The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-11-18
THE FALLING q LrAYEls.s
some Beautiful Word Painting by
Editor a.. d. wiIiinms.

ooiAio oohAo Iautiiui Ieautiiui WORD Painting by
Editor g.. D. Williams.
The leaves are flaming to their fall,
gotlg gloriously to death; or else are
dGll, monotouous brown. Some at the
warning touch OF the frost, telling
them that death, stealthilY, but swift
and su %, is in the Coming wind, array
themselves In crimson and scarlet,
rich russell aud flashing, gold, garb
more splendid than they wore while
fJune's sunshine and warmth and
gentle winds kissed and carressed them
with promise of peace, life. Through
the. soft, dreamy haze of the Indian
summer they maze forest and noun
tain side beautiful, far.reaching mass.
ses OF vivid color. Others shriyel and
shiver and surrender all the beauty OF
the summer time, cfackling dry, col
orless and dead as October blasts
sweep rudely upon them. Presently
both shall lie thick on the gror-d be-
low, rustling to the careful feet Of the
forest creatures or the tread Of man
or the driving Of the gale. Later all
together shall be beaten into sudden
masses by the winter rairand in the
mystic, subtle processes of natu e
shall yield the elements to earth and
air to mako the multitude OF glores
and growth and beauties of the next
summer; but some have made their
fading and going and death the most
splendid and vital part Of their living,
and the others have merely and sui
leuly faded, withered, died and dis
appeared.
Nature teens busily with lessons
for life and offers them to us with a
loving mothers eager solicitude from
every little leaf and flower, from her
smaller to her largest marvels and
triumphs. She tells us and teaches us
with careful maternal pains and reit
Grafton that there Is somewhere an
antidote for every poison, cure for
each care, a blessing In each seeming
disaster, light aud beauty and hope to
be gathered firm every sorrow. The
tear hanging suspended and quivering
on the eyelash gathers In a moment
all the pyiSmatic colOrS-nature's ten
der, timorous giving Of her best and
brightest beauties and glories and
promises, Gods pledge and assurance
that man shall not be overwhelmed
aud need not be destroyed by any del
luge. We read Of crowns and glories to
come hereafter, of green pastures by
placid, tree shadowed, sun lighted
waters, OF wide eSpAnses Of psace and
perfect rest. May we not gain and pos
sess these here? The souls within US
are vast-llimitable. We may people
and occupy and make their Landscapes
aud til:tr aimuspneres as we will.
fhey are ours to use. Will and pur-
pose and power over ourselves are
given to us. The leaves tell us. With
the touch Of the chilling frost, With
the bleak breath Of the killing wind
against US, the test comes, for in the
soothing, balmy, fragrant breath OF
sum ner and long days and kindly suns
the leaves are all green and beautiful
alike.
Our lives are not completed and
glorjifed without sorrow and loss and
disappointment. Our triumphs are not
completely. sweet unless they have
been waited for and reached against
many obstacles. Our personal loves are
not perfect, can not fill our hearts to
ovei owing measure and saturate With
clean delights our inmoSt souls. until
| They have kno Yn coubt and
fear and pain mutually endured.
No happiness Is so exultantly gloGous
spendld as Jtaj or reunion GfCer
long parting, restoration after alsana-
tion, and pure and patient waiting,
when hearts find home at last and rest
there. The Illustrations might be
made through the whole long cata-
logue Of human impul es, emotions
and affections.
The leaves are senseleSs things.
They must glorify the Indian sua.mer
and wave the gorgeous banners Of
purpose trlumphantly fulfilled Ia the
face Of grim and killing wints-, or
crinkle and die ANONYMOUSLY sere and
dull, as their parent stems demand.
Men and women bringing or to bril- e
new children into the word are under
the resi- sLonsibillty-to be determined
and allotted none OF US may know how
or where or how much-of deteImin-
ing how the impulses and inclinations
OF those to come shall be, of maxi g
the traits to be transmitted. But
each man and woman OF us is an in
cpendent and a Sslf-contrUlling being
Different fr, m the leaves dal g.ing on
the trees, helplessly compelled TO obey
as nature and inheritance may order,
we are allied to and part OF the Po yer
above nature, are given lrerogatives,
responsibilities attributes and-prom-
ises akin to those OF nature but myS.
tically apart from them. We OF ali
created thing, alone have the right Of
appeal from our parentag., Of resist
ing even to the potency OF inheri-
tance. 1t is our privilege, cur won K
and our right to overcome. Our
bodies, like those Of the leaves Shall
presently lie sodden, horrible and hid
den by the process Of nature flon
corruption and decay contribute
through earth aad atmosphere to the
gifts and 6 DRY OF the living world.
IN that thought there Is no humila-
tion or repugnarce. So far we share
the fate and do the wo!k OF the
leaves. 1t is for each OF US to deter
mine, whether we shall be like the
leaves which gathtr bcwilderi, glo
lies OF beauty from the shadow and
breath OF death and mark the going OF
the kindly summer with coloriI more
brilliant than summer can give, or
those which merely die and fall TO rot.
III is certain tUat' we can draw
through our tears priSmltc lights TO
illuminate cur souls and shine out on
! the world around us that yya Gan is