The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-08-22

for the failures. But We are all the time in Gods
hands, working out the destiny for which he intends
US.
Stevenson came of family of engineers, and
his early training was with the end in view that he
should follow in the footsteps of his fathers. One of
his earliest recollectons he tells u.s. is trip to the
coast of Fife with his grandfather where he was
shown the wild northern sea, chained and pacifed
by the handiwork of his ancestors His ambition
was to work with hand and brain at the same pro-
fesson and he labored to attain that goa but luckily
he was destined for other things. In the first glory
of his young manhood his health failed and he was
ordered to leave Scotland his books and studies his
plans for tanning the sea, and his friends and seek
health in warmer climes. How bitter this was to
him, we know from his earlier essays Where he
himself concerned, he a stern advocate of the
strenuous" life He wanted to be doing, not for
ambitions sake but for love of action, and he was
condemned when but little twenty years of age
to look forward to the existence of the confirmed
invalid for the balance of his days.
At first this penalty seemed more than he could
bear. "Thy rebuke hath broken his heart" he cries
aloud in some passages of Ordered South and
"Virgnibus Puerisque," but even here we find fine
manliness and cheerful resignation to fate that is
unsurpassed. Whatever Stevenson felt or suffered
he made it his business to let the world see but
brave front and a smiling face at all times. Among
his letters we find but one querulous note-just
enough to prove his humanity-and that was written
when he the verge of DEATH almost starving
in strange land, and when his friend rerroached
him with being somewhat morbid. Put yourself in
my place, he excaims, and see how much better you
could do At all other times his work was to cheer
the world on, to praise the worthy and encourage
the faint hearted.
Stevenson was destined for greatness. He
would have lowered above his race in any work he
might have undertaken Had he been able to fulfill
the desires of his parents he would have left
ments of engineering skill behind him to defy the
elements. Slightingly he sometimes refers to
his profession of a Scotch advocate, somehow or
other we feel that the man knew law and had it at
his fingers ends. Now and then he gives us an
inkling of this knowledge in the rough draft of
the unfinished "Wier of Hermiston, and by bits
that escape in his correspondence. He had that
infinite capacity for taking pains" that Carlyle
defines genius and he could apply this capacity to
any subject. His insight into men and things was
marvellous and nothing with which he came in con-
tact escaped him. Who but Stevenson would have
noticed that the world wakes up yawns turns over
and goes to sleep again at two o'clock in the
ing? And yet any who has slept in the open
knows it is So Who but Stevenson could have
discovered the moral lesson in the Lantern Bearers
and turned it to such good use?
And yet with all his great power of seeing into
the heart of things, this marvellous nothing
but good. The so-caed REALISM of modern writer's
was not for him. He never could understand why
it that only the sordd and the ugly real to
them; for to him, the beautiful and the good were
quite as tangible. And so he went his way, mixing
with Of all kinds and classes he kept unspotted
to the last his faith in mankind and God. It was
characteristic of Stevenson to discover human beings
chidike, loveabe and potential where the civilized
nations Of the world could find only yellow niggers
and political issue.
Any book that will give picture of the man
who wrote the following prayer-all unconsciously
on the eve of his own long journey-will be well
come friend:
"We beseech Thee Lord, to behold us with
favor folk of many families and nations, gathered
together in the peace of this roof; weak men and
women, subssting under the covert of Thy patience
Be patient still; suffer yet awhile longer-with
our broken purposes of good with idle endeavors
against evilsuffer yet awhile longer to endure,
and (if it may be) help to do better Bless to
our extraordinary mercies; if the day when
these must be taken, have us play the under
affection Be with our friends; be with ourselves.