The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1908-02-29
SENTIMENT.
By JAMES <. vARpAMAN.

1t is stronger than armies-more po-
tential for good than all the wealth OF
all the ages. Itconstructs and preserves
the home-is the music that enlivens the
ire-side-the perfume of the rose that
glorihes the atmosphere-itis is vocalized in
the music of the birds-felt in the
warmth of the sunshine-in word, it is
the divine spirit manifested in human
life. Sean the pages OF all history and
you will find that it underlies everything
that is great, lovely or enduring on this
earth. 1t is the Joy of the festival, the
animating soul of patriotism, the invisi-
BILE golden bond that unite families-the
glory cf religious political and social
institutions. 1t was manifested in heroic
deeds at tThermopylae, it consecrated the
Parthenon, the capitol, the laurel crown,
the conqueror's procession, the epics OF
Homer, the eloquence cf Demosthenes,
the Muse of Virgil, the medieval cathe-
drial, the colleges of Oxford and Cam
bridge, the struggles of the revolutionary
patriots, the deeds of Gustavis Adolphus,
the Marseilles hymn, the farwell address
of Washington, and the soul inspiring
strains of "Dixie." There is no poetry
without it, no heroism Of social excel
lence.
What is Christmas without the senti-
ment which glorifies 1.-THE anthem,
the mistletoe, the family reunion?
"What is even roast beef and plum
pudding without party to enjoy them?"
and what is the life of the party without
the interchange of sentiment? "Why
is a cold sleigh ride or the ascent of a
mountain or voyage across the Attain
tic, or long journey across the CONT
nent to the consecrated places-why are
these endurable and plaasing?" 1t is
because the sentiments which prompted
them are full of sweet noble inspiration.
'sThe Last Supper, and Bethany, and
the sepulchre, are immortal because they
testify OF eternal love-" Leonidas lives
in the hearts of the world because he
sacrificed himself to patriotism-Lincoln
died martyr to duty, while Jeff. Davis
was the vicarious sufferer for an over
powered people who dared to do and if
need be to die in defense of constitu-
tional rights. 1t is sentiment that
makes the memory of these brave men
loved and revered by the people OF their
respective sections. The myrtyrs in all
the ages of the world have been regarded
as objects of unfading veneration because
they lived and died for their faith.
The man who discounts the value Of
sentiment-whose heart has never felt
the glow of that divine passion is far
beneath the level of the one whose life
is enriched with it. The heart filled
with sentiment can see and feel and hear
and know what the heart without senti-
ment is blind and deaf and oblivious to
The cryof saphos Tyre, of Saadis flate, tbfnns
Men die to reach Dead Sea fruit
Only the poets find immortal things
Without sentiment, this scene in the
sCotter's Saturday Night" were impos-
sible:
From scenes like these, old Scotias grandeur
springs,
That makes her loved at home, reverb
abroad,
Princes and lords are but the breath of kings,
An honest mau's the nebest work of God,-
And eertes, in fair virtues heavenly road,
The cottage leaves the palace far behind
What is lording's pomp?-a cumbrous load,
Distinguishing oft the wretch Of human kind
Studied in arts of hell and wickedness refined.
Rob the world of sentiment and the
good, the beautiful and the true will
vanish from the earth. 1t will soon be-
come moral Sahara with the last oasis
of love and beauty withered by the hot
siroccos of selfish, sordid materialsm.