Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-01-09
A Prisoners Philosophy.

The "man in the iron mask" Is one
of the unsolved puzzles Of French his
tory, but, with the license OF the 70.
mancer, Dumas represents him as the
twin brother of Louis XIV, imprisoned
in the Bastille for state reasons, and
describes dramatic interview between
this unfortunate young prince and the
intriguing Bishop Of Vannes. The lat.
ter is plotting the prisoners release
but the prisoner betrays only languid
interest.
''what do you call liberty?" he in. $
quires in an indifferent tone.
81 call liberty the flowers, the air.
light, the stars, the happiness Of going
whithersoever the nervous limbs OF
twenty years of age may wish to carry
you," the visitor replied with anims.
ton.
BY way OF answer the prince points
TO two choice roses in Japanese VASE
on his little table. These were plucked
in the governors garden, he exclaims
and the rose is the loveliest and mos,
fragrant OF flowers. II liberty means
flowers, he has little call to 60 abroad
in quest Of il. As for air, there Is none
purer than comes in at his one small
window, and there is enough, and to
spare, for all his needs. The sun Is
his daily visitor, too. II bids him
good morning rwo hours before mid
day, and fingers until two or three By
the clock, and in that respect he is fav'
ored above those who toll under 'grounJ
in mines and quarries and never see the
sun at all. And stars One bright one
shines nightly opposite his window,
and, since all stars are much alike, one
is as good as a thousand. And as Tor
walking about, there Is the governors
garden for fair weather and indoors for
foul, and could he walk longer IL the
whole earth were before him?
Probably few OF us would be as
easily content with prison conditions
as Dumas's young prince professed 10
be. but there is a vein OF sound phi
losophy at the bottom OF his reasoning
for all that. There is a wholesome
well-prounded discomfort that is the
prime incentive Of all worthy enter
prise. and there is another and vagrant
type of discomfort that poisons the
springs OF happiness and consumes
with fever all the calm Joys OF life.
To determine the exact point where the
one ends and the other begins Is
delicate and complicated problem oh
practical living.
Jesus contributed a sane axiom to
the solution Of this problem when He
said. "a mans life consisteth not In
the abundance OF the things which he
possesseth." Only very modest part
OF what we proudly call our own is
ever really used. The rule OF utility
that the prisoner applied TO the pure
air that entered his window and to the
two fragrant roses on his table ex.
cudes hundred things that We need.
lessly long. for end strive after. The
merest fraction OF the milllonalrc's
wealth is all that touches his life help.
fully, and the man OF learning Is moi
much the wiser for nine tenths OF the
books in his overcrowded shelves.
Discomfort with what We are Isl
spur to achievement-and the deeper
our discomfort the better. The admonl.
ton OF Jesus, BE yc therefore per-
feet, even as your Father which Is In
heaven is perfect" leaves no room for
an easy going, self-satisfcd moment
this side OF the gravd Discomfort
with what We have Is so often a fruit.
less distress OF mind that II can hard
" be watched too closely or held 10
check with too Arm hand. Character
can De used, and is used, every day
and every hour OF the day, but much OF
what We accumulate and call our ov,
lie ;dta