Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-02-16

great struggle. lie would little under /
stand his soldiers duty who, the army .
once beaten, should cease to brush his !
garments, polish his rifle and observe .
discipline. but what would be the !
use" perhaps you ask. Are there not |
various fashions OF being vanquished!
Is it an Indifferent matter to add 70 de- |
feat encouragement. disorder and he
moralizauon? No; II should never he
forgotten that 'he least DISPLAY o. en- .
er2F lh ih'~' ''riihI' lh"ll'''is IL
si=n OF lie AMI hope. N one" every .
body feels that all Is NOT lost
During the disnstI"H" retreat OF lNl"'
H. in the heart OF the winter. "h'h II
had become almost Impossible 10 pre-
sent any sort OF appearances Il general
! know not VINO, one MOlnlDg present.
cd himself 10 Napoleon in tull dress
and freshly shaved. Seeing him thus
in the midst OF the general demornllah-
ton, as elabofately aitired MS II Tor
parade, the emperor said, MY general
You are Il brave man.
Again, the plain uutN IS the near
duty. \ very common weakness Keeps
many people from finding what is near
them intcrestng; they see that only on
its paltry side. The distant, on the
contrary, draws ANA fuscinates them.
In this way a fabulous amount OF good
will is wasted. People burn with ar
dor for humanity. for the public good,
for righting distant wrongs; they walk
through life, their eyes fixed on mar
yclOus sights along the horizon, tread
ing meanwhile Oh the feet Of passerS-
( by or jOstling them without being
aware Of their existence.
Strange inhrmity. that keeps us from
seeing our fellows mt our very doors!
People widely read and far Travelled
are often not acquainted with their
fellow citizens, great or small. Their
lives depend upon the cooperation or
Il multitude Of beings whose lot re-
/ mains 10 them quite Indifferent. Not
| those To whom they owe their knorl-
/ edge and culture. not their rulers nor
, those who serve them and supply their
needs. have ever attracted their atten-
. tlun. That there is ingratitude or i'm
providence in not knowing ones work
I men, ones scryantS-all those, in short,
/ with whom one has Indispensable So
cial rclationa-this has never come into
their minds. Others 80 much further.
To certain wives their husbands are
strangers. and conversely. There are
parents who do not know their chill
dren: their development. their thoughts,
the dangers they run. the hopes they
cherish. are TO them u closed book.
Many children do not know their par
cnts. have no suspicion Of their diff
culticS and struggles. no conception of
their aims. And ! am nor speaking of
those pitcously diSordcrcd homes
where all the relations are false. but
of honorable families. only all these
people are greatly preoccupied: each
has his outside interest that fills all his
time. The distant dury-vcry attrac-
tive. l don't deny-claims them entire
ly, and they are not conscious Of the
duty near at hand. ] fear they will
have their trouble for their pains. Each
persons base of operations is the field
of his immediate duty. Neglect this
Geld. and all You undertake ut dis
lance is compromised. First then, be
Of your own country, your own city,
your own home, your own church, your
own workshop; then, il You can. set out
from this to 80 beyond il. That IS the
plain "ua naruT"i"":or.and man must
forutT Lmscl. with very bad reasons
To arrive rs reversing II. III all cNchLS'
tlc result OF 50 strange Il confusion oil
duties is that many people employ
their time IN MI SORTS OF affairs except
those in which we have a right 10 de-
maEd il. Zach IS occupied win some
tiin- else than what concerns him' Is
absent from lis post ignore" his trade.
This is what complexities lllc. And u
would be so simple for each one to be
about his own matter.
Another form Of simple duty. When
damage is done who should repair it:
He who did II. This Is Just, but it is
only theory. and The consequence OF
following the theory would be the evil
in force until the malcfuctorS were
found and had offset it, Bur suppose
they are not found. or suppose they
cannot or will not make amends?
The rain falls on your head through
a hole in the roof or the wind blows
IN at "a broken window. viii you wait
- find the man who caused the mis-
chief. you would certainly think thai
absurd. and yet such is often the prac
Iirr children Indignantly protest. 81
e. didn't put it there. and l shall not take
r. Il away"' And most men reason aftel