The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-12-04
AFTERTHOuoHTS

us, when with the mercury at Its low
est point, with energy ebbing away,
when life's prospects as we look from
every side are anything but alluring--
there steals over us, slowly, gradually,
with force that suddenly becomes ir-
restible, a longing, smarting to get
away from 1t all; to tramp, to wander
far afield-anything you may call 1t,
just to hide for a while in its calmness
of solitude, away from the tolls and
heartbreaks of the world. Foolishly
we struggle against this natural i'm
pulse, endeavoring to gain the battle
under adverse circumstances, when,
like tired children, we long 10 turn our
weary feet back into the pathway that
leads toward mother nature, where
sympathy and comfort Is assured.
when the corners of the mouth droop
from excessive weariness, because the
Joy OF living has turned to fixed rig
idity of purpose that Is almost me-
chanical. when one tires OF the beaten
pathway and those ON every hand
seem cold and unsympathetic, almost
antagonistic--then is the time when
you must needs get away from all the
dull pain, into the very heart of ma
ture's haunts, to forget In her sweet
companionship, the cares and wor-
ries that you have left behind--to re-
gain the courage which once possess
ed you and the Inspiration which
seems irrevocably lost.
We often hear people say, with down
cast air and disconsolate sigh, "Oh, IL
| could only get away for Just little
while, but l cannot, my place is here"
Why should you not own to yourself
that you are weary of it all, know
ing that If you are only left alone for
a while, you can again take nip the
sword of battle and win out against
the hosts OF trouble, toll and heart
break.
The only solace is to find the un-
trod footpaths of the woods, bare and
bleak though they may be. It is ma
ture that you want, the sympathy and
consolation that she reaches out to you
unstintedly. The rustic of the dead
leaves In the low branches OF the trees,
comes as sweet lullaby. in music soft
and subtle that falls like balm upon
your troubled soul.
There is melody that Is peculiar to
tie wood; music SO soft and sweet
and soulmoving was never written,
and in listening to it you wander on
and on till you find place as II pre-
pared for you. There is an innate
fragrance in the breath Of the woods
that purifies and uplifts. To find
some chosen spot where you may
throw yourself down upon the messy
turf In close communion with nature,
until you feel the vibrations of her
very heart, and as you drink in all the
varied beauties, with the bright blue
al, hA h,,v. scta oil rnl
Of the hedgerows outlined against the
horizon, you feel closer kinship with
God and all that he has made. And
you forget the chill November day, for
your heart grows warm within you
| and you gaze around with a differ
ent feeling than that which possessed
| you when you felt that you must get
away or die.
There is limitless space to glory in
| to revel in, for the music OF your
heart to fill, and hope comes back,
courage comes back and the world is
no longer utterly void of Joy and beau
ty. 1t may be only for little while
but when you return again to the un-
finished task that you have left there
is braver resolve in your heart, tenn
pered by a finer sensibility and under
standing that smooths over the rough
and stony places which everyone must
tread in their walk through life
Fads and fancies still come and go.
A new and startling innovation be-
comes the rage and we take 1t up en-
Enthusiastically, intent on finding some
thing that will amuse while it also
gives the pretense of study. We delve
Il \. <,ll s.xR<
natures, only to find after little time,
| that II is shallow and tiresome, and
we fling IL away to pick up in another
energy. wasted time and ambition
this eager pursuit Of flying pleasures.
There Is one study, (perhaps you
wouldn't give 1t that name) of which
the student never grows weary. A
study that is fascinating, never monot-
onous. that day after day brings to
him wisdom and insight, an under
standing of people and things that
the pathway Of life and goads us on to
better and nObler aims. 1T is the study
of humanity, of the lives and. charac-
ters. the various traits good and 9TH
erwise, as you meet them in the men
and women with whom you come In
daily contact. There Is always new
material for study, extensive and far
reaching. Just as In botany you
pluck the flower and analyze It's COM
ponent elements--so you may analyze
In those around you, the various quail
ites In their vastly different settings,
that make up the perfect flower that
we call character. No matter how
mean the individual may be, IL you
care to look you will always find some
! thing beautiful about him, something
| ~ 1at In v,s.lxy