Americus weekly recorder. (Americus, Ga.) 18??-1891, February 15, 1884, Image 6

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\ ' Writhe ftt tl.o Sun4ij- ItlOcm««. THE THOUGHT EXCHANGE. SECOND PAPES. “To-morrow” oeme, and passed quietly in the home of my adop tion ; every breath of the fresh ex ternal and lorfog internal atmos phere bringing health and vigor to my debilitated mind and body. Asstx ofoiock drew near, we saw several carriages, and ladies on foot, pese- iagoa the road tp Col. Blslr’», SDd aeon we Joined them At that large, elegant and “ante-belinm” looking There we found as- > about twenty-dve ladies j g, middle aged, and a few past the prime of life. Exactly at the hear appointed, (tyr, fortunately, punctuality was one of their strict est rules, most rigidly enforced) Mrs. Dr. Warner, the president, oslled the meeting to order, and f^e secretary, Clara Grey, called the roll and read the minutes of last week; after which the presi dent announced tbo topic of the dky—but here let me digress a mo nant, and portray, if I can, the ,asit remains indelibly lm. 1 upon my memory, and the impressions it gave me. The wide lawn sloped southerly toward the enclosure, a low thick hedge of arbor vitae; the path, wide at the gate, divided and pass ed on either side of a vlae-oovered aommer house, midway from the gate to the house, and joined again as it rose to the wlda steps which lsd upward to the columned veran da, itself covered with ivy, jasmine and honeysookle, in full bloom and firagranoe, and large enough to bold many a city house, yard and all; within thla sheltered, yet cool re treat, the ladles sat, mostly olad in white, some with fanoy work or . knitting in their bands, all with earnest faces and easy manners, en grossed in their subject. Aeons Cooed, ae I wae, to the hurry, bus tle, formality and reserve of a olty, the change to their genial social code, and unstudied manners, was as refreshing to my mental, at their country air was to my physical na ture; I found also that they ware as cultured and reflned, as well-in formed on the nows of the day, in the old world as well as this, as tho boss city society; indeed, most of these farmer's wives were gradu ates, end their sona and daughters ware, or expected to bo, college fin- {shed. An avenno of water oake guarded the outside of the path*, evergreens, shrubs end flowering foliage grew in dumps interspersed with hedsftf gorgeous tinted flow ers over the large yard, while lar dbwn to tho west, in a little grove ■orroonding a spring, were a clus ter of hammocks, swings and rus tle seats, where the children of the 'bone, with one or two others who had come with their mammas, were, with their colored nurses, huWng high but quiet carnival. Pardon If I use that word “quiet” ■any times in my homely narra tive, for it was an elsment which ■ost impressed me ae belonging ex- dosively to them. Suoh waa the picture I gazed upon and drank in to my memory aa 1 reclined in an eooy chair a little oulaide the circle of ladlea, so calm and quiet—peace- fol, pastoral, per/ew. Mrs. Warner arose, saying, “La dies, the topio for this evening, The 8ine of Omission,’ was chosen as the opposite of our last, ‘The Bins of Commission,—tho subjects to be contrasted. Mrs. Grey, 1 think, is to open the discussion.” Mrs. Grey paused a moment, her sweet serious face foil of tender gravity, then looking around tho waiting group she began: “I have tbonght deeply upon this matter during the past week, and And It at much greater significance than appears on the tnrfeoe; indeed, its scope is almost boundless, reaching back as for as the first record of the human family,and forward Into eternity! We ere ept to look up. oaefas as active, not paasire; as committed, not allowed; while the fact is, tbo proportion ol wrong in tended* to that net prevented, is as startled me, but is it not true? This negligence is nearly alway from thoughtlessness. 'I didn 1 think'—how large a cloak it le, dad bow many sins it ooveire I And so often it irtbs kindest, most loved and loving, the dearett band which give* the deepest hurt” “Do yon mean that forgetfulness should be regarded aa a sin ?” ask ed Mamie Bonner. “If so, surely there is ao one without sin among “Indeed It may be regarded as a sin,” replied Mrs. Gray, “since many, I might aay most, of the direet misfortunes, terrible aocl dents, and disasters and saddest sorrows can be traced beck to it for a first cause. Among its off. spring si* anger, strife, murders, theft, and calamities too numerous to mention.” “How Mthfol!” exclaimed lit- tie Mrs. Dallas, a sprightly, gay young brunette, wboee lovely liq. ntd eyes were raised with deep concern In their depths— “and what hsavy responsibilities your words lay upon na or, rather, open onr eyes to behold—and yet we cannot deny them nor refast to ac cept them. Perhaps not one efne are free from the burden of some wrong we might havo righted, and no doubt each can recall instantly some calamity directly caused by thoughtlessness. I beard of one to-day. One of the mill bands on the lower river had a very sick child. A physician was in attend ance, and left yesterday, saying he bad not with him ono remedy that he needed for the child, but would leave a prescription with the drug gist, where the father might call and get It. The man called, but the Doctor, had 'forgottun' to leave it, it was eomo distance to the phy sician's house, the man waa tired and 'didn't think' that, the medi- oine was important that night, so concluded to wait 'till morning, in tho morning the child was dead I No one wants to say that those two ‘didn't Ihinl-t,' killed the child, or even that the medioine would have cured; but thero will bo in tho pa rents’ minds, always, an anguished doubt, and a feeling a* if the child might have lived.” “Ah, Mrs. Dallas, that is too ter rible an illustration, who would es cape violating evory code of every law, moral and divine, if tried by •o severe a tribunal as your words •uggestfsaid a lady in deep mourn ing, whoso thin, white hair and •tdddened eyes tohl that sorrow more than years had aged her, and whose private history made the present topio most painful. “All accidents might como under the catalogue of things that could be avoided, or could betracod to some want of thought, some carelessness or forgetfulness. I know— you all know I havo reason—that most of tho troubio in tbo world might be avoided, if only aft people were thoughtful from principle, and con scientiously Mid unto others as they would be done by;’ but, until the world lives nearer the Golden llulc and. its Author, we dare not hold each other responsible for evils we might have helped.” “You havo named the remedy for this evil, as well aa Us preven tion, dear Mrs. Gray,” said Mrs. Blair, “when you name the Golden Rule.” “1 don't believe anything of the kind," severely exclaimed a thin, angular looking lady, who ap peared a* if the milk of human kindness had dried up in her na ture. “I don’t think we are respon sible for anything unless we posi tively intend doing it. I do not intend to push any one down as I go along the road; neither do I in tend to go out of my way to pick any one up, or prevent their fall ing. Just to go straight along, taming neither right nor left,mind ing my own business, and letting other people's alone, has seemed to me tho only way of getting a*ong without a constant mix up in oth- er’s affairs, for which I have no ap titude. One does well, in my opin ion, if be doe* not commit error, Page; “jet It seems to me yonr straight oonno along tbe'path of life, even If avoiding to pash your fellow travellers, woald teem like the ‘passing by on tho'other aide of the way,' of which the PrMbt and Levite.were accused, to those you did not pause to help. It teems to mens jf deer Mrs. May’s allusion to tiie Golden Bole is all we need to make ns feel that it to aa much a doty to think as to act, and also aa Mrs. Gray says, it is the dearest hand that burte tbo deepest,because any negligence from those we love harts ns worse then sn intentional •light from a stranger* I had a dear friend, who married very young, ebe was of a very sensitive, timid nature, end worshiped almost to idolatry her gay young husband, whoee sanguine, sunny, positive nature was snob a contrast to here. And be loved her most devotedly —no young couple ever were bap pier than they for msny month*. At last there came a change—he loved her no leu, bnt u he became accustomed to the foot that the dainty girl be had won woe bis, ‘to have end to bold,’ be gradually ceased some little attentious be bad been so eager to give her. Their cosy,even elegantly, furnish ed rooms bid been at first too at tractive with her bright presence, qnaint ways, and dainty work ta ble—bis comfortable dressing gown and slippers, bit, easy chair, with with papers and cigars ready plac ed when he came home, for bis dearest friends or deepest schemes to bo able to entlee him away from them; but after awhile be found he must go out just a little while, and then he forgot to return, 'till at teat night after night she waited alone for him, in the same dear room that bad lost its charms to both. He never thought that his neglect hurt her; be would not hurt her for the world, and she would not tell him—she only wept in se- oret and faded away. She lost health and vivacity, and so lost power to eharm and retain him. He forgot to take her a little ride once in awhile; forgot to bring her a sprig of heliotrope or a buncii of pansies as he passed the green house; forgot to bring a new book or magazine and cut the leaves while she sat on the arm of his chair, with her arm around his neck and her breath against his cheek, and then read aloud to her while •ho triflod with some fancy work opposite, where he could watch her fairy fingers and the changing ex pression on her happy face; he for got be bad taken her from a circle of loving sister* end proud broth ers who had petted her all her life, not only because she was so deli cate, but also tor her own winning ways, and brought her for away to e oity boarding-house, where were no congenial ^acquaintances, and where day and evening she sat alone. He wondered why she grew so pele and sad si last. Because she never complained, lie never dreamed she was ill, and so it came all in ono awful shock to the really loving, kind hearted, but selfish, thoughtless, boyish man, when one morning she vainly tried to rise from bed, and then rapidly fading after once giving up,on com log home one evening they allowed him only a cold, white robed form with some violets in the fragile folded fingers, in the place of his bonny wife, of only a year ngo." There was silence for some time, when Kmma ceased speaking, and many eyes were filled with tosrs, for they knew, those sympathetic hearts,that it was of her own young est petted sister she bad told, and what a darkuess herearly death had thrown over her home and friends. “Emma says truly,” at test re marked Mrs. Grey,“though fcw are to exquisitely sensitive ss his young sister wss; few would silent ly, uncomplainingly die under neglect; more would be exacting end fault-finding, and their hus bands would grow enrolls in pro portion. And,to reverse the picture, tbero are many men driven from home (or rather honse) because tbeir wives do not think it neces sary to drees np for John, to tidy the room, to see that there is a well ninety-nine to one. and when anv ***" 11 he omlu do,n * rt * ht < of ns would shrink with horrorfrom !* '* ‘ slra 1 inl 1 n * «>* doing anything -e knew to bo tin-! ‘ , U “ to , 0,nU 10 * ***, “. Ini, any or each of us foil dally in * 10 co ® m,t wr0D K» • nd i cooked meal, daintily served, a wait- MvenUnw some evil wrans or hurt 1 J ‘ ort# ® raked back and forth a ! ing him, when be returns tired and 5-152 h.-. j™. ”«**•£». mi. u . I , ™» Imile* have not said quite she goes so for as not to be at thought of It. No doubt thli is a that,Mrs.Norton,"eald a youngish, home when he relume. She doesn’t startling '‘proposition; I confess it | girl, whom I heard called Emma think be will miss her; she forgets all to bring bis gown, slippers and pallets when she is at home, and that the should entertain him, en quire and feel interested abont bis business, and enter into his plans and pursuits; and so after a while her omissions and forgetfulness drive him to the club in tbe city, and the tavern or grocery in tbe country, if they are near enough— in any pteoe, from home. Ladies, 1 feel earnestly that this subject is momentous; that forgetfulnet which is generally tbe came of sins of omission—la the root of nearly •II domestic ills. Husband and wife forget their dotiee to each other; brothers omit toward their sisters the courtesies they pa?every young lady; sisters don’t think to assist or please or praise their brothers; parents are less liable to forget duties to their children than any other class or duty, but even they do often omit tbe things they might btve done to cheer, to comfort, to guide, govern, direct, and lead so surely and kindly in the right way that tbe dear feet of their children, which they have Held and kissed and prayedoverinfheirpink,help less infancy, cannot go wrong, nor falter snd fall when temptation comes; and children—oh, how apt they are to forget how many bur dens they might lift from the shoulders grown bent maybe in care for them, and the duties they owe to those who so carefully snd often painfully roared them—they dance along the flowery path from which they ‘never think’whose tired hands removed tbe thorns^md most often, jnst os they could be companions and comfort, just as they might return a tithe of the love and care which has been expended on them, lightly, thoughtlessly, almost with out a regret, go out from the faiMi-' ful, arms which have sheltered them so long, into new love and untried arms, and the old pareots, stifling tbeir own heartache, know ing that it is the way of nature, and young birds will leave their parent nest for one of their own, turn back into the silent rooms from which the sunshine lias de parted snd wonder wlist has chang ed them so much sinee they first came there. Adam and Eve ‘for got’ the penalty of eating fobidden fruit; Cain didn’t think bis brother’s blood could cry out against him; David ‘omitted’ to keep the law he expounded to others; the dis ciples grow sleepy and ‘forgot’ to keep guard over their Master in the gar-leu, and so ou, reverberating down along the centuries ’till the present time, our cars catch con tinually tbo refrain, *1 forgot — ‘I didn’t think’—‘1 didn’t think’ —‘I just forgot.’ How oftcu the Scriptures repeat, ‘They—the peo ple—forgot God.’ The most ter rible threat of the I’ropbet Isaiah to the Jews, was that the Lord would ‘forget them,’ when they had so long forgotten Him, and the sweetest promise in Isaiah’s sweetest song is -Can a mother forget her sucking child ? Yes she mag forget, yet will not the Lord torget llis people.’ In summing up, for your decision, I will say that in my judgment, few sins would be committed if there were no duties omitted.” “I think wo nearly all agree'to four nronnsitinn?'’ ft.iiri tlin Pi*«i. your proposition;” said the ''Presi dent, us ono by one tbe ladies gave a low but hearty assent to Mrs. Grey’s closing words, and agree also that this subject is loo deep and far-reaching for onr littlo circle to touch only as ‘afar ofT and diuily; but it has opened our eyes to many duties we did not sec, and I think helped each one to look clearer and deeper into life’s purposes. If there is no special topio of currcntnews, we will select our subject for our next meeting and close.” Thereupon the members proceed ed to attend to a few matters of buslucss, announced their aubject and place of next meeting and ad journed. With kindly interest each one approached, and was introduced to me, expressing pleasure that I was to make my home with them. All promised to visit end become better known to me, end with sincere meaning in their word* bade me welcome. Tbe new moon shed a soil rsdi- s nee over tbe landscape as we drove slowly homeward; the frogs sin'- ing in the river marsh—the oc casional, distant lowing of cattle, were all that broke the stillness that brooded over the early night— and subdued by that silence into sympathy and communion with it and our own hearts, we found no need of speech to communicate tbe ‘ncarnese” we felt toward each, othar, and “through nature to nature's God.” Remembering also the earnest words to which we had so lately listened, it seemed as if this tender baptism of moonlight and silenoe, consecrated onr lives to a better, living knowledge and practice of the Golden ltnlc. 1 OSCAR WILOE ON AMERICA. A Vaw Exwuu Vrom the tMlnv Hi Is Deliveries ts His Country- “*“■ [Dublin frith Times] Oscar Wilde, in the course of a lect ure delivered test night in the Gaiety theatre, said that if he was asked what most struck him on first tending he would eay it was this, that if the Amer icans were not the most well-dressed people in the world—and he was afraid they were not—still they ware the most comfortably dressed. There were no rag* to lie seen anywhere. No American ever saunters or strolls, or even waljus-t-wslking was one of the fine arts unknown in America. They •re always rushing in a hurry to estou trains, snd the fact of their always be ing in a hurry would make people here think thgy were not a romantic race. Really romantic people were never in time for anything, and did not care whetbor they caught tbeir trains or not (Hear, hear.) Bnt in America catob- ing trains was a national amsaoment Their romance was different from oqn. It was not the romance of Hhakspeare —it was tbe romance of commerce. Of eonrse, when one went to America be was bronglit to see Niagara. Every young American when married wont snd spent part of his hoheyznoou at Niagara;' and he thought tho great waterfall must prove the first disap pointment in American married life. [Leughter.l Niagara was disappointing, whetbor it was that the surroundings were so abominably vulgar, got up like • tea garden, filled with melancholy tourists, oil frying to get up that feeling of enthusiasm which the guide books assured them they might have without any extra charge—j laughterJ—he did not know. In order tostuudunderneath the waterfall to provont one’s getting drenched ho had to wear a suit of yellow oilskins of the most unbecoming texture, almost ss bod os that terrible mackin tosh, which he hoped none of his audi ence ever thought of wearing. | Laugh ter.] One of the most charming women of modern times, Mine. Bernhardt, Imd, however, got photographed in it—with Niagara os a sort of unpretentious back ground. American children seemed to lio pala and precocious, and that might be owing to tho fact that the only national game of America was tho game of euchre, which could hanlly, if industri ously practiced, tend to create gnd de velop a fine or manly physique. These children, however, grew up into very charming people, the American girl being ono of the most charming despots that it wonid be tbonght possible to find living in a country with free republican institutions. She was often a most de lightful oasis of unreasonableness in the desert of common sense. Tim only well-dressed men in America wore the minors. The men in America liud very little childhood; they loft school at 14, had two or threo successful bankrupt cies by tlm timo they were 20, and ut 21 wore millionaires. WE ABE BEAOY Flail and Waiter Campaign i88a W»MsrareaU with BEVkWHD Solonslm tioatoplwue ike nUie lm every famed. - OarmSswanfeasktia p iwefaSo Kortk- •mo^IootareMkota.stpricoilow isqp t» SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS \ > Thousands of Dollars •it willed ri try jur br injudkiwu Indus. Im h«it owlr to nop and itlak ao* yow will new- her raaaj lu.Lncco how and when m could haradon* bettor In your i-arduuro, uanyww o(l*l Hoalrtod Hut at Dm cud of tbo joor tbo BALANCE IS OH THE WBONtf SIDE! Thlo to not flnisf*. for It Is tho Itttti -too. ranch paid for thlo Ihiss or Uut thins that wum It, so tbo olltbtMi donation will prod sc* an nscxpoelod OVM BAfaAHOH sal wSoe mi tbo wroos Ado U at war* t* bo repotted. Thor# Is M BMd orinio If yon will Irsdo wills so. Wo baro tho lurnol of orerjr csMoacr Is salad, and hoy so that w. on Mil yon ihc Wall (Street Not Frolicsome. (New York Cor. Inter Ocean. | The day before Christmas lias for many yours lmen devoted to froliu in the stock exchange. Members who did not wish to relax their dignity stayed away, aud the rest displaced tho or dinary business by proceedings of thu friskiest sort. The gallery was ou Monday filled to crowding by specta tors. “There’ll bo tho biggest cirrus that ever you saw,” said u friend; “don’t fail to como, and bring tho ladies." If I ha>l paid any admission fco I should havo felt like demanding my money back. The show waa a fraud. After we hail waited an hour several young memliere entered with whito halt- on their heads. We thought that thu floor would instantly bo strewn with struggling roysterers, in a ferociously gleeful tight over the unseasonable hats. Nothing of the kind happened. There was a mild, inanimate senile, ending tamely in the destruction of the emblems of disorder. The scrimmage, snub us it was, lasted fitfully a fow min utes. It Imd nu viiu or fun. It was like play in a graveyard at twilight. Afterward a man came in wearing a liuou duster, which was quickly torn off. That was all. Wo went away feel ing os swindled ns though we hail lost $1,000 apiece by a deceptive corner. No; there isn't a frolicsome condition of things in Wall street. An 014 Htnry. I Hen: IVrlry Poorv.] Tom Corwin ami Tom Ewing,- lasing on a political tour through the state, stopped at the house of a prominent politician over night. A young niece presided nt the supfasr table. She had never accn great men, aud supposed thev were elephantine altogether, and nil talked in great languages. “Mr. Kwiug will you take condiments in rour tea, sir?” inquired the youug lady. “lies, iui«s, if you pleaso," replied the quondam salt boiler. Corwin's eyes twinkled. Hera was fan for hint. Gratified at tho apparent success of her first trial at talking to big men, the youug lady addressed Mr. Corwin in tho same manner: “Will yon take condiments in yonr tea, sir?" “Pepper and salt, bnt no mustard,” was the prompt reply of tbe facetious Tom. Of coarse nature must oat, and Ewing and tbe entertainer laughed in spite of themselves. Corwin essayed to mend tlm matter, and was voluble in writ and eomplimeut. Tbe lady, to Ibis day, declares that Corwin wru a ooarse, vulgar, disagreeable man. Knw ranee te RIM. | Exchange-1 At first blush, it would hardly seem possible that a dry season in Month America should ru'u a lumlier dealer iu Boston. But tins dealer in mahog any aud other hard-woods. who had Iwnght s great number of logs in Mouth America waited a long time in vain for a wet spell to Host them ont, and finally wa» obliged to make an assign ment for tho benefit of creditor*. Not many wonid stop to think, when seeing a handsome niece of furniture, that its lieonty could hare come to ns only bv the aid of rain-drops foiling in Hon duras. AT THE- Lowest Prices. bat we carry a STOCK, of every thine t* riaiulnjr tn our l>u«iue»*. 2f«t a •mill quantity of a law lra<iinjr line* and rimpUa spread out over our ahelvca to mike a show, but a large, frneriMu amortmant or ovary jrrada of food* from ibe coaraeal tn tha floret, and enouthcfoarli tonpplyiko wantaof till* whole community In tbit direction. Our t'iek le too »arled tM 01*cm too limited to attempt to name artlctee nr pHere. You are mrnertly Invited tn call and M ern bow It to JOHN R. SHAW, i FORSYTH STREET, AHERICUS, 61. DEALER IN FANCY AND STAPLE DRY GOODS! - ' NOTIONS! FAKO'Sr aOODS LADIES' HATS. LADIES’ CLOAKS. HOLL PLATE JEWELRY. PERFUMER* TOILET SOAPS, CLOTHING! GENTS' FURNISHING GOODS, MCtTTM AND SHOES. RUBBER OVER SHOES, HATS AND CAPS. UMBRELLAS. “WHITE" SEWING MACHINE MACHINE NEEDLES. And W. t\ N/e'e Celebrated Sewing Ms- chins Oil. See "Wire Sign, Forsyth Street, a orjtlOf AMEBICUS, GA. {