The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-12-17
SATURDAY NIGHT
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rHE LURE OF THE CITY.

Let the sofa be mountains the carpet be
sea.
There I'll establish city for me:
A kirk and a mill and palace beside.
And a harbor as well. where my vessels
may ride.
Remember that verse in which Rob
ert Louis Stevenson pictured the city's
early cali to childhood-the call that
rings in the ears of youth till 1t will
not be denied The call is one that
the world has heard and obeyed
through all the ages Of history. 1t
has been the magnet that has drawn
youth from village and farm. 1t has
been the strategic point for every bat
tie of humanity. There is notion
that God made the country and the
devil made the city: hence the city is
the center OF every wickedness. Folks
words of warning to every you'll,
whose eye is turned cityward. The
most common adjective applied to the
city is wicked" When a young man
iCu Go uC IL ouppOSCA NJ oC tNA
ing his moral life in his hand. Folks
weep on his departure as II he were
going to Sodom or Gomorrah
The Hub Of the Wheel.
The truth in human nature Is pretty
much the same everywhere. only there
is more Of it in the city than in the
country. 1t is equally true that In the
city great good enters. Some Of the
finest types of manhood and woman
hood dwell there The great organized
agencies that are blessing to man.
kind are located in the cities. The
worst men may be found there: also
the best. Evil is entrenched; SO are
great moral forces focused. The great
moral battles have always been fought
in the cities The first apostles and
disciples of Jesus worked in the cities.
The Master commanded his disciples
to begin in Jerusalem. The history
of cities is the history Of civiliza tons.
Cities are centers. In them are con-
centrated commercial. political. social.
literary and moral power Study the
great cities Of history. Babylon.
Athens. Rome. Jerusalem. These stand
for their civilizations. Nations rose
and fell with them. The world follows
Its great cities-for good or i'll. Here
wealth piles up her treasures. art bios
SONS into flower. heroism is common
place. religion tunes her loftiest song.
Universities. hospitals. cathetlrals. art
galleries. libraries. museums, open
their doors to all Culture. urbanity.
good clothing. comforts. iuxuries. are
within the common possibility of him
who half tries. The city may spell
danger, but it also. spells opportunity
Her arms are full of gifts to her own
and the stranger within her gates. pro-
vided they he able and courageous.
You Are the cityl
Did you read 1.-The Nav Of the Mon,
ster?" 1t pictured the lonely aud help
less feeling Of one who came to the
city for the first time The mass Of hu.
mainly seemed monster But stand
back. confident. unafraid. Resolve this
monstrous crowd into its component
parts. They are humans like Yourself
Stand with ME for FIVE minutes and
look, An old woman clutching u paper
bag coming home from shopping: a
child with stick of candy: two smil.
ing girls. arm in arm, hurrying home
from a shirt waist factory Rosie Is
exchanging condolences with Rachel
That's lawyer with a bag. The boy
flying on one roller skate nearly knocks
him over, Trolley cars. automobiles.
trucks. big policeman--all are within
fifty feet. Anything to be afraid of or
run away from? Suppose your heart
failed or you dropped from heat Would
they jump on your PROSTATE form or
rifle your pockets and leave you torn
and bleeding? No: an ambulance would
be there in iiffy. and you would wake
up in cool room with white capped
nurse bending over you: It would not
cost you cent. Does Officer Muldoon.
stopping all traffic with an appraised
hand. seem a pitiless despot? lust
show your teeth smilingly as yotl pass:
nod with genuine heart meant greet
ing. Chances are he will walk clean to
the opposite curb in his delight to ap-
preciate your cordial good morning
Wherein is the city so dreadful and
soulless and ravening a creature? You
and are the city. A whole Is no great
err than its parts
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