Fergus County argus., 1906-01-12

most grace would not, lmprO6ably, be |
boy who would hesitate to soil his |
hands by the performing of such a |
menial task as that entailed in keep |
ing clean back yard.
How beautiful and inspiring was |
the response made to the call for vol |
unteers in our war with Spain. The |
call sounded and from every direction |
came the answer But | wonder how
many of the young soldiers had sick
ened and become tired of war before |
they were ready to Leave the training |
camp? How very unsatisfactory I'm
Gle Sans rations were, and how |
weary were the long weeks of train
ing when they were SO anxious to
share in the glory and renown of the
front 1t was glory and renown they
were there for. The true heroes of
the time were first; those who went
to war and sent back letters not full
of srumbling, but telling of the bright
side of camp life, and who went
through the drearsome routine day af-
ter day with the consciousness that
their country would be the better for
their weeks of hard training. They
all enlisted in a moment of excite
ment. the true Americans were those
who had grit and loyalty to fall back
on after the excitement had grown
thin. and secondly those who though
filled with an intense longing to help
their country, still saw it to be their
duty to remain at home and in their
place to do the little trivial things
that have TO be done over and over
again. not that they might some day
be on the battlefield, but that the
home interests might not suffer These
! attained their true greatness when
they realized that their country was
gaining, perhaps not SO brilliantly, but
surely more steadily by their quiet per
severance than by the swerve and
dash of the front. Let us remember
just now the women, for they are oft
On forgotten and many times remem-
bered; may we always be Of the latter
class. When their sons and husbands
went to war these stayed at home
with nothing but worry and heartsick-
ness as an alternative to the daily
grind Of duty. Their loved ones had
! the glory Of it but they had the tears.
/ They did what they considered to be
/ their duty with no nope of reward.
\ The men at the front knew that, even
Il they We're killed that their death
would be one of glory, and if they liv-
ed praise and respect would always
be theirs It is the same old case. one
doing his best for the good of the
country, when the good done to that
country will never be laid at his door,
the other doing his best, too, but with
a far different feeling as to the end.
The one never thinking Of reward, the
other knowing there will be one and
looking forward to the recompense that
will surely be his.
: In many European countries the
Young men are required to spend a
certain time in the army. Our nation
does not need to make this law. as
has been shown many times. for our
, men live to do their duty rather than
do their duty to live.
There is being done a great work in
this country. Not by ranting political
parties, nor by those who raise their
hands and cry, 81 am great man,
will do something for your good if you
will just listen to my plea" but by a
quiet, unassuming band, or I shall say
bands of workers over this country
They are very modest over what they
are doing. yet they are in deadly ear
nest. The main organization is call
!. e.i the American Civic Club and has
as its purpose the beautifying OF
!. America Perhaps it's most able sec
; Ond is the Federation of WOman's
= clubs. which has thrown itself hear,
. and soul into the right. Not con
> test that can be called a war, but il
| may repeat myself, the sincere doins
of little seemingly unnecessary acts
that the country may be the more
beautiful Surely all Americans will
admit that it is doing good to this
country to beautify it. The Woman's
club here in Lewistown is planning
to begin the good work the following
summer We have glorious cOun
try given to us, and as true patriots
we should make the most Of 1t. But
are we doing our best, in the true
sense of the word, when We allow bus
mess interests to destroy and finally
do away with that wonderful pile Ol
grandeur. the Niagara Falls? Are moi
, the people VINO are trying to save II
doing just as much for the country
as those who fight that our history
may be glorious in victories. It seems
trivial thing at first. this campaign
against disfiguring sign boards and the
spelling of scenery by the advertise
ments which are painted on. but in
this case. as in every case, it is the
!,
noble work to build up the commerce
of our country. Is it not lust as noble
to keep the spirit of business from
destroying the beauties of nature
which we ought to look up to and
reverance? There can be no greater
patriotism than that which has as its
aim the preserving OF these.
, We see our duty far more clearly II
il he task that has a SNOWY reward
l than II the reward is not in sight
The men in the army who do the dis
y agreeable things with no hope OF gair
e are Just as true heroes as the maj
. who backs the charge. I do not meal
/ the men who do so for a money gain
:. but those who are willing to do any
thing, no matter how small, as lOni
h as their country may gain by 1t.
e DELIGHT DOWNING. OF.
4 A Thousand Dollars Worth Of Good