Evening journal., 1913-07-29
THE LIVES WE LEAD.

Prom the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
As long as we can lead our lives we
think we are all right-sometimes like
headstrong horses, our lives become too
much for our restraining powers aud
lead us. Is that an unmitigated evlg
At moments la every existence. no
matter how tortured and how tried,
there come diyiner glimpses OF what we
might be aud are not-a sudden flash
of the inspiration OF almost superhu-
man possibilities It is like walking
along the beclouded crest of a mountain
range; enshrouded in the dark and chill
ing mist. we grope and are hesitant.
and we long for a far view. seeing only
the lichen covered rocks at an arms
length The scanty trail by which we
came Is obliterated. and IL is as hough
no man walked this way before. nor do
we know whether the actual summit is
within hail or a mile distant. All at
once the magnificent sun breaks through
The cloud.wraiths flee like guilty things
and 20 TO make darkness and bring in
certitude elsewhere. Our spirits expand
to the shining heavens. and we look
down upon the smiling valey-land far
below. We see the rivers meandering
and here and there a cluster Of habita
tions with their smoky breathing in the
sky Perhaps a railway train is per
forming an embassy from one Of these
places 10 another and at that distance
its roaring is reduced TO silence and its
speed TO funeral deliberateness The
distant horizon is our own again; the
imprisoned spirit is set at large and
and the earth beneath. We enjoy the
sense Of monarchical potency described
in the famous verses upon Alexander
/ Sclkmk's solitude. Kings. emperors.
presidents. governors are beneath us and
infinitely little. a brief while ago we
were lonesome and troubled and house
less amid the vaporous phantasms and
the Broken spectrcs. Now we have CON
/ idcnce again. eqtalizing ms with the
world. enabling ne 20 cope with nature
no longer: We come into our own and
are men
adequate. erect
With viii to choose or to reject
tAnd ! choose Just throneN"
So it is in life. We plod and are
humdrum. many working DAYS Then
we ore inspired 10 feeerish activity
at being and doing We bewail the ply
sical limitation that prevents our leap.
ing running. soaring We are impatient
, of boundary and restriction. What is
this dull circumference Of petty tasks
like the circle worn in the grass BY
a tethered donkey? We do the same
thing over. and over ceasclcssly. and re.
hollion shoulders but never breaks ont
into flame Nhat is the end and the
meaning Of IL an Were we set upon
earth for nothing better than this mo-
notonv2 We are the census takers mere
unit and our own empty and unprofta
HE cipher Whv can VIC not suddenly
arise and 20 forth 10 n clorious career
unfettcred hv the drofs Of the terrestrial
and obevine only the celestial instinct.
and asnirations2 What is she use Of
occupying tins uneXciting middle ground
between the poor frail mortal who is
not good for anything and the saint who
has no weskuess and is
"seraphicallv free
From taint Of personality"
We wonder why we-and all tho othel
AVERAGE mortals-are not better than w,
and they are. Whv are we like IN,
lcrasshonper. rs Goethe tells ms IL
"Faust~ who makes MIGHTY leap to
ward the sun and then "straichtway il
the grass the old song sings" Can W.
never Get away from all that holds Il.