The Washington herald., 1907-12-12
THE OPTIMIST.

Words, How few Of US. ! think, real
ize how vitaIly important in the matter
or right living words are And what a
world OF difference there is between the
spoken and the written word. Given a
moderate amount Of education superim-
posed upon a certain degree Of intellect.
ard a man can make out fairly well TO
follow the mind Of a genius who has ex-
pressed his thoughts on paper. And yet
so much depends upon the readers
knowledge Of words. and IN literature
one misses something's bound to-of
the thought. one can only imagine. and
that somewhat aTaely, what the expires
sion of mans face was as he penned
his sentence. Stevenson indicates the
difficulty admirably when he writes
II is really most delicate affair Sup
pose we held our converse, not in words, but
music; thosc who have a bad ear would find them
selves cut or from all near commerce and no bet
ter than foreigners IN this big world. But we do
not consider how many have q bad car for words
nor often the most eloquent find nothing 20 reply.
hate questions and gucsti0lers. thCrE are 80 few
that can bc spoken 10 without lie. do you for
sise met' Madam and sweetheart. far 7
have gene IA lfc I have never yet BEEN able 70
discover what forgiveness mcaus- Is IL suu tire
same between u.s." Why. how can II be5 II Is
eterlally different. and yet-you are stiu the friend
II my heart. DO yoa understand mei' God
knows; should think il highly improbable.
1t was not all a cynic who declared
that words are given US to conceal our
thoughts: the man who uttered that
spoke a truth which il required some
bravery 10 vent Nor is il only the dis
honest man who keeps silence for fear OF
betrayiug himself There comes times
into the lives of al OF US when the waves
of emotion within our souls are so
nightly stirred that We find words quite
inadequate 10 articulate what We would
express, and ike chattering monkeys.
we fall TO grimaces and gestures which
speak 10 those who are our witnesses
with infinitely more eloquence than our
tongues possess. Mrs. Brownings fine
sonnet is right TO the point here
ten you. hopeless grief is passionIess;
That only men uCTe1ul0us u DESPAIR
Haf-taught IN anguish through the midnight AIR
heat upward 10 Gods thrcne IA loud access
Of shreking and Tlpr0ach. Full desertness.
ln souls as countries liefh silent-hare
Under the blanching vertical eye-glerc
OF The absolute heavens. Deephearted man. express
Grief for thy Dead IN silence Ike 20 death
aost Ike monumental statue set
IN everlasting watch and mOveless woe
TIL Itself crunbie 10 the dust beneath
Tosch II; the marble eyeiids are not wet
II II could wccp. II could arise and 90.
1t win be found if we consider this
matter that words have ever caused
more trouble than they have healed.
Word leads 10 word. and one misunder-
standing Of "A phrase, d clumsy construc-
ton Of the spoken sentence. and 10. a
quarrel. a breach, a severance Of friend
ship, Words may sometimes heal the
wound. but the written word viii seldom
do IL, and If IL comes 10 the spoken word.
it viii be helped nightly IN its Office by
the expression Of the speakers face by
liquid eye. or a quivering lip. And
after all. in such a case. silence IS often
the most eloquent pleader. and q look
a handclasp thought flashing from brain
TO heart-and there is once more perfect
understanding and not a word spoken.
Hawthorne had something OF this idea
when he wrote that
ArticIlate words arr a harsh camcr ard dis
s7uance. When man arrives az his highest perfec-
tion. he win again be dumb. Fer suppose that
De was dumb az the creation. and must 20 around
an entire circle in crter TO return 20 that blessed
state.
IN this life individuals can never ap-
proach each others souls so closely as
when they are in love-whether II be the
love Of Damon for Pythias or that OF
Romeo for Juliet and il is TOO we'll
known a TACT 10 need comment that be-
tween lovers there is never so perfect an
understanding as when silence falls ike
a benediction between them 4 love
YOU is. indeed, sweet music. but the
thrill that follows perfect silence is a
symphony that partakes Of the divine.
Yes. words are good 20 use. and IL is
good 10 know when not 20 use them
For there are moments in Hfe when the heart Is
50 fan Il enoHou
That b. chance il be shaken. or into its depths
hkc a pebble
DroIs some careless word e overaows, and is
secret
spit or The ground Ike water. can never be gath
nrnl1 fH.-rrta-