The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-01-14
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THE MIRAGE OF LIFE,

from the sidewalk. He stopped open
mouthed. staring eyed. 1t was de-
scending. His basket dropped Some
one else overturned it. Its contents
scattered. He darted into the street
obliyious to trolleys. trucks. autos. II
was nearer. 1t bobbed up and down In
the tickle breeze. His hand almost
touched it. 1t dropped again tantaliz
ingly near-he almost had it-then up
again foot beyond his reach. An
other Whit Of air and it is down direct
~ in front of him. He darts forward
claps his hands against its sides. and
il bursts. VaniShes into thin air. like
a ghost ut dawn. He stands for a mo
ment looking at the thin rubber tissue
in his hand. then filings it aside in dis
gust He looks for his apples. They're
gone Poor fool!' And yet thou
sands of others We're darting from the
same sidewalks into the courthouse
the banks. the shops. the stock market
the lurid movies" dashing by in big
red touring cars at the speed limit
pei oouIClAAAS5 JuSL OSyOhu LAC"
Have you seen folks when they have
caught up: Have you noted the en-
joyment seeker the moment after
There is no time when the balloon il
farther away than when you have
caught it.
The Mirage Of Life.
After travelling for hours across q
trackless waste of burning deser
sand. tormented by thirst. the travele
discovers his supply Of water has fail
ed The last muddy drops are drunk
His eyes. ears and mouth are gradual
! ~ filling up with the fine alkali sand
be worth its weight in gold. AT thi:
moment. when his mind and body ar,
il such state of torment. he see
to his delight in the distance larg'
its surface with little islands OF re
freshing green. Cheered by the sigh
he presses on. eager to Quench BIZ
thirst. As he goes the lake recedes
AZ CALL iS uliNS ~ wv AuofNos UNI
at hast. tortured by thirst. exhauste,
by fatigue. be sinks in despair 81
has been chasing the mirage of tn
desert. The effects Of mirage are ex
traordinary. 1t is the very phantas
rlagoria Of nature: her widest. mos
hayward and most fantastic sport
She creates the illusion of Laughing
waves. sparkling lakes. verduous is
lands. feathery palms. blooming flow
ers. only to mock the travellers ravisl
ed eyes. The desert mirage is only
type of life itself. Turing man onward
toward tomorrow
The Illusion Of Life.
Life is an illusion. not D delusior
To paint wood or stone so that it vii
be taken for stone or iron is a delu
sion. TO paint Il picture 50 that cart
and sky are not mistaken for VIVA
they seem. but produce the emotion .
earth and sky. this is illusion and
the painters art The law of illusio
is written large in everyday life. Chi
| III clt llSc III lAC NOilu VI HINT USlIcS&
and grown folks hunger for it too
We live in world where our sense
trick us. Our earth seems larger tina
any star. the moon is small. sky
blue. clouds are feecy, the sun n
vo.ves about the earth-at least so
seems. Life lures us on. bangles th
prize before lis. making sure to kee
it just beyond our grasp. il not on
touch. Youth has the freshness {
morn to travel in. middle age blaze q
high noon. old age evening shadows
twilight-and after that the dark. Th
prize lies at the end of the rae,
though Abraham never owned a foe
OF ground. and Moses never crosse
the Jordan; he only saw the "swee
fields beyond the swelling flood.
standing dressed in living green
But they reached the great goal S
we fathers promise bicycle for th
boy. and Phi Beta Kappa key danglt
before the man. and both are lure
through many drab school day ii
the education is finished.
The Will O. the Wisp.
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