Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-31
The Keart That sings

The thoughtlesa act that gives another
pain,
The witty word, that, all unconscious,
stngs.
Let me but have the heart that ever
sings
The eye that lifts above the lower
plane,
While hands Outstretched 10 help all,
need remain.
Oh, let my spirit rise as if on WINGS
If such can be my life l shall be glad
Though far from home and friends J
spend my years
What fortune ever can be rocked as bad.
When love for all Gods world has
drowned my fears?
Though troubles come, they will not
find me sad,
For eyes appraised have little place for
tears.
BESSIE ESTELLE HARVEY.
There never has been a finer prayer,
a truer rule for life, than the lines with
which begin my chat to YOU The
ability to rise above earths sordid
things does not mean, or cannot be
called Just "easy-going." There are too
many people thoroughly contented with
old clothes. tumble-down house and
the tobacco needed to lull them into
semi-stupidity-that is not the heart
that rises, that man. or woman is
sinking a bit lower each day. Where
an ounce of tobacco once did them, it
now takes twice as much.
To rise above earth's sOrdid things
is to do the best one can to help lift
up humanity: to cheer the fallen ~
helping them rise above their obstacles:
to put ones shoulder to the wheel. even
though that wheel is full of mud and
with an encouraging word. not blow,
10 the creature pulling the load get
ting the load on firmer ground.
To rise above earths sordid things
Is not to sit on the front piazza or in
the shady place and do the thing one
likes TO do and leave another member
of the family in the heat of the con-
flict. She won't let me help her" you
often hear. But don't you know that
most any one enjoys help and apprecia-
ton? / used to know young man
who made that excuse when he was with
people who, he knew. despised him for
wearing good clothes and idlng when
his own poor old mother was stalking
the COW in the field The truth of the
matter was his Impotence with the
COW. He would rather see his mother
work than to conquer his own spirit.
l had a girl tell me that her mother
was d. IOilu VI IedulIG dS H6E Ia lneT
but that one had to make the living
and as he cared for nothing but his
pipe and paper, she and her mother had
put their shoulders under the burden
There are more ways of committing
murder than the crude one Of knocking
the wife in the head. God reads the
heart and you can't fool any one but
yourself all the time.
Yesterday The Farmer and I got in
the buggy for a ride. He has had one
piece Of corn land prepared three times.
and yet ii is Implanted A beating rain
has always come at. what was [or that
sort Of land. the wrong time There IS
generally something to he found need
ing attention on the farm. but some
times its a good plan to get away and
see if things are bad only at home.
Where are we going? | asked after /
got in the buggy. / had fixed the baby
chickens. the little turkeys, fed the dog
and put some milk down for the kittens
and had seen that the little pigs were
stopped; so my mind was at ca Sc
nothing that ! was responsible for
would suffer if we were gone all day
He had put some feed in the back IF
the buggy, and I saw his pockets bulg-
ing with apples. I'VE will go to the
cross roads and decide. unless you espe-
cially want to go somewhere" was his
answer.
At the crossroads. each following a
point of the compass. Ada took the
matter for her own decision. and we
went in an entirely new direction. and
we drove through the country to ono
of the nitrate plants. Some time
want to tell YOU as much about it as
one can see The government is not
making a corfidant of even the work.
ers. Where fields were last year there
are now mammoth steel-framed struc-
lures. = town Of 5000 people. with
more bunk houses and mess halls under
construction
On our way we saw as pretty corn rs
any one wants cotton as fine and clean
as the best and sorghum for grazing We
saw pigs as fat as good care and fine
breeding can make and we also saw
corn crying for help. about to be smoth-
cred i'm the weeds. We saw cotton as
thick in the row as il could sprout. and
the army of weeds just about 70 take t.
We can't ride by a mans field and tell
why the grass Is about to ruin him.
sickness too much rain. or a combin4-
zion of circumstances may be the cause.
but the heart that rises above earth S
sordid things does not get cross and
blue. or give up the fight. These DAYS
are long. Flowing, or hoein% should be
In the cool Of the day and common hC-
manity will tell YOU TO come in befo'a
the stock suffers. And for mercy :
sake give them plenty of clean cool ":
ter Sometimes my blood boils to see
the holes that are supposed to he good
crouoh for cows. horses and hogs. Get
tho idea out Of your head that any ami
nal will drink dirty water If there is
anv clean water available. Water is
rs essential as feed. and there are plen-
~ Of "rurts" that belong to that class
because tho poor things never had water
enough and probably less shade.
"The thoughtless act that gives an
other pain is charged to you by the
"nve that SUMMERS not, nor sleeps" and
e the fall Of a sparrow is noted. how
viii your stock appear on the book or
remembrance Don't look at your
npi-hhor's nubhins. See about r0ar
own. and as YOU lift your eyes above
1ffa's lower plane some other soul may
note your example. not your talk. and
help YOU to make the world Jess sad.
Faithfully YOURS,
LIZZIE q. THOMAS.
WHO GAN ANSWER?
Dear MIS- Thomas and tho Household
have been reader Of this House