^^^^^>^^\cf ^^o/-:f,^^A » • * \' ^ J. . • ' " *"^*' ^^^ "o o_ * 'S S iPvl, 0^ .."/♦ "^t c~ ♦ lV ". '^'■^0* V ;* o> o„ ^'-^iVs^.* ^0 "^ V .. ^^_ "«-<»' ^Q v*^^ stub 3Ett&$ and M^art fS^rse Arthur OB. lewis '\ Of^ vSrONE PRl NTl NQ AND M'F'Q COMPANY KOANOKE VA LIFE WITHOUT LOVE. Life without love is like day without sun- shine, Roses bereft of sweet nature's perfume ; Love is the guide-mark to those who are weary Of waiting and watching in darkness and gloom. Love, to the heart, is like dewdrops to violets. Left on the dust-ridden roadside to die ; Love leads the way to our highest en- deavors, Lightens and lessens the pain of each sigh. Life without love is like Spring without flowers, Brook-streams that move not, or star- bereft sky. Love creates efforts most worthy and noble. Prompts us to live and resigns us to die. 3 stub Ends of Thought JCNVY and ignorance are twin brothers, It' and dishonesty of purpose first cousin to them both. I would rather lose a woman's love through too much tenderness than gain it through fear or intimidation. Religion consists of what we say and hope ; Christianity of what we practice. Strong, cruel natures that command obedience, create affection in one class of women and destroy it in the other. More men require protection against themselves than defense from others. "Never again" has an unpleasant ring of despair about it; let us place no one beyond the pale of pardon. Culture the wings of integrity in chil- dren until the pin feathers of morality appear, and they will develop themselves. Sentiment often kisses away tears that thoughtfulness might have prevented. It is a dangerous thing to presume upon, or anticipate, public opinion. Large minds are too often influenced by small prejudices. And Heart Verse DID YOU EVER? Did you ever think, while praying For the balmy warmth of Spring, Of all the small annoyance That the summer sun will bring? Of the insect aggravation, And the blinding perspiration; Or the fruitful dissipations And the million crawling things? Did you ever? Did you ever to a picnic Wend your dreary, weary way. And spend upon a farm somewhere A sweltering summer day? Did you ever find a custard pie Had broken in your lap. Or know the joy of jigger ants Slow climbing up your back? Did you ever? Stub Ends of Thought .CLOCIAL etiquette and custom isrespon- ^ sible, to a large extent, for the degeneration of modern society. Only ignorant and narrow natures pre- fer pleasant fiction to unpleasant facts. Flatter a fool if you care for his regard. Broad-minded natures invite sugges- tions from others, and gracefully accept rational criticism. The man is not yet born who has derived any permanent satisfaction from revenge. The master who secures respect from a source of fear should avoid meeting his servants in the dark. May the merciful Head of Heaven bend in tenderness toward the man who does not regulate his ability with his desires. Never pity a woman, especially if she loves you in a way that you do not recip- rocate. Her humiliation is often more bitter than her hate. The undoing of things we ought not to have done is a greater task than to do that we should have done at first. And Heart Verse TO A GOOD WOMAN. Thy voice in the night-time of grief Comes sweetly, like music, at prayer, Thy pity, the bright star that shines Through the darkness of human despair. And at the bed of death thou art An angel in disguise. Thy prayers on wings of mercy lift The sinner to the skies. Of thee, ambition, hope, is born, By thee, fame's seed are sown ; Thou art the purest, greatest joy Mankind has ever known. stub Ends of Thought '3J HAVE seen a lie so white and pure w in its good purpose, that truth blushed in comparison with it. Pay both your pew rent and life insur- ance, if you can, but don't drop your policy. Home without harmony is like potatoes without salt. God judges us by our efforts; man by their results. God help the man whose heart is larger than his head. Remember that your best friend has a chum of his own. Love and reason are as foreign to each other as hatred and affection. God help those who never know what they want until it is beyond their reach. A man who lies for the sake of principle will tell the truth for the same reason. When a good woman ceases to respect her husband, he has generally lost respect for himself. And Heart Verse SUNSHINE THRO* THE RAIN. Come, lift your head ; those pretty eyes ^ Should ne'er be dimmed with tears. This world is not all cruel and cold, Nor life all trials and fears. Let me, my loved one, bear thy cross And share thy every pain. Then soon you '11 see the bright warm sun Come shining thro' the rain. " For every cloud is silver-lined," And when the storm has passed Our lives look brighter through the gloom The tempest's shadows cast. Your star of hope will soon appear ; The dark sky clear again, And soon you '11 see the bright warm sun Come shining thro' the rain. The fairest flowers that bloom in Spring, With Winter, fade and die ; There is no joy without its grief, No smile without its sigh. So let us look beyond the clouds And cling to hope again, Until we see the bright warm sun Come shining thro' the rain. stub Ends of Thought fflTHERE is no cruelty so cruel, no pain ^ so painful, as that inflicted by the hand we love. Some fools are born, some made ; others have the distinction thrust upon them by force of circumstances. The literature of to-day is not respon- sible for modern ethics, but modern ethics are responsible for the literature of the present. Wear your vices on the sleeves of every- day life and if there is any virtue in yotur make-up, keep the fact a secret between your Creator and yourself. The most venomous of all lies are those breathed from the lips we have kissed. Try and make a woman feel she is better than you believe her to be, and she will respect you for it (between her laughs at your cupidity). One of the most beautiful illustrations of the Christ-life is to render an act of kindness to a deviPs disciple, without thanks or appreciation, and to one beyond the pale of church or cross. And Heart Verse GOD BLESS YOU EVERYWHERE. Dead is my hope — God bless you everywhere. Cold is your heart, Unanswered is my prayer. Some other eyes Brighter far than mine, Soon will, I hope, Look fondly into thine. Soft, tender words That you so love to hear. Some other lips Will whisper low and dear. Some other face Look into thine so fair. Dead is my hope — Good bless you everywhere. Some memory lives For one now far away, Some hope exists For happier, brighter days. I Ve read your heart. And know you do not care ; My hope is dead — God bless you everywhere. Stub Ends of Thought But if the love You think that now is thine Should pass away Into the grave of time, Then, when your heart Is filled with tears and care, Bid me. Love, come to thee — God bless you everywhere. -^ -^ ^ /itjtANY marriages are but sacrifices ^^^ laid upon the altar of civilization and prompted by the insanity of passion. Street car etiquette is frequently little more than respect for public opinion. To forgive without first obtaining an expression of regret is like binding a wound with the knowledge that the bandage of relief will be torn off as soon as your back is turned. Where is the line drawn between re- pentance and fear? True gentility may be measured by what we don't do on account of it. And Heart Verse IN "BOHEMIA." Into Bohemia's haven, Where the hand of friendship rings With true, sincere devotion And honor, solace brings ; Where poverty no crime consists, And charity has no chill. Where none may enter who retain Against another ill. No social change binds there the hand To offer where it may, The consolation of a hope Or dawning of a day. When world-torn nature 's weary Of pulling up the hill. May in the sun of friendship find Some consolation still. Where is this land Bohemia? It lives apart from care And knows no habitation. But yet is everywhere ; Where eyes meet eyes in pity And hearts meet hearts in pain ; When human nature, Christ-won, Shows its better side again. 13 Stub Ends of Thought 2iCAST£ and dispatch are foreign to >^ each other. One is an accomplish- ment, the other a misfortune. **Love leads the way to our highest endeavors, prompts us to live and resigns us to die." As sacred music softens the heart to prayer, so gentle words often shame a path to pardon. Never boast of your ethical shortcom- ings, but frankly admit your weakness rather than sail under false colors. Hypocrisy is dishonest and creative of the worst type of self-contempt. Lack of confidence is the canker-worm of affection. Our own happiness is regulated, to a large extent, by the consideration we have for the welfare of others. Self-gratification is not generosity, but charity would suffer greatly by its ab- sence. Some men never correct their faults until they are too old to commit them. 14 And Heart Verse OPEN UP. Open the portals of pity and mercy, Drive out the darkness, let in the light ; All the warm sunshine of God-given brightness, All the sweet kindness of honor and right. Pull on the oar of a fate-fighting brother. Stand for the cause of the weak with a will. Those who are strong require no cham- pion. They run alone who are going down hill. If you have strength to spare, lend it to failure, Turn from the flattering hand of suc- cess. Life flowers fading in sun-banished cor- ners Feel the soft touch of humanity best. 15 Stub Ends of Thought A FOOL in authority is an expensive luxury to his employer, and an in- sult to his employes. More children die through ignorance than are saved by science, and many a broad mind has been narrowed by adopt- ing the suggestions of an ass. Much that we call f orgetf ulness is noth- ing but a hopeless resignation after all. Gratitude well expressed is both an accomplishment and a virtue. There are many good features in human nature we never discover on account of not possessing them ourselves. No man doubts another until he him- self has been guilty of deception. Accept adverse business conditions gracefully. Irritability and excitement under such circumstances represent nothing but wasted energy. We seldom lose all faith in human nature, until all faith is lost in ourselves. If possession is nine points in law, it is about sixteen points in love. i6 And Heart Verse ^TTHERE is a distinction between genius ^ and ability. One is a gift, the other an effort. More intelligent ideas are thrown in waste-baskets, than placed on file. "I do not know** is one of the most admirable expressions in language. Immortality is a hope. Mortality a condition. There is but a small line between sym- pathy and affection, and one often leads the other beyond the path of reason. Imposition is one of the first indications of dishonesty in human nature. Confidence is the backbone of business and highway to happiness. Lights that have gone out on the tide of neglect never shine as bright again, even when relit in the name of repentance. Generosity without sacrifice is like a prayer without sincerity. Every man has a different understand- ing between his Creator and himself. 17 stub Ends of Thought PERHAPS it is the woman in man's nature that enables him to have so much faith in her. We do not see ourselves as others see us in the mirror of our own conceit. What is a sacrifice to some natures constitutes a pleasure in others. An honest disciple of the devil is en- titled to more respect from God and man, than the pious hypocrite wearing a cross shield. Doubt will never dispel deception. Mother love, the highest type of affec- tion, stands at the helm of civilization, purity, and hope. There is no heart so cold, no nature so hard but what has at some time been softened by the simplicity and gentleness of child-life. Self-conceit is an absurd misfortune, but lack of confidence in our own efforts or ability is a worse condition. What might have been, never hurts so much as when brought face to face with what may never be again. 18 And Heart Verse THE UNDER DOG. Here *s to the under dog, The under dog in the fight ; Whether the under dog be wrong Or the under dog be right. Bind up the wound of fate, Lift gently your fallen foe ; Strength and valor decide no wrong ; Streams rippling, down hill flow. Applause rings all for success, But failure no praise commands ; And friendship only survives its name When the helping hand of a friend Clasps warm in the time of trouble, Stands near in the dark of night; So here 's to the under dog of fate, The under dog in the fight. Come from out the sunshine. Stand in the shadow awhile ; Imagine yourself the under dog In the hour of failure and trial. His efforts were just as great As though the cause was right. So Jet your manly sympathies out To the under dog in the fight. 19 Stub Ends of Thought «' OOD birth is the foundation of refine- ment, upon which environment and circumstances build gentility. Women who hold men absolutely in their power regard their conquests as much as a cat does a captured mouse. The most gentle of all surgeons are those who have been wounded themselves. Remorse creates more grief than for- getfulness or resignation cures. Those who have not felt the soft white arms of temptation around their necks, should never prate of virtue or heroic continence. Honest labor is creative of both reve- nue and rest, and idleness is the parent of poverty. Faith in ourselves secures not only self- respect, but inspires the confidence of others toward us. Nothing tests friendship so much as to place it under obligation. If it were not for the knowledge of our own faults we would be unable to suffi- ciently appreciate the virtues of others. And Heart Verse BRACE UP! Life is so short, and death too long, It seems like a sacrifice To stand in the way of a sunlit day, Looking for clouds to rise Out of our weakness, fears, and doubts From the skies of paradise. Life is so short, and death too long, Embrace love while you may; Stand not in the shadows Because the sun must die at the close of day. The purest, sweetest flowers that bloom Blossom at dawn and fade with noon. ^ ^ ^ LIFE AND LOVE. Life and love together stand. Hand to hand and heart to heart ; Woven by a golden strand, Drifting, never far apart. Stub Ends of Thought ^WJ'HEN a man tells a malicious lie -Wt" against another it is, as a rule, related in strict confidence. Strip human nature of its vanity, and it is divested of half its faults. Gratitude well expressed is both an accomplishment and a virtue. An ounce of unsolicited kindness weighs more than a pound of requested favors. Our faith often clings closer to what we hope for than to what we believe. Come out into God's sunshine, look the world in the face and defy failure. If you want to test the sincerity and loyalty of a woman's affection, endeavor to have her associate with your enemies. Too much security in love shortens its life; like all other good things we must fear its loss in order to properly appreciate its value. Education will always remain an enemy to modern religion as long as the doors of our fashion-cursed churches are closed in the face of reason. And Heart Verse God bless my enemies; without them no friendship would be tested and no love gain defense. No man is really generous unless his generosity is attained with self-sacrifice. ^ -f- ^ THE AFTERWARD. All the emblems of affection Now are dead and withered bowers. Who will lay a wreath of friendship On the ruins of faded flowers? Those he loved are still among us; Lips he kissed are trembling still, Struggling with their hopeless sorrow, Bowing to the Unknown will. Grief is only real when earnest, Sorrow only true when told After funeral wreaths are faded, After light has turned to gold. Let the hands that clasped his warmly Now towards his loved ones bend. May they find some consolation In the friendship of his friends. 23 Stub Ends of Thought ©HERE is more of the Christ-life con- tained in a duty painfully performed than in a faith fearfully practiced. I have more respect for a man who believes what he does not practice, than for one who practices what he does not believe. The hand of one friend in time of need is valued more than a multitude of con- gratulations in the hour of triumph. Much that we call forgetfulness is nothing but a hopeless resignation after all. In the study of woman's character man, however wise, seldom leaves the class primary. Self-reliance is the first step to accom- plishment. Nothing indicates our weak- ness more than to anticipate failure. Dishonesty is subject to many varia- tions; an instrument which the player tunes according to his own ideas and code of ethics. Men who suffer from surprise at the success of others are, as a rule, incapa- ble of achievement themselves. 24 And Heart Verse It is hard to prove our own fidelity to one who has lost faith in himself. How closely woven are respect and love; one is the guardian of the other's peace. LOVE KNOWS NO DEATH. Love knows no death ; The soul-life of its longing Lives after flesh and blood Have turned to clay. Its sun may set And shadow worlds in darkness, Yet rise again To light another day. Love knows no death ; The waking from its sleeping But tears anew The unhealed heart in pain, And tear-stained eyelids Fevered with their weeping, But close in hope That sleep may come again. 25 Stub Ends of Thought ^^ILENCE is only truly golden when ^ broken, occasionally, by intelligent expression. Love lights never go out; some mem- ory holds a shadow of brightness about them forever. The grave of time engulfs many re- grets, but yet is pregnant with unex- pected resurrections. Those who are too weak to accept rational criticism gracefully, are, as a rule, most susceptible to flattery. There are some lies that hurt, tear, humiliate and degrade, yet leave un- soiled the lips that breathe them. Proper appreciation, the sweet ap- plause of effort, urges us to more noble action and renewed endeavors. The man who takes advantage of su- perior mind to hurt or humiliate his fellow, is a brute. Both nepotism and friendship in busi- ness should be avoided as two elements destructive and unjust to independent interests. 26 And Heart Verse WEARING THE MASK. Wearing the mask of honor and right, Kissing the lips of deceit and shame, Shielding the lies that a false love told That some one may be happy again. Bearing the cross of a needless wrong Wrought in the name of love, Kissed to its birth by a faith as sweet As the peace-bound flight of a dove. We would feel no grief for the rose that dies Had we never known its bloom. And no tears would be shed for the love that is dead Had it lived and died so soon That its fragrant, sweet and soft caress Had left no sting of pain ; For the hope of night is its dream of dawn And the light of the day again. So hearts are broken and lives go out On the ocean of pain and care, Dying for what they believe to be right In the face of their own despair. Wearing the mask of duty and love. Living a life that is dead. For the sake of a cause that honor leads In the path that integrity treads. 27 Stub Ends of Thought TJTHERE is more intelligent expression ^^ in the eyes of some dogs than in the countenance of some people. Memory is to immortality what grief is to remorse. Education is the egg that experience hatches into activity. A peevish, unreasonable associate acts as a quick curdle to the sweetest tempera- ment. He is a Christ-touched genius who has learned the art of teaching her he loves to gracefully grow old. The sun-kissed sleep of a clear con- science is the worthy reward of good intention and honest effort. What some men call charity is, fre- quently, merely a soothing application to their own remorse. Men who are foolish enough to lend money without security are generally too soft to enforce payment when duped. Unselfish love finds permanent life only in the hearts of those who recognize gratitude and honor as cardinal virtues. And Heart Verse Jjj^ET us hope for the best, though we >^ see but a shadow of light through the darkness of human despair. Deception is dishonest, for respect and confidence are valuable virtues. Where does friendship end and imposi- tion begin? Love and money were always, and will always be, bitter enemies. No gold loves its test. Confidence and self-reliance are not egotism. Weak natures break down a bridge before they reach it. Home life does more to elevate society than all outside influences tend to degrade it. No man of sense respects another who agrees with him without regard to reason and his own opinion. Never believe that a woman loves you until of her own volition she offers to surrender something for your sake. Affection is known by its sacrifices. Love is a luxury that some are unwilling to afford. 29 Stub Ends of Thought iTttjANLY qualities demonstrate them- ••'W selves in more ways than an ex- hibition of blood and brawn. We can not successfully legislate against human nature. One of the most despicable faults in human nature is that weakness which permits us to injure one we have wronged. How many hearts is pride breaking to-day? " I will succeed " is as great an incen- tive to accomplishment as "I must fail" is the opposite. The flower of love demands constant attention. It shrinks with indifference and dies from neglect. Men and morals are often regulated by temptation and opportunity. The companionship of a cheerful devil is preferable to the society of a morbid saint. Let us bow to the superiority of intel- lect everywhere, and respect the individ- iiality of thought, whether in accordance with our own views or against them. 30 And Heart Verse Look for sunshine through the rain, rather than shadows through sunshine. The influence of good women on civili- zation and to humanity is of greater bene- fit than the united church. Never trust a woman who is indefinite in her views and opinions. Her affec- tions and morals too frequently develop the same failing. ^ ^ ^ LIGHTS THAT HAVE GONE OUT. Lights that have gone out, loves that are dead, Hopes long forgotten and gone ; Lips we have kissed, tears we have shed, Hearts that are broken and torn. Some memory brightens the dead past again. Brings back once more the loves sought in vain. And thro' the darkness of human despair Lights us away from sorrow and care. 31 Stub Ends of Thought /JpiFTEN while running after shadows V!i7 of what we hope for, we lose the substance of what we have. Love is purified by respect, glorified by honor, and augmented by success. In perverted natures, gratitude is gen- erally the first absent virtue. Grief lives upon remorse, and memo- ries of what might have been alone sus- tain it. Modern business ethics might be ad- vantageously inoculated with the virus of ancient methods. The golden band of respect and confi- dence acts as a firm yet gentle curb to the indiscretions of non-platonic affection. The man who has control of his own tongue is a genius who overcomes an hereditary maternal affliction. We would have no pity for the flowers that have faded had we never known the fragrance of their bloom. No sunshine is bright enough to pene- trate the clouds of morbid imaginary despair. And Heart Verse JCMPTY expressions of endearment may T^ consistently be termed the fiction of affection. Respect is as essential to perfect love as content is to permanent happiness. Our wives are no better than our mothers-in-law make them. Nurse your misfortunes and they will mature in your arms. There exists no permanent condition of non-platonic love. The affection of to-morrow will be greater than that of to-day, or less. The man who receives no bouquets from his friends deprives his enemies of the pleasure they derive from picking them to pieces. The weight of a woman we have ceased to love may be measured by the heaviness of about sixty-four ounces to the pound. A child's question often urges into action a man's judgment. It is far more easy to tell a well-inten- tioned untruth yourself, than to hold an expression of good faith when some one else is telling you a lie. 33 Stub Ends of Thought /jTONCENTRATION is the essence of ^^ wit, and intelUgent abbreviation the genius of business economy. Economy can not consistently be meas- ured by expenditure. Remorse is frequently the mother of reformation. Much adverse criticism may, to a large extent, be attributed to either envy or ignorance. Never break two eggs together, or judge two men alike. There is always a difference in their flavor or temperament. One of the greatest obstacles in the path of intellectual progress is the fool who does not know, and is unaware of his ignorance. Hatred of another is frequently created by the knowledge of an injury done, and the absence of sufficient honesty to con- fess the fault. There is a great distinction between enthusiasm and rational reasoning; the former frequently makes the latter im- possible. 34 And Heart Verse Hope is closely related to effort, and effort is the father of accomplishment. The memories of our mothers have prevented more crimes and created more good than the reverence of our God. ONE FACE. One face above all others shines, One soul breathes separate apart, One gentle influence reigns supreme Queen of my love-torn heart. And through the darkness of my doubts A star of hope appears. Leading the way to faith again, Through a labyrinth of fears. No Christ-touched theory comfort brings, Nothing of a theme divine. Simply a love-tried human thing Proved by the test of time. A woman's abiding golden faith, Free from the world's alloys. Standing bravely face to face With a love that naught destroys. 35 Stub Ends of Thought A MAN in tears is suggestive of an animal in pain ; yet God help those whose emotions never master them. The woman who changes the color of her hair in order to gratify personal vanity, is generally satisfied with her own opinion as to the change in her appear- ance. Like music at prayer, the gentle mag- netism of a woman's love leads us to highest thought and noblest action. Some words are more effective than blows; more decisive than action. Wounds may be healed ; lies leave a mem- ory of untruth behind them forever. Did you ever notice the cut-steel look that comes over a woman's face when she is battling between avarice and love ? Sometimes, while offering an excuse to ourselves, we assail the sincerity and honesty of another. Greed and gold are weighty opponents against honesty and affection. Thank God for the woman In my nature; fault or virtue, it has hurt no one but myself. 36 And Heart Verse HEARTS AND DIAMONDS. She laughs and sings in the sunshine, And swears in the glare of noon To live and forget that brief regret And bury her love life soon. But after the light of the day is dead, And the dark of the night appears, Restless, she turns on her love-bought bed And lies about her tears. Avarice hissed with a tongue of hate And poisoned the hand of peace ; Love can not live on kisses alone, And dies when respect has ceased. Yet, somehow, memory reigns supreme; The curtain remains apart. For he holds a hand of diamonds And I hold a hand of hearts. She kisses with rapture the bands of gold, Ablaze with their stars of shame. But yet there glistens among the lights A tear from the past again. Heartfelt sorrows must pay their price, And stand from the present apart ; For he holds a hand of diamonds. And I hold a hand of hearts. 37 Stub Ends of Thought J^O permanent disaster can befall the X^ man who forms a conscientious partnership between his heart and head. "A man is no better than his friend," and women afford an example beyond comparison of this expression. Church duties should never be per- mitted to interfere with home obligations. Men are like eggs, and friends like cooks. We never know how good (or bad) we are until broke. There is a snug corner of the Christ- life illustrated in the harmony and sweet- ness of home and prayer. Six women can keep a secret, but half a dozen of them must be dead. Some may think they understand women as a class, but none can compre- hend mothers in their almost divine sphere. "All the world loves a lover," except when there are two in the same pasture. Many who laugh in the fever and glare of artificial light, weep disconsolate and alone in the darkness of afterward. 38 And Heart Verse ^THERE is no nature so degenerate but ^^ what suffers occasionally from spas- modic sensations of remorse. Self-conceit can only, in equity, be measured by ourselves; no others know the sting of self-contempt that often lies beneath our surface egotism. There is a disposition in human nature to readily accept as truth the basest lie, if relative to a fault contained in our own calendar of misdeeds. If my life has been of any moral worth fashioned the virtue. Some one has asked me to define the difference between friendship and love. The former is, in my opinion, the powder behind the bullet of the latter. I once found a woman weeping over the jewels for which she had sold her love, and a child crying over a toy it had broken. In the light of immortal remembrance lives the recollection of those we have loved. Forgetfulness is but transient; memory eternal. .39 Stub Ends of Thought JjTlVING down a past is generally a T^ more difficult task than the build- ing up of a future. When dogs bark, as a rule, none but dogs howl in answer. Protect me from myself and I will ask no succor from others. Money is the latch-key that hangs out- side the door of ill-bred society. Much of our ambition is but a dream, the disease of a restless sleep, the air castles of our hope. We often weep over lost hopes that died from our own neglect, and were buried by our own hands. The lack of proper respect for the rights of others always indicates weak- ness and frequently dishonesty. Anticipation acts as a magnifying glass to realization, and long pursuit is too often followed by short possession. There is considerable consolation in the fact that we can never become thoroughly degraded until we have more or less degraded ourselves. 40 And Heart Verse Lend your manly sympathies and help to the unfortunate, without regard to the cause or the effect. Absolute faith in those we love and trust inspires in them a spirit of fidelity towards us. -^ ^ ^ CHEER UP. Dread not the death of a living thing, While its youth is young and strong. Doubt not the dawn of a grief-clear day Because its night is long. Close not your ear to the wood bird*s song, Because that song must cease. Nurse no doubts of eternity In the faith of your own belief. Cherish the flowers that bloom to-day, Though they fade and die to-morrow; Courage was ever the friend of hope, And light in the dark of sorrow. Tear not your heart with affection's loss ; Cupid still holds the rein, And soon will send a new love dart Into your heart again. 41 Stub Ends of Thought WjE only find real consolation in the l^ friendship of our friends after adversity has tested their sincerity. Honesty is only thoroughly tested when we are constrained from taking something we really desire, which is be- yond the possibility of discovery or pimishment. While slumming after features in human nature foreign to the ethics of so-called polite society, I frequently bite off more than I can intelligently masti- cate. Often we find that while advice sticks in the throat of our pride, yet at the same time it appeals to our common reason. A man is always a man; a woman frequently only what a man makes her. If our efforts were only half as ardent as our hopes, how smooth would be the path to accomplishment. Where is the line drawn between incipient insanity and love? I prefer to be hated for what I am than loved for what I am not. 42 And Heart Verse SHE existence of ignorance is the only- condition that makes intelligence possible. Physical fear is master without ques- tion of mental courage. Undue brevity degenerates wit into wilful ignorance. Distinct conception of what is right is best illustrated by what is wrong. How hard it is to keep our sympathies in touch with our reason and judgment. What many men call friendship, is often nothing but selfish abortion upon honest regard. Impotency of intellect is only incur- able in instances where the patient is unaware of his affliction. The admission that we are sometimes wrong is an honest, manly way of estab- lishing the fact that we are frequently right. In the eyes of modern society there is more disgrace in the fracture of the eighth commandment than the disregard of all others. 43 Stub Ends of Thought /j^NE face above all others shines, and, ^^ through night's darkness, points with a hand of hope towards the dawn. How many thorns there are on the flowers of language. Any knave can drag a woman down, but it takes a man to lift her up again. Fools measure the extent of moral sense and intelligence in others by the absence of these commodities in them- selves. Stand in the sunshine of your hopes, not in the shadow of your fears. As swiftly changes the chameleon's hues, so does hypocrisy its various colors show. True politeness may be observed rather by what we do not do, than by what we directly practice. How narrow is the line from jest to earnest; how quickly turns a smile into a sigh. Depravity is not entirely depraved, until regret is absent and remorse im- known. 44 And Heart Verse Children show us what life should be; we teach them what life is. A man never learns much of a woman's character until she is in love with him. Recollections of what might have been often help us to the accomplishment of what should be. LIFT UP. Into the hope-banished corners of fate Send any strength you are able to spare ; Out from the love-famished prison of hate Lead to the sunshine some child of de- spair. Work in the gloom of failure and pain ; Small lights glow best in the darkness of night; Start on the highway of hope once again Some stranded fellow who longs for the right. 45 Stub Ends of Thought fflTHE courage of our conviction is too V^ often overcome by the weakness of our misgivings. When genius places its curse upon a man, he as a rule, must live alone in his ideas and their conceptions. He has overreached his fellows and must suffer for it. How many hearts are broken and lives go out on the ocean of duty, dying for what they believe to be right in the face of their own despair. It is always too early to commit a fault, but never too late to endeavor its redress. The responsibility of offspring may cause us anxiety at times, yet, as a rule, we must regard them as a howling suc- cess. Never condemn a man who refuses to be informed; pity him. He is an acci- dent, a miserable example of unavoidable circumstances. The man of pleasure and the man of pain is separated only by a few years of dissipation. 46 And Heart Verse Charity tied to a string of self-gratifica- tion is only distantly related to genuine generosity. Some people who strain at conven- tional gnats, swallow unconventional camels with the sang-froid of a libertine. > ^ -f SMILE. Smile in the face of despair if you can ; Misfortune survives on what error im- parts, And nothing proves manhood so nobly in man As a firm, strong endeavor to never lose heart. Ambition is naught but a beautiful stream, That flows in the hearts of the hopeful and young. But effort and purpose alone can achieve What doubt and misgivings may still leave undone. 47 Stub Ends of Thought IjttlSFORTUNE is usually an infant at 'JW the breast of indiscretion, weaned only by the bitters of experience. Diplomacy artistically practiced is a rare accomplishment in business. I have found absolute sincerity in the dictionary and the wag of a dog's tail. Sentiment is a close kin to comedy, and too often a shield to candor. Submission and self-sacrifice are the best preparations for a new life, with a shadow in its past. Our first association with knowledge leaves with us an impression of con- fidence which no mistake of the future can erase. A man in tears may prove only that his mother was a woman, and that he is not ashamed to acknowledge it. There are no everlasting flowers in the garden of love, except those nourished by the dew of respect. In order to protect commonplace ap- pearance, how much comfort is sacrificed upon the altar of public opinion. 48 And Heart Verse 'TIS BETTER FAR. 'Tis better far that my heart should be torn With pain and sorrow, at an act of thine, Than feel a single moment of remorse For any wrong or broken vow of mine. 'Tis better far my life should empty be, Save of a memory of what might have been. Than cause thy heart to throb with fear and pain Over what, once dead, can never be again. 'Tis better far that every vow we made Should have, by thee, been ruthless cast aside. That I should lose all faith and trust in thee. Than realize my love for thee had died. 49 Stub Ends of Thought TijEARTS sometimes break under a ^ great injustice, but often remain dead only to sorrow and foreign to faith. Overdone diplomacy frequently de- generates into underdone deception. How much like thermometers we are, rising and falling with our hopes and fears. Many human parasites read their success only over the shoulders of their friends. My faith in God has always been, more or less, regulated by my faith in hu- manity. What some degenerate natures call love is nothing but selfish fancy, pos- sessing not even the perfection of passion. God's best blessing on the world is that lack of knowledge which permits us to remain ignorant of the future and for- getful of the past. Nothing but mother-love thoroughly purifies a woman's character, bringing to the surface of her life the sweetest, tenderest sentiments of human nature. 50 And Heart Verse AS stars shine brightly on the darkest nights, so friendship rings the clearest in the hour of trial. What we believe to be a grief to-day may prove to be a joy to-morrow. The death of good men often impress us more than their lives influence us. Marriage is essential to civilization, productive of purity and the gentle hand of unselfishness. A small cloud of doubt and weakness often entirely obscures the bright sun of hope and strength. Regret for the past is the best founda- tion for the building of a future. Some hypocritical degenerates en- deavor to hold a morsel of scandal and the holy communion on their tongue at the same time. When prejudice destroys reason, ig- norance controls intelligence. Purity of thought is the father of noble action. The nearer we get to human nature the closer we are to God. 51 Stub Ends of Thought CT'HE fire of love once extinguished by ^^ broken confidence, does not easily renew its flame at the touch of regret. Oratory to be real, must be bound with logic and backed by reason. What we hope to do is the first con- dition of what we will do. Man's manliness is best illustrated by his tenderness toward women. Perfect love and faith go hand in hand ; neither dying while the other lives. Sometimes the faults of others are measured by our own shortcomings. If there is efl[icacy in prayer, there should be consistency in thanksgiving. We too frequently realize, only after a flower is faded, how beautiful it was while in bloom. Morality knows no stationary condi- tion ; we are either better to-day than we were yesterday or worse. Permanent intellectual progress only moves on moral lines, and on the open highway of what is right. 52 And Heart Verse A single act of reform is worth many morbid expressions of regret. There is no established rate of interest on the notes of indiscretion. We should judge others not by what they think of themselves, but by what others think of them. ^ ^ ^ FORGIVENESS. There 's a light in the window Still burning for you, As bright and as clear as before ; A fond heart is waiting With love just as true. And the latch is undone at the door. Forgiveness is thine ; We will bury the past And think of the future once more ; Come back to the place Of your heart and your home, The latch is undone at the door. 53 Stub Ends of Thought jjT'OVE in its resurrection returns with T^ primary faith diminished and its first conjfidence impaired. Never imprison your mind for fear of being wrong in your opinion. A question must first be asked before it can be an- swered. Civilization will always remain im- perfect, until the nobility of labor is recognized and observed by all classes. The tide of chance sometimes brings to the shore of success ships that were wrecked on the ocean of effort. In the darkness of our doubts the light of hope is seldom seen. How fond we are of advancing virtues we do not possess and condemning crimes we are unable to commit. Curb the license to your thoughts; imagination is sometimes painfully close to reality. Heads that control hearts may cause hearts to break, but hearts that direct heads create a general bankruptcy of reason and finance. 54 And Heart Verse /JP|NE of the greatest ordinances in God*s ^^ laws is respect for and observance of man's rights. The first duty of a religious man is his duty to his fellowman. Child-life innocence wields a greater influence than pulpit eloquence. Carelessness is composed of about equal parts of indifference and neglect. The strength of confidence is best ex- pressed by absolute silence regarding it. Bringing sunshine into the lives of others drives away clouds from our own. The most painful of all wounds are those inflicted by the hands we have loved. The sanctified silence of resignation demonstrates strength of character in a pathetic way. Before we attempt to criticize our superiors we should first endeavor to become their peer. No social chain, or fear of public opinion, should bind the hand of friend- ship, mercy, and justice. Stub Ends of Thought SHE faith others have in us inspires, to a large extent, the faith we have in ourselves. Sorrow has but few companions ; hap- piness is pregnant with friendship. Failure gets fearfully lonesome at times; success can choose its associates. Where there is one fool, unless he be a recluse, we will generally find an assem- blage of idiots. There is no permanent satisfaction in revenge, as to accomplish it we must take advantage of superior strength, wit, or opportunity, either of which is unmanly and degrading. In the face of mothers whose children have died, there is a look of placid purity and resignation, bearing a semblance to what we deem divine. Tenderness actuated by regret is gen- erally applied more as a salve to our own wound, than anything else. The composite part of unjust and adverse criticism too frequently consists of envy, with ignorance as its residue. 56 And Heart Verse What we intend to do is a theory ; what we do is a condition. The far-seeing, clear-visioned man of action is the bulwark of modern advance- ment. We often injure ourselves by jumping at conclusions foreign to deliberate con- sideration. Perfection of expression only reaches its zenith when what we say conveys its true meaning. MOTHER. Her love stands separate and apart From every passion of the human heart, And without rival in affection's field The golden scepter of its influence wields. Guardian she is of every homestead tie; Almost divine in her exalted sphere. Pointing with hope to better life on high, Bringing the brightest sunshine to us here. 57 Stub Ends of Thought /|700D resolutions are like promissory ^^ notes: we should not draft them beyond our ability to make good. Conventional considerations often gall and bind us, yet we yield without protest to its essential laws. True philanthropy should be measured, not by what we give, but by the amount of self-sacrifice attending it. No man should be weak enough to per- mit his theories to control his sense of humanity. We are sometimes charged with errors that our accusers are incapable of cor- recting. The greatest beneficial society on earth is "The Brotherhood of Mankind." How difficult it is to thoroughly exercise diplomacy without, to some extent, re- flecting upon our integrity. Indiscretion is always a fault, and too frequently first cousin to crime. There is a large amount of Christianity in a pocket-book judiciously handled. S8 And Heart Verse LOOK UP. Race after happiness and hope, Let joy disarm the grief to come ; By failure worthy lessons have been taught, And in their train the greatest battles won. If in pursuit of your ambition's aim You fail and fall a moment by the way, Know night has sweetest solace in the thought She is the mother of a glorious day. Remember in the darkness of your doubts The child is father of the master mind, And in our efforts to be just and true We frequent first are cruel to be kind. The gold that dulls in virgin worth Glows best when touched by base alloy. So failure oft adds luster to success, And naught but overconfidence destroys. 59 Stub Ends of Thought ^TALENT breeds best in the silence of w thought, but character only devel- ops in accordance with its environment. A man may be too precocious in his independence. As we overcome selfishness, the foun- dation of charity takes its place. Indifferent circumstances are the natural offsprings of indifferent efforts. The current of true zeal runs smoothly past the obstacle of half-hearted effort. Faults are always found on the sur- face of men's characters; virtues have to be probed for. Too much democracy tends to produce a spirit of disrespect for the necessity of conservative action. The man who attributes another's success to good fortune will define his own failure as "ill luck." In the little affair of private theatricals called life, there is an unnecessary num- ber of would-be tragedians and too much suppression of natural comedy. 60 And Heart Verse THE ONE THAT WENT AWAY. Among the memories of days now gone, Sacred with retrospection of the past, There is one sorrow that will ere remain, A recollection that must ever last ; There is a face that lives yet in our lives, Pure as the dawning of a sunlit day, And breathes beyond to what our effort strives, One who came and kissed and went away. Though other children come and kiss their way Into the home of faith and hope and prayer, And wind with baby hands a chain of love Around the mother's heart that holds them there ; Though other lullabys are sweetly sung As other babes are gently soothed to sleep, Yet tears will come when prayers are breathed to-day. For one who came and kissed and went away. 6i Stub Ends of Thought JttHTHEN women learn to understand *** men they command with kisses and plead with tears. Consistent ambition is the power be- hind the bullet of effort. Intellectual honesty is best demon- strated by those who are not afraid to act upon their own convictions. The instinct of imitation is as strong for good as it is for bad example. Much of our own individuality is cov- ered up by the fear of another *s opinion. Little things are the foundations upon which great things are constructed. Sentiment and regret may soothe the wound that thoughtlessness caused, but it will not heal it. Men who are unfair in controversy are as a rule cowardly in action. The soul of music lives eternal in the heart of happiness. Broad-minded men accept and respect the honest personal convictions of their fellows without prejudice or offense. 62 And Heart Verse ^^NFOUNDED fears, the fiction of our ^i^ courage, are self-constructed ob- stacles on the road of effort. Many an effective lecture is spoiled by a long sermon. Custom is a law that one fool makes, and all fools follow. How hard it is to say nothing when we have nothing to say. The sacrament of matrimony rests upon the foundation of society. Sentimental weakness should never be permitted to control practical virtue. Executive ability consists largely in the knowledge of how to dispose of trifles. Popularity lives on the condition that created it, and its appetite is generally abnormal. It is the manner of expenditure and not the amount that establishes economi- cal method. Those who appreciate kindness the most often express their gratitude best by refusing to accept it. 63 Stub Ends of Thought (§' jNLY an ignoramus takes refuge be- hind a denial of what he lacks suf- ficient brains to comprehend. Disappointed expectation has a pain- ful reaction about it. Life without eternal hope would be like night bereft of dawn*s possibility. Youth lives on what may be; old age clings to the memory of what might have been. The world of what men call forget- fulness is, generally, nothing more than a condition of resignation. The natural condition of matrimony is destructive of selfishness and produc- tive of earnest self-sacrifice. Selfishness consists no more in the gratification of our own rights than in disregard for the rights of others. A strenuous life is the only condition that prevents rust on mind and muscle. There are some women so naturally pure and sweet that they wear their innocence as unconsciously as a rose- bush bears its bloom. 64 And Heart Verse The softened moments of regret atone in part for impulsive sin. Drunkenness is an exaggerated con- dition of a fooi*s weakness. LITTLE WHITE HANDS. Little white hands of women That soothe in the time of pain, And point in the hour of darkness A way to the light again ; Shading the eyes of sorrow, Smoothing away each sigh. Showing us how with hope to live And how in faith to die. Little white hands of women Our hope and love imparts. And strike sweet chords of sympathy On the harp of human hearts ; Leading to right and purpose. Helping the weak and blind, Proving some pure example For advancement of mankind. 65 Stub Ends of Thought ffl'HERE is no chain of circumstances ^ so strong but that it may be broken by persistent effort. Many good fellows find their way to God outside the beaten path of conven- tional belief. Free and independent expression should never be shackled by fear of consequences. The general tendency of public opinion must always be accepted as worthy of serious consideration. It is better to stand gracefully in the rear line of life's battle than to falter in the front of progress. Sufficient authority for forming an unfavorable opinion should always be countersigned by investigation. Self-respect is the best indication of inborn gentility. Reverence for others is merely the polish of good training. One of the most important indica- tions of strength in character is the ability and energy to execute what we conceive. 66 And Heart Verse It is far better to regret the past than dread the future. One of the best passports mto Heaven is a paid-up Hfe insurance poUcy. THE BETTER SIDE. Here *s to human nature, The true and noble part That only sees the better side, And acts from head to heart ; That scorns all base deception, Yet the under-dog defends, And swears by hope and Heaven In the friendship of its friends. That sees a ray of sunshine On the darkest kind of day. And lifts from out life's shadow Some fellow on the way ; That scorns all base deception, Yet the under-dog defends. And swears by hope and Heaven In the friendship of its friends. 67 Stub Ends of Thought SHE misunderstanding of others is, too often, merely a lack of personal comprehension. Envy frequently lays the foundation of primary prejudice. Try and trust; the sun is shining just beyond the cloud of your despair. Friendship and fellowship are closely related to each other, but love and sym- pathy are twins. In the prison of our fevered ambition there are bars that lock out the liberty of rational results. The natural influence of women is so great that legislation has been deemed imnecessary to advance it. The quiet approval of thoughtful intel- ligence is more desirable than the enthu- siastic admiration of an ass. The warmth of our own fireside should thaw out a feeling of kindness and charity towards the cold hearth of others. To some people equity appears to be a weapon available against the opera- tion of every-day common-law justice. 68 And Heart Verse The madness of determination but proves the sanity of persistent endeavor. Duty is an obligation due ourselves, always matured, but never paid in full. ^ ^ ^ MANHOOD. Here*s to the man of iron nerve. Of subtle thought and brain; But yet with a nature undefiled. That bends to the tremulous Grief of a child. And brands with the touch of shame Those who keep the sunshine out Along the shades of pain. Here 's to the strong and manly man, Who knows what he does is right ; Leading with firm, yet kindly hand, The faltering fellow aright. As he walks the world in confidence In the path that integrity treads ; Burning the bridges behind him. Hopefully looking ahead. 69 Stub Ends of Thought ^JTEARS of imagination are sometimes ^ more painful than the pangs of realism. Every pure woman marries beneath her station. Sincerity is a grand consolidated in- corporation of all human virtues. The waist of morality is painfully compressed by the stays of modern society. Let us honor the necessary and uplift- ing virtue of faith without regard to its denominational belief. We too often turn to God in despair, when our own effort might have avoided the necessity of prayer. Originality is always questioned when what we say or do has over- reached our critic's conception. In order to retain affection perma- nently, we must not expect too much compensation for our devotion. Our capacity for doing good is largely governed by a thorough knowledge of the object and purpose pursued. 70 And Heart Verse JttttHAT social conditions fail to pro- 'W' vide, the man of advancement should be privileged to obtain. Love is a condition of fact, not alone a theory or sentiment. There is often a sob behind a sneer, and envy more or less controls criticism. A heart-to-heart mutual confidence often sweeps away the cobwebs of dis- belief. We are never thoroughly independent until we are master of our own indis- cretions. Material nature, the goddess of all things real, teaches more truth than fiction paints. There is no established law of morals ; what may seem a fault in appearance often proves a virtue in fact. Lift if you can somewhere the shad- ows of some one's failure into the sun- shine of some one's success. Memories of what have been show the sun forever shining through the tears of what can never be again. 71 vStub Ends of Thought ^kOME men appear to think that they /^ should govern themselves by the opinion of others. The shadows of our doubt often de- stroy the substance of our faith. Some one has just told me that honesty is the best policy, as he has tried both. Some men measure integrity by the value of its practice in their own expe- rience. No genius, however great, has yet entered the temple of fame without effort. The brilliancy of to-morrow's possi- bilities often obscures the conditions of to-day. To be over-sanguine is as detrimen- tal to results as the lack of consistent confidence. Certain appearances must exist under given circumstances despite all attempts to conceal them. Chronic indifference to careful thought helps to destroy the organization of in- tellectual advancement. 7* And Heart Verse Thought and discussion are the only necessary precedents of knowledge. Only curs attempt to keep the under dog hopelessly down. ^ ^ -f FAITH. As sunshine gathers the shadows, So pleasure garners pain, A time-proved law of nature That levels all doubts again. The star that comes in the night-time And dark of our hearths despair, Pointing the way to dawn and light Through the lowering clouds of care. A harbor of safety nearing; The strength of our heart and hand, While waves tumultuous surge around The rock on which we stand. Then hope for the coming morning, Yield not to the fears of night. The day will soon be dawning And all things come aright. 73 stub Ends of Thought jS^ OME men are only perceptible to seri- ^ ous consideration under the mag- nifying glass of their own conceit. How easy it is to insult the greatness of little minds. Wilful exaggeration is the infant con- dition of a deliberate lie. The originality of ideas depends more upon experience than research. The remorse of death frequently com- pels what the duty of life ignored. Temptation is the true test that demon- strates weakness or proves strength. Established routine is an essential requisite to successful business practice. We expect from women more than we give them ; we should give them more than we receive. Artificial restriction of natural inclina- tions should be administered only in homeopathic potions. God knows us for what we are, not for what we appear to be; then let us for God's sake be honest with ourselves. 74 And Heart Verse IT IS EASY ENOUGH. It is easy enough to be happy, When happiness comes your way, But he who laughs at sorrow Should wear the medal to-day. If the heart is light from absent grief, And the future a clear blue sky, No credit is due to the laughing few That pass the dull world by. Lift up the cross of a suffering friend, Kiss somebody's tears away. And the sun will shine in your life-way On the gloomiest kind of day. Take from the sun of your garden A flower to the shades of care, And though it dies in the darkness, A breath of its fragrance there Will live for a while, and lighten Some heart from its storm and pain. And the plant from which it was taken Soon blossoms with fragrance again. Lift up the cross of a suffering friend. Kiss somebody's tears away, And the sun will shine in your life-way On the gloomiest kind of day. 75 Stub Ends of Thought IGH-PRESSURE education is injuri- ous to mind, body, and morals; nonpermanent and nonsensical. Into the sun-banished corners of fate send any strength you are able to spare. What we call doing ourselves justice is frequently doing an injustice to some one else. The loss of what might have been often helps us to the realization of what should be. There are enough faults on the sur- face of men's lives without probing for them with unproved prejudice. The straight and narrow path of vir- tue becomes a clear, broad highway to the traveler of earnest intentions. Unconventionality is a sweet morsel rolled upon the tongue of many people who have not courage enough to swal- low it. Stern-principled self-reform is liable :^o be ridiculed; let us confine, therefore, all heroic resolutions to our own con- fidence. 76 And Heart Verse 'IJIRTUES die an easy, peaceful death, ^ but faults engrave themselves upon our memories. The course of our conduct is largely regulated by personal feeling rather than general observation. What we call instinct in animals may generally be regarded as intelligence in man. Success often depends for its strength upon the foundation of failure. Friendship only survives its name in the face of adversity. We are not makers of the moral law, but merely subjects kneeling at the shrine of its necessity. The observation of how a man re- ceives success is a true indication as to how he will bear failure. A life of desire saps the strength from the existence of happiness, and dulls the intellect with the poison of discontent. When a woman openly condemns her husband, she is, as a rule, secretly ad- miring some one else. 77 stub Ends of Thought JpACK of judgment and hasty action T^ axe insults to our own intelligence, and frequently father failure. We too often attempt to extenuate faults that should be annihilated. The careful study of another's weak- ness forms a comparative foundation for our own strength. He is absolute monarch in his own world who learns to safely hold the reins of self-control. The possession of our mothers* virtue is more to be valued than the inheritance of our fathers* wit. The nearest approach to a condition divine is when we have learned how to forgive gracefully and sincerely. The advanced condition of things de- mands specific qualification in some call- ing, trade, or profession. This is an age of specialists. Some people make a specialty of going about wearing an injured appearance, and looking for some one to substantiate their morbidness. 78 And Heart Verse How many well-toned intellects get out of tune when some fool strums the strings of their conceit. The fact of fiction existing helps half- hearted skeptics to doubt the existence of fact. There should be something left to the imagination of love; a consistent sea- soning with the sauce of uncertainty. Adverse criticism is often nothing more than a caricature painted by preju- diced conceit. ^ ^ A TOAST. Here*s to the hand of friendship, Sincere, time-tried and true, That smiles in the hour of triumph And laughs at its joy with you ; Yet stands in the night of sorrow Close by where the shadows fall, And never turns the picture Of a dead friend to the wall. V) Stub Ends of Thought /rtttY mother was unknown to me, yet -JW I look in the face of every good woman for her Ukeness. The exercise of too much diplomacy is an indication of too Httle sincerity. Secrets are syndicated by a breach of the trust that originated them. The gospel of romance is responsible for many disasters in fact. Doubt is treason to the king of love, and fears are hopes devoid of faith. Had the heart received one-half the cultivation of the brain, moral condi- tions would have reached their zenith. Love and hate are first-cousins in a woman's temperament, and one fre- quently embraces the other. Remorse and retrenchment are the natural penalties of neglect. One of the triumphs of existence is to know others admit our sincerity. The average woman's tears represent, as a rule, merely the safety-valve of her emotions. 80 And Heart Verse /j70D help us when those we count our ^^ friends yield to the prejudice of our enemies. The most refining influence upon mod- em society is the environment of a pure woman. Let us erect a tablet over the grave of our mistakes, and visit often the tomb of our failures. The acute development of civilization has dragged down in its path of progress many picttfresque ideals. Full revelation of feeling is only advis- able in conjunction with complete mutual faith and confidence. The little white hands of women lead more men to hope and heaven than all the world's temptations drag to hell. HEAVEN. Just a place of rest and peace ; A love-kissed perfect home, Where hearts meet hearts in greeting, And good-by is unknown. Stub Ends of Thought JjCOW much possibiUty of real accom- ^ pUshment is sacrificed upon the altar of imagination. Let us make light of no difficulty that we have not overcome. Envy has weakened more friendship than failure ever strengthened. What fools we men appear in the mir- ror of our dead follies and regrets. It is hard to supplement the narrow mind of ignorant prejudice with logical reason. Unintelligent interference has retarded many a worthy and well-balanced insti- tution. The remorse of our vice is, as a rule, more painful than the sacrifice attending our virtue. Love is born, not made ; but the infant may generally be brought into a robust condition by careful nursing. True men are nearer God in the open sunshine of their duty, than in the shadowed temple of a narrow creed. And Heart Verse . CL WIFT and positive determination in- ^ dicates power of quick conception and strength of character. *Tis a wise dog who knows when the sun of his day has set. If there is any real philosophy in love, it is only apparent in retrospection. The bodyguard of intellect consists of frequent and close association with supe- rior minds. How prone we are to measure other people's virtue by our own faults. God's blessing and the respect of others follow respect for ourselves. Little difficulties overcome are the foundation of greater ones to be mastered. The great line of egotism often pre- vents a proper recognition of real ability. There is always an element of pleas- ure in work where men are rightly em- ployed. Love, happiness, and successful house- keeping are closely related to each other. Impatient vanity stumbles over self- thrown obstacles in the path of progress. 83 Stub Ends of Thought M AY the Head of Heaven bend in ten- derness toward the man who dares to walk in the path of his own opinion. Popular credulity frequently speaks from the pulpit of its own errors. Intelligent concentration is the father of economical and comprehensive results. The son of a pure, good woman will never entirely lose all resemblance to her worth. The highest and purest obligation of man is what he believes to be his duty towards others. The soft white hand of child-life leads many of us with a sense of duty into the highway of manhood. To take physical advantage of another is brutal, and to avail ourselves of mental superiority contemptible. It is often a misunderstanding of indi- vidual character that causes women to lose faith and men to break it. Some of us derive a peculiar satisfac- tion in charging to others faults that only find existence in our own thoughts. 84 And Heart Verse I WANT A CHUM. I want a chum — Some true, tried, faithful friend Who dares to censure and condemn my faults And then forgive them ; Knowing that I must need his friend- ship more Through being cursed with so much to condole. I want a chum. I want a chum To stand close by the faltering side of doubt. Sharing the brightness that, perchance, may shine ; Binding his failure and success with mine ; Some one who knows me just for what I am. And one whom I may learn to under- stand. I want a chum. 85 IS Stub Ends of Thought #|t|tISPLACED kindness is seldom re- ^^^ gretted, yet we are often disap- pointed with the outcome of it. Worry and grief are often exagger- ated by the shadows just beyond them. The primary condition of knowledge its right to investigation. Loyalty to what we think is right is, generally, fidelity to what others know to be. It is not so much the fact of knowing what to do that keeps us out of trouble, as the knowledge what not to do helps us from getting into it. There are thorns upon the flowers of wit that often tear the hand of friend- ship. Endeavor born of hope is the light that leads our failures to success. Sincerity is the axle around which friendship revolves. The primary condition of faith in God is confidence in ourself. Mercy is the nurse of justice and the mother of pardon. 86 And Heart Verse THE AFTERMATH. The flowers that bloom in the autumn When the roses of summer are gone, Are like sweet companions of memory When we are unloved and alone; And triumph that comes after failure, Or sunshine that gleams after rain, Is brighter because of the cloud time That darkened the night hours of pain. And hearts that were heavy with trouble, Or eyes that were fevered with tears, Look back to the dark days of sorrow With a smile through the vista of years; And cling with new faith to a future. Resigning all hopes for the best, Remembering that those who know labor Alone feel the sweetness of rest. 87 Stub Ends of Thought m ORAL philosophy will never teach woman to lower her estimation of personal adornment. Christianity is best worshiped at the shrine of duty. The most valuable virtues are those fathered by our faults. The faith that we have in others helps us toward the goal of our own hopes. Much hair is not an essential of genius, neither is a long tongue a requisite of rhetoric. The line of literary license should be drawn at the expression of public dis- approval. The greatest incentive to work and effort is the arms of those we love around our neck. To be short-sighted regarding the faults of others is an evidence of both charity and diplomacy. Too often we gather the solitudes of the past around us, and draw the curtain over the bright sunshine of a possible future. 88 And Heart Verse /jTRIMINAL prosecution will always ^-^ fail to produce reformation until ethics become a part of prison regime. Misfortune often proves the father of prosperity. To conceal our prejudice is to dis- play our charity. The only real value of knowledge is what it imparts to others. Large minds sometimes possess weak points too large to penetrate small com- prehensions. The moral supremacy of society exists only so far as it governs the condition of its followers. Some men who profess to read human nature, have not yet learned the alpha- bet of their own condition. We should always place just valua- tion upon the opinion of others irre- spective of our own views. In the light of immortal remembrance lives the recollection of what might have been, stronger than the hope of what may be. 89 Stub Ends of Thought /|P|FTEN while clasping roses to our vJ/ hearts, hidden *mid their fragrance thorns we find. One of the best emergency assets in the bank of morals is a good reputation. The greatest inspiration on earth is that of persistent endeavor. Mere mechanical instinct does not constitute intellectual knowledge. We all love truth, but do not always respect the object of our affection. Heaping coals of fire upon the heads of some people substantiates the fact only that they are too green to burn. One of the most difficult lessons to learn is to never let slip the reins of self- control. There is a traceable tendency to de- moralize and discourage all things that tend toward religious enlightenment. Civilization, liberty and intellectual advancement go hand in hand with content, justice, and happiness. Excessive democracy is the infant condition of primitive anarchy. 90 And Heart Verse (§ |UT from the soul of music comes the gentlest thoughts of humanity's heart. To pursue a course of both policy and humanity constitutes a happy com- promise between the saint and sinner. Expectancy is the propeller that forces effort to desired results. The noblest of all virtues is the manly control of our own faults, and lending strength to another's weakness. LOOK BEYOND. In the night-time of thy sorrow, In the darkness of thy pain. Do not turn away from solace : Look for sunshine through the rain. Those who know the weight of labor Feel at last the joy of rest. Look beyond the gloom and shadows, All is working for the best. 91 Stub Ends of Thought /jP|NE of the grossest caricatures of ^if manhood is the fool in a pose of affected indifference. Manhood armed with self-denial is strong, but governed by love and duty, impregnable. True virtue can only be equitably regulated by the amount of self-grati- fication denied. Anticipating the millennium in busi- ness conditions is dangerous to the final realization of same. No fool reaches the zenith of his ig- norance until he is vested with sufficient authority to exercise it. Only pure and placid grief, mingled with regret and loneliness, constitutes a loss over which we have no remorse. Expressed sympathies for the mis- fortune of failure always fall below the congratulations extended to success. We should avoid all revolutions in the minds of men until, at least, we are in a position to general their failings successfully. 92 And Heart Verse /jTYNICISM is never eloquent, but often ^J^ merely a mirror conveying our weakness. Matrimonial matches are not always of the safety species. There is generally a strained, piteous pathos in the voice of half-hearted hope. Many a clear-cut natural born genius is educated out of his individual talent. A dignified indifference to inferior minds best proves the superiority of your own. There is a sweet consolation in the endeavor to believe some things of which we have no proof. Too often our own shortcomings is the tape measure by which we gauge the faults of others. Impressions are seldom absolute, and often not to like a man means only that we do not know him. Let us never permit the shadows of yesterday's regrets to alloy the bright- ness of to-morrow's sunshine. 93 Stub Ends of Thought /|^UT from the experience of the past ^^ should come our hope and endeavor for the future. The devil finds his best disciples in the arms of woman's caprice. Good luck is what God gives us; bad luck is what we make for ourselves. Boasted progress is indicative of un- developed judgment and abnormal ego- tism. People who blush at a bare thought would cover the naked truth with a garb of doubt. One of the most extraordinary gifts of conversation is to express apprecia- tion for something that some one else says. People out of place are an affront to those who come in contact with them, and an insult to those who place them there. As we ascend the scale of thought from small to great minds, there are many obstacles that must either be over- come or gone around. 94 And Heart Verse We swallow without the sauce of rea- son a lie that appeals to our vanity, and accept with doubt the truth against us. " IT 'S UP TO YOU." Life's summer sun is shining, The hay is ripe and tall And must be garnered quickly, Or gathered not at all; So strike while youth is ready, While strength and power are true, And win the way to favor — " It 's up to you.'' Hope, hand in hand with effort, Will win the hardest fight. As nature's dawn will scatter The darkest kind of night; Strife holds the lower ladder. The top is for the few. So fight your way to favor — " It 's up to you." 95 stub Ends of Thought ^iT may be excusable for charity to w begin at home, but it should not end there. Grief only robs the fruit of youth of its bloom, but eats out the heart of the old. Success is a composite thing, but made up largely of its principal ingredient — effort. We too often consider others incapa- ble of what we are unable to accomplish ourselves. The strongest and most mature thought is often shown best in the ab- sence of its expression. Contempt is cruel, unnecessary, and inhuman; those entitled to it are better subjects for sympathy. We cannot see the patches upon our own pants, and should not notice them upon the pants of others. Stupidity is an affliction, but ignorance a condition, possessing a ready remedy if judiciously applied and confidently received. 96 And Heart Verse The attraction of environment often influences us beyond our untempted strength. Pride prevents more tears than ten- derness or sentiment creates. Sorrow must be measured by its sin- cerity; a broken doll tears the heart of a child as a great grief wears the soul of manhood. ^ ^ REMEMBER. There is no cloud so dark and full of grief That can forever hide the sun of hope, And in the world of pain no sorrow known Too deep and lasting to be overthrown. And things that take the sweetness out of life Often but store it up for future years ; There is no smile without its sigh, And laughter som'*** ^ers tears. 97 Stub Ends of Thought Jp'OOK into the sunshine of the future >^ and let the dark past shadow its own path. To not know a thing frequently means only that we do not understand it. There is not sufficient strength in the balm of love to draw the poison from the wound of hate. Too much prosperity affects some men much in the same manner as too much food affects some animals. There is a strong point in the weak- est part of human nature, and a soft spot in the hardest character. Often the critical mind dwells too closely on surface matters, and neglects to probe for the real cause of trouble. By respecting the laws of man and doing justice to ourselves we uncon- sciously observe the laws of God and do justice to others. What some are pleased to call super- stition is merely the recognition of a great truth beyond our comprehension, yet within the circle of our hope. 98 And Heart Verse BURN DOWN THE BRIDGES. Burn down the bridges of failure, Look forward with effort and prayer, See the day of accomplishment dawning Beyond through the night-time of care. So gather the flowers in summer Ere they are found withered and dead, And scatter the rose leaves of duty In the path where integrity treads. It is better to guard against sorrow Than kiss thoughtless-caused tears away, And noble to wait till to-morrow For things that are not ours to-day. Forgiveness robs love of its beauty. As doubt destroys confident faith, But light breaks at last through the shadows For those who are patient and wait. 99 Stub Ends of Thought ^IN the great silence of the unknown ^ life let us listen hopefully for the music of faith to scatter our doubts. There is a permanent occupation in perfect happiness. A woman should not expect a man to understand — a woman. Particular plans do not always meet with anticipated expectations. Love is fact, not philosophy, and the attempt to idealize it is dangerous. The greatest composers are those who early learn to compose themselves. Some of us go bankrupt in confidence before we are solvent in discretion. Overdone civility appears to the intel- ligent observer as underdone insincerity. Memory is sweetened or embittered in its recollections more by what might have been than anything else. A liberal form of domestic govern- ment is essential in order to promote discipline without the destruction of mutual respect. And Heart Verse ^j3|t ANY people take exquisite delight in ^^ expressing a difference of opinion, without regard to logical reason. The effort of a reasoned conviction alone warrants the expectation of de- sired results. Talent abused and genius overesti- mated frequently prove the obstacles that press men down. There should be carried away from every deathbed a beautiful and unfading memory of some good act in the life that has passed. Facts are often foreign to theories, and unsatisfactory conditions sometimes lead to favorable conclusions. We sometimes ask God to help us, and then deliberately attempt to prevent the consummation of our petition. The encouragement of ambition not compatible with environment is detri- mental to happiness. There can be no permanent satisfac- tion in our own pleasures when obtained at the expense of pain to others. Stub Ends of Thought /j^OOD qualities, unless tempered with V^ consistent reason and judgment, frequently degenerate into faults. The evil consequences of imperfect instruction are manifest in the practice of many professions. I recently consulted the feelings of a selfish person and found that he suffered more from surprise than appreciation. The most accessible door of communi- cation with human nature in women is the one that leads to the gratification of their curiosity. The equanimity of a fool is not easily disturbed, as he is generally unaware of the impression created by his lack of intellect. The unconventional practice of a matured conviction is more honorable than hypocritical subservience to con- ventional methods. The father's son's record is not of as much importance as the reputation of the son's father; one is a past to be regretted, the other a future to be re- garded. And Heart Verse SUCCESS. Out from the glow of your fireside a moment, Come to the door and look into the storm ; Let memory drift to a time half for- gotten, From days of the present to nights that have gone. Wrap the warm robe of your triumph around you; Magnanimity now will appear at its best ; All the broad manhood of true human nature Comes to the front in the hour of success. Let the world know that your heart is still beating, Warm to the touch of your fellows in pain; See if you can not lift out of the storm there Some one who helped you your afflu- ence to gain. Wrap the warm robe of your triumph around you ; Magnanimity now will appear at its best ; All the broad manhood of true human nature Comes to the front in the hour of success. 103 Stub Ends of Thought 'l^ I OLE NT astonishment sometimes ^ takes possession of people when honest apology would be in order. Charity with a signature attached spoils generosity, as realism is destroyed by the appearance of dead characters before the footlights of their success. To-morrow is the deathbed of to-day's opportunity. The acquisition of distinction is often won at the sacrifice of integrity. Arouse the animosity of a dishonest man and he will charge you with the possession of his own fault. The millennium of moral courage has been reached when we stand unswerved from an opinion we know to be right. Little doubts are the microbes that often consume great faiths. Moral philosophy may teach a lesson of practical evil, but experience alone can illustrate it. There are some sorrows better kept concealed; some joys that should be cherished in secret. 104 And Heart Verse HONESTY of purpose, unless allied with strength of character, falls an easy victim to dishonest practice. The water-cart resolution lays the dust on reform's pathway. Humanized ethics of modern warfare appear to require overhauling. Wrong may sometimes be an acci- dent; right is always premeditated. Where is the line of poetical license drawn between rhyme and reason? The assumed dignity of an ass invites sympathy and illustrates absurdity. Sudden reform indicates either incip- ient insanity or contemplated matrimony. The discipline of experience is the only chastisement many of us are will- ing to respect. As daylight kills the memory of a night's despair, so pure love points to effort, with a hand of hope. The blind man's buff of courtship sometimes leaves us in strange places after matrimony has removed the hood. 105 Stub Ends of Thought APPRECIATION and applause are pro- ductive of greater effort; censure retards endeavor. The man that clasps duty firmly with one hand, as a rule holds achievement confidently in the other. The prejudice of others should never be permitted to regulate our own feel- ings or actions. Applause rings all for success ; failure no praise commands. The proud companionship of right materially lessens our desire to do wrong. The first pathway toward Heaven leads from the influence of home and love. Silence is seldom censured, yet re- marks are often productive of regret. A positive luxury may be only the outward condition of a negative neces- sity. In the shadows of what we hope for lurks the substance of our faith. Good resolutions are often prompted by what should have been. 1 06 And Heart Verse AMBITION. In wide surveys, we oft leave unob- served The sweetest flowers blooming near about ; We scorn untouched the purity of fact And cling uncertain to the arms of doubt. CONFIDENCE. Hold up your head In confident faith. The world is a bridge Over destiny's stream; Those walking ahead Heed no cry of distress, From the bank of endeavor To the shore of success. 107 Stub Ends of Thought 3UDICI0US and intelligent expendi- ture may generally be accepted as discreet economy. The best monument to a mother's memory is the upright manliness of her son's life. Educative fellowship thrives only in an atmosphere of confidence. In order to perfect the path of duty it must be paved with something more than a sense of justice. Sympathy for the sorrow of others strengthens us to bear our own grief. The bow in itself is useless, yet it is the power behind the arrow of progress. Few of us do wrong from inclination; temptation and environment are gener- ally the direct or tacit cause of our shortcomings. Careful investigation is the infant institution of absolute knowledge. Upon the strength and talent of our youth depend the rest and comfort of our age. io8 And Heart Verse GRATITUDE. Amid the tombs, with their spires of white, Or granite, old and gray, A friendless, forgotten, homeless dog With bent head wends his way. And crawls beside a nameless grave To pray as a dog can pray; For the hand that lies beneath the sod, In the name of human right, Once bound the wound of the homeless dog That whines at the grave to-night. And as the moon sheds down from Heaven The light of nature's rays, A lost life kneels beside the tomb. To pray as a woman prays; For the hand that now, so cold and still, In the nameless grave abides. Once guided and protected her — His pride and friends defied. And lifted her from the mire of shame When the world had turned aside. 109 126 %VERTKBrNl5fNC?4 ./ ^'i-^'. V >° •