is seen looming out of the union of the upper and the lower deeps of blue full-rigged ship in full sail, proudly careering forward. every sail filled with a wind not yet felt by him who watches and longs for the breath of it all. 'The ship Is coming home!'' the watcher cries, Now every sail and spar and every rope is clearly discernible in that vast sum bright blue. On 1t comes-the ship com ing home, full-laden and rich-the belly ing sails white as the wings of truth ever shining in the eternal blue Now the full ship, full ladened is in view, and as 1t sweeps onward there Is the crested foam in its wake. Now is seen in the bow the angel face of Joy wreathed in the rainbows of long-deferred promise; and now at the tiller is seen Faith trium- phant, steering the ship coming home. Upon the bridge is Laughter. The ship sweeps onward and forward. a thing of living white in the living blue-and 1t is coming home.
 The signal is run up. "Ail is We'll"