Newspapers / Siler City Leader (Siler … / Dec. 18, 1886, edition 1 / Page 6
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VAN IT AS. ' WTien after long battle the prize ha3 been gained, " "When after long searching the jewel is found, - ' . "W hen after long climbing the peak is at- tained, "When after long sowing the harvest is bound, Then we halt; And we fret 'neath the burden of life, For we feel that the victory's not worth the strife. To fail in the heat of the on-rushing race; To love and receive for our recompense hate; - ' : -'; To worship and find that our idol is base; To trust and awake to deception too late ; j Is our lot Each a sign on the pathway of life, Pointing out that the victory's- not worth the strife. Our joys never; seem the same pleasures we thought; Our hopes never come to their fruitage un ' marred; ' Our future ne'er brings us the grandeur we sought; Our past to our vision appears . but ill starred; Such is fate; But it darkens the glory of life, Thus to find that the victory's not worth the strife. ; Over sights thpt are beauty, dull clouds grimly sail; Over days that are lightsome, cares blight- ingly fall; Over fond-cherished gardens, blows Boreas's gale; . Over plans full Of promise drops failure's black pall; 3V So they go; i But' the memories cumber our life With the tale that the victory's hot worth tho strife. .But we look to aland where the skies never dull, - V- . VV here the flowers never fade, where the lights never dim, 1T1 - xi i ' ; . uere tue nope3 never eDo, wnere trie joys never lull, v Here no failures are found to its utter most rim. . Pappy land ! i "Where well feel through an unending life That the victory there is well worth all . the strife. '.. ..'! ? Chas. M. Harger, in, Detroit Free Press. WHAT HE BELIEVED IN. "That's a great note of Jem's, I do think, marrying a church woman. They say she teaches a class in Sunday-school, too, and has a face as flat and solemn as a, half-baked pancake I" ' Vhat Jem Knight has he married a reg'lar-built pious-go-to-church -and-be good woman, and him one of the jollies!, "take-it-easy-aud do-as-you-pleae cusses between here and Chicago?" "That's the talk." "Great Jee-rualem ! a sweet time he ll have. Jest fancy her making him siick up to the music of slow c,hurch bel.s Sunday mornings and marching him off, 'stead of having a good time at the gar dens, to a straight-backed pew to listen to ( 'osp.l mushi" Thus spoke a couple of Jem Knight's familiar chums,amia a knot of the same ilk, who were seated in the enjoyment of their customary ber and cigars in Bottler's popular saloon. Tom Winter, third one of the party, seemed to be particularly impressed by the con versa tiun. S He was a sharp-eyed young Chap oi iweniy-inrce or inereaoouts, who was Tiotea ior tne almost re kits manner in which he Went in for. "having a good time." Not ,that there was; anything really vicious about him. He was straightforward, manly and honest, but full of desire to enjoy life in its freest- foing aspects,' and especially liberal in is views touching the observance of Sunday as a religious ordinance. Iso one liad overheard of his going to church,! or lhat he cared a button either one way or the other about church-going or any of its straight-laced arrangements. lfen?e it was with more thaa common surprise that his chums hear 1 him say; t1Wlt T cents, ii jem s wire is tnerignt woman otherwise, I should say he'd made a gool strike, getting oae who goes to church. I don't go much on ch -rches myself. I iscd to go with the old folks when I was- little shayer about knee-high to a duck. But that was when I had to. It's a good many years now since I was inside of one. As I said, I don't go nrn.hon it myself. It's too slow for my taste, j At the same time, I believe ia a woman co- mg to church. I ve noticed the women that go to church are ceaerally thejbc t sort. A m tri can derend a 'em. Thev keen things straight at home and bring the children ud risht. A man can feel safe when he'l away having his own fun. that they won't be running into any of the blamed-dance-hall and beer-girdm foolishness that winds up so often in dis grace to ama i's home. Oh, you boys may sneer. I allow it may be all humbug, and too slow for men like u. But it s dead sure; the women who go to church are the steadiest sort a man can tie to. 1 don't care how much you laugh and poke fun. I've seen too many wrecked homes and ruined lives grow out of ph Ic ing wives from free dances and Sunlay picnics. There's too much nonsense in it for me. If I every marry I sha 1 do r.s Jem has done pick a wife that goes to church." V And he did. To the increased surprise and astonishment of his chums. the jovial, rollicking, devii-may-care To:n, who had all his life gone in for every specks of free-and easy enjoyment; made fun of parsons and what he called long-faced, church-going milk-sops, more recklessly than any of them, actually married a member of the Key. Mr." Gracelv's church, a woman who was noted for the solidly serious aspect of her face and strict ob- j servance of the Sabbath A nice-looking woman, to be sure, and steady, with not a bit of nonsense about her. A rare good housekeeper, too, who kept herself and all things about her in the very best of "app'e-pie order.'.' That mu: h was conceded ; cniy, as one of the boys put it, too thundering orderly I A nice time poor Tom'll have now. We shall see him creeping about with a lace as long as a fiddle." This proved a mistake. So far as outer appearance was concerned, Tom lost none of his old-time jollity of speech and demeanor, and he seemed to retain all his old pleasure-loving disposition. When ever he met the boys he was as keen as ever to have a good time; neither did he fal into going to church. On the latter point he remarked once in strict confi dence that it was all right, and a mighty good thing for a woman to go to church, but too slow, and hum-drum for a man's enjoyment Still, it cam a to 1 1 , be noted after awhile mat ne was not exa tlv th-3 old Tom. As the y ars rolled br and three handsome children began to accompany their mother to Sunday-school, and who were so neatly clothed and well-behaved as to call forth the admiring comments of all who saw them, their father grew a trifle more staid and dignified, as ona begin ning to be somewhat inpressed with the more ser.'ous aspects of life; to feel that a man was made for something more serious than an endless round of careless f ro"ic. It was seen, too, that he was more careful not to let the good times he indulged in come within the scope of h's home surroundings. This much, at least. ! his wife's influence had acromplished. ' "I don't go to church," he said apolo ! geticaliy to a friend one day, "but it ! wouldn't be the right thing to let those , boys of mine get to know their father's free didos. it's all right enough so far as I am concerned, because I know when I've gone far enough. But it's best to let the children come up sort of straight; the way their mother wants," s A most admirable woman this same mother had turned out to be, as Tom very well knew, and no little he was proud of her. Yet not half Droud enough Indeed, it was not yet in his apbrehen- sion to appreciate her full value. It did not enter his conception that the respect which had fallen to tiimself in connection i with his excellently-ordered home was entirelv due to his church-groin-wife. An especially sensible woman, too, Albeitf it had grieved her more than 'wqrds can express that her husbaud could hnd enioyment in pleasures which at best were empty and frivolous, if not positively wrong, by not the slightest petulant complaint had she ever up braided him or striven by aught save the gentlest suggestions to lead him to her own better way of life. !i There came a sad day, alas! for him, and still more, alas! for the three beaut i- ; ful children. The good wife and mother was called away trom tnem, and they were left desolate indeed. The blow wa3 a hard one. What now was the be- reaved husband to do? So far as worldlv goods were concerned he was amply pro v aea. lie naa aounaanre : out not an the wealth in the universe could have made up the lo-s they had sustained. Even his o d roystering companions con fessed to each other that it was "awful rough, you know"7; that in his case there could be no doubt that Tom had "struck it rich'' when he got the wife who weL" to church. What would he do? A year later he told a bosom friend that he must secure a second mother for his children. "You will marry church?" one that goes to 'More resolved on thit than ever.", "But you don't go yourself i" "No. - The fact is, it's too slow for me. I like to enjoy myself with things more lively; fnd when I've got one at home who pulls steady in the trace, as these church-going women do, lean feel safe and comfortable." j He found the woman he thought would suit.' A lacly who had been somewhat intimate with his wife, a member of the same church, and al:ogqther alter the same right-going paft.rj. In fact, a steady, clear-headed woman, who knew when things were right, and was prompt and decisive to have them so. 'True," as Tom whispered to himself, "I expect she'll try to pull me bhort up. into straight strings, a good deal tighter than Emily did. She is not as soft and yielding as I d like. But she'll be all right for the children. I can trust her. When it comes td a question of what's best to be done, thlere ain't a bit of non sense about her. ifeo I'll take her." To his great surprise, hqwever, he found that the second church-going wo- man wa3 not prepared to accept his o3fei witn the pleased alacrity he nud ex pected. Knowing that she wa3 in rathei straightened circumstajnees, entirely de pendent on her own exertions for a livli ho:d. be had felt sure that his own well appointed home would prove a tempta tion the lady would nojt dream to refuse. But, instead of the gratefully expressed "yes" he had looked for, she replied: "May I ask why you have given mt the preference, Mr. Winter?"' "Because I want a mother for thost children who goes to church. I married Emily on that account, and she managec so well that I determined to choose one of the same good sort." "I commend the wisdom of your de cision. But you do not attend church yourself?" "O, it don't matter about me, you know. So long as the mother is all right to keep things straight at home it don't make a bit of ditlerence whether a man goes to church or not." "In his own estimation, perhaps. But have you thought, Mr. Winter, tnat your chur. h-going wife may be just as anxious to have a husband, whose integrity oi principle miy be under the saving in fluence of church attendance as you arc in regard to the lady of your choice? Ii you desire to feel at rest touching youi wile's conduct at home is it not epuallj desirable that your wife s mind should be at rest touching your honesty of con duct when out of her sight?" Here was a new aspect, and at first he thought it was a very foolish aspect, not to say ridiculous. He could not under stand the idea of a m n being amenable to the same rules of moral conduct thai are required in a woman. And he said so. But to all his arguments and plead ings the lady turned a deaf ear. She would not marry a man who did not gc to church; that much of safegua.d to tbf clean life of the man she would accepl must be given in return for her own wholesome purity and unblemished prin ciples. At first Tom vowed to himself that h( would not tie himself down to any such unmanly giving way to a woman's foolisl whim. As he more and more observed. i however, that the lady was possessed ol I precisely the excellent qualities he espe ( cially desired in a mother for his chil j dren, he finally gave the requisite pledgt that he would accompany 'his wife tc church at least once each Sabbith-day. i foor cnap." said Jus old chums, 'now he is shorn of his liberty, tied tc the apron-strings of a hard-faced, church i gping fanatic. He'll be in a lunatic asy um in less than six months. iney were mistKen. certainly, i great change came overjhim.. That was apparent to the least observant. Hewai n longer the roystering, free-and-eas Tom. The'old card-playing, dice-throw ing, time-wasting haunts lost his pres ence. Xo more was he seen in th noisy, brawling. tippling beer-gardem on bundav. lie now sou-: in rest " anc peaceiui quiet irom tne cares oi tn week5? business withia the blessed safe guards of his own fireside. And when with wife and children, he walked t church, no more beautiful picture coulc auywherebe seen. And. as time spec on, and he found that the inrluerc? o the church going he bad always seen t( bs so good for a woman equally refininj and excellent in its ejects on a man, h blessed the impulse that led his second wife to impel him into the path of life's truest enjoyment; and, albeit, here wero those of his old chums who still won dered that he could, have been "led by the nose by a woman," most pf them were free to confess that, after all, he was more of a man, a better man, in fact, thin he had ever been before. To one who as'vcd him how he ever came to let himself be tied to a woman's apron-stiings he said : If th? chief bulk of married men could be fed to the apron-strings of wives who are anchored on a foundation of church-going principle , we should have a far greater number of happy home) aud vastly more peace and happi- ness in the world at large UUccland Leider. The Lion Hnnter's Tet The story i3 told of Gerard, the great lion-hunter, that he captured a whelp in the mountains of Jebel-Mezours, Algiers, named it "Hubert," and brought it up as he would bring up a dog from puppy hood. After some time, his huge pet becoming too dangerous to go at large, Gerard made a present of the animal to his friend, the Due d'Aumale, and Hu bert traveled to Paris in a big cage, be moaning his separation from his old master. The next year Gerard himself visited Paris On leave of absence from the army, and went at on e to the Jardin des Plantes to see his exiled favorite. He describes the interview a3 follows : Hubert was lying down, half asleep, regarding at intervals with half shut eyes the persons who were passing and repassing Defore him. All of a sudden he raised his head, his tail moved, his eyes dilated, a nervous motion con tracted under the muscles of his face. He had seeu the uniform of theSpihis, but had not yet recognized his friend. I drew nearer and nearer, and no longer able to restrain my emotion I stretched my hand put to him through the bars. . Without oeasing hi3 earnest gaze he applied his nose to my hand and drew in knowledge with a long breath. At eich inhalation his attitude became more noble, his look more satisfied and affectionate. Under the uniform that had been so dear to him he began to recognize the friend of his heart. I felt that it only needed a single word to dissipate all doubt. "Hubert!" I said, a I laid my hand on him "my old soldier I" Not another word. With a furious bound and a note of welcome he sprang against the iron bars, that bent and trembled with the blow. My friends fled in terror, calling on me to do the same. Noble animal! - You made the world tremble even in your ecstacy of pleasure. Hubert was standing with his cheek against the grating, attempting to break down the obstacle that separated us, magnificent to behold as he shook the walls of the building with his roars of joy and anger. His enormous tongue licked the hand that I abandoned to his. caresses, while with his paws he gently tried to draw me to him. If any one tried to come near me he fell into frenzies of rage, and when the visitors fell back to a distance he befamecalm and caress ing as before, handlrng n.e with his huge paws, rubbing against the bars, and licking my hand, while every gesture and moan and look told of his joy and his love. When I turned to leave him he shook the gallery with h's heart-rending roars; and it was not till I had gone back to him twenty tim?s, and tried to make him understand that I would come again, that I succeeded in quitting the place. After that I came to see ray lriend daily, sometimes spending several hours with him in his cage.- But after a while I noticed that he became sad and dispir ited, and when the keepers alludtd to his furious agitation and excitement every time I left him, and attributed his worn-out and changed appearance to this cause, I took their advice and made mv visits as seldom as possib'.e. One da some four months from the time of my firit meeting with him in Paiis, I ens tercd the garden, and one of the keeper: came forward, saluting, and said "Doa't come any more, sir. Hubert is dead." ' Charleston has had eiglit earthquake since its settlement in it 80. The first was in 1754 and the last before the re Cent destructive one was in 18). None .were attended with loss of 1 f e or, ex cepting that ia 1S11, with damage tc property. I Thou mayest we'd dispense with i j pleasure if at the same time thou over earnest grief. N it
Siler City Leader (Siler City, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 18, 1886, edition 1
6
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