Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-01-13
MUD AND CHARACTER.
By ]. o. Knott.

| anu
called him a mud dauber. But more
Discerning folks saw on his face end in
his eye a look which tod them that the
man at the table had lofty thought.
| His soul, as he worked, ,T.nSngure
/ his body. His bosom wOulG swell. his
eye would fash, a smile of triumph
would come to his fine face-and then
he would bend again over his mud Al
ter time those who watched wIth sym
I pathetic interest saw from out the mud
upon the table face gradually emerge
| fca ure after feature, ani then lines
OF character began 10 appear. The OBJ
servers soon forgot the mud with which
| the man was working in their interest in
the face that was being moulded The
glow upon the workers ia.S AMI the
| holy mark upon his brow Tas b.
| transferred 10 the face that he was
moulding out OF mud. The man az
the table was an artist and he mad al
idea and an ideal From the mud Of
| earth he was causing that ideal to be-
come visible, tangible-a model for
others 10 copy
For the year 1921 we shall all work
I IN and with mere mud. Shall We be
mud daubers, or children only amusing
| ourselves, or shall we use the mud OF
| life 10 impress upon it character while
We develop character for ourselves?
The farmer works in mud. The
man with the hoe or with the pillow can
go with head bowed and soul growing
sordid to the end of the year; or he can
make the calling Of his life what tho
artist makes the clay on the table
his opportunity to develop wholesome
character. The most sane and sub.
stantal opinions on religion and gov
eminent have come OF men OF the soil
They live near 10 Natures heart and
should know the secrets OF God.
The woman Of the household works,
in mud. All flesh is grass and grass
comes OF mud. Household drudgery
has overwhelmed many promising
woman. However, out OF the cares OF
home and family have come some Of
the finest books. the sweetest poetry
and the choicest wisdom of earth Wo
men have refused to permit the 50
called drudgery Of the home to undo
them, but have turned it, as the arts.
| has the clay on his table, into char
acter, moulding the worlds thought
| The mother has produced for others
Will" she has developed for herself
character.
The professional man works with
| mud. Editors, doctors, teachers, well
fare workers-all meet that bugaboo
OF drudgerv and samcnesS. Our realm
Is sma" one. We do much the same
thing dav after day and meet much the
same people. We long for the wings
OF doves TO nv over the mountains "a
untried realms and to see new faces
MANY professional men permit the
he ~,f1
undressing and listless. They lose
, initiative. They become like so manu
! PEBBLES that are washed and rubbed
/ ny the streams-iuSt like all other peb-
h'es. They lose interest in life. and
men and women Of real feeling loco
interest in them. There is no place il
earnest life for the pessimist or the
radical cOnvcntionalist. But ont Of
the mud of professional drudperv and
the limited field of effort, have come
some of our finest men and women
Scott hund novels in the heather hills
OF scotland. Burns found poetry ir
the fields he was blowing and the
E"r'E OF daily life The hlC-,.ts r.
Concort. Mass delighted the world q,
Cni'1hnod by faithfully writing the
story OF their own domestic lows an
sorrows The year is before Won. and
80 IS the mud of life. Become earthy
ma Sordid o. use the thing before Won
. 90 lm'rint unon it character while
W'hln Won Is thereby developed a firo-
- 2racter than YOU impress unon the
cav of earth. Some dav the Mast,
aThSt shall walk into the studio am
Shai' saw to al toilers who worked Wit
lohuS hearts and glad hands =, MT
EARN better: ~ have work for vou
Whcre YOUR genius shall shine and vow
NahdS snail never crow weary"
llfE most sensible proposition thu.
mas com" from labor oreanizaticn in
4 long time is that Of Steamftters,
Union No Cos, of Buffalo which has
Withdrawn from the American Fedora
non Of Labor and adopted resolutions
declaring against the closed SHOP The
union will continue its organization
NHt VIII depend uTon its own efforts
toward increased production to main
an sat's'ac DRY relations with its en-
rlc.ers.
~ dew that the closed shor
mast 20. f'r fair an honest men a.
rule sec that its abuses c.nrpt lonc =
- tolerated ~ employers. l. has been
ne resort OF !oaf,rs an trouhle-malcrs
10 such an c%tcn tha, the emnlo or
has had very LITTLE 20 sav as to how.
MS business should be conducted and
the industrious and honest workinpuan
mas mad industry, ambition and Iowa,
/