The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-30
OUR STRIFE
WITH OURSELVES
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
HERD WAS once a woman
came to mo for explanation,
counsel and comfort. Explana-
ton of Gods seeming cruelty
"a har and indifferenca to her


pTayers-counsel upon her course OF ao-
ton and comfort for her despair.
She was we'll past the half century
mark, worn, prematurely aged, bruised.
tired, discouraged. She had been q Wo-
man OF craving ambitions, mad for mate-
rial pleasures and benefits, for money.
place, power, prominence. All OF these
she had fought for, even at the sacrifice
Of her higher convictions and in defiance
OF the opinions of others.
She had obtained all the things she
sought. and each one had proven to be
dead sea fruit, and turned to ashes on
her lips. It had all been long ago. For
years abe had been seeking to 1.-Two
quietly, peacefully and happily, and to
be useful and good, And with each
effort toward usefulness came disappont-
ment. Obstacles rose in her path, dis
cord destroyed harmony, chaos was given
where she hoped for order.
And SO she was bitter toward God. and
believed He was cruel and spiteful like
an ignorant human being. Instead, 1t
was the Debris of old desires lying jum-
bled in her mind, the lnhar,nony of her
thoughts. the absolute lack Of concern
tration. tho strife. the remorse, the sor-i
row for herself and the fretful dlscon-
tent with 1t all. which brought the re-
suits she 5deploreA.&-
In place of sitting down in the silence
and saying to her soul, We have had
our schooling, the lesson Is learned and
the higher truth has come God is just
and thank Him for all has taught
me, and peace is mine,.' she stood with
tense nerves and defiant eyes and cried:
IT will have peace; I will be let alone
by Fate-and only a devil would try to
hinder me now In my old age.
When she did not hold this thought she
was fretting about the past and wasting
her vitality In a useless regret for things
done. It was no wonder that she found
herself facing despair ut every turn, and
that new battles awaited her with each
new dawn. Relax and be still" was my
counsel.
II a man puts his shoulder out Of Joint
or fractures 1t, before he can resume
his duties he must lie quiet for time
and let nature remedy the evil. So, II
he disorders his life by wrong ambitions
or desires and makes havoc of his happl-
ness, he must learn to keep still within
himself before he can restore order.
To dash about gesticulating and crying
for aid will never mend the shoulder. or
the life The bone and the mentality
must knit in repose and silence. It is
folly to wish Wa had not done this or
that. Once done we cannot undo It, and
better conserve our forces to repair the
error by accepting It's lesson and making
it a part OF our wisdom Of experience.
Let the past go, Men have been beg
CARS in purse, health and reputation at
fifty and have lived to win fortune, vital
ty and respect
Nothing Is impossible to the soul that
will wrap tho mantle OF silence about
itself and wait and believe.
BArTLEs.
Battles and wars and combats-man with
striving Wing for place, supremacy and
power
Not since the first dim dawn Of life be-
gan.
On this small sphere has peace reigned
for ono hour,
Battles. forever battles.
Why should we marvel' In that heart of
Has peace been known to fold its wings
and rest?
All. no! Two natures. human and divine.
Wage always war within the mortal
breast,
Battles. forever battles.
Vars, wars, amending. Not In open field,
Are fought the mighty conflicts Of the
EARTH
But in the secret hearts OF men, con-
cealed.
BY lips and eyes, tricRed out in smiling
mirth
Battles, forever battles.
strife, always strife, Wild passions day
and night.
Like pillows, bruise the breast. and
surge and roll,
While that unending war of wrong and
right,
Desire and aspiration wear the soul
Battles forever battles.