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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1878)
BI'!l"Ja 402 Lkavkp. Vol. vii. self; for ho could make so many sad hearts ghul, so many homes pleasant, ami glvo ro much happlnes to those around him in need, if ho would but do so. And ho shonld do so, for ono of the highest duties, ono man owes to another, is to mako him happy, if it is in his power. It may bo urged that if ono man is more prosperous than another, lie is so from caro and frugality, and hence 1ms tho right to enjoy the fruits of his own la bors for his own pleasuro in any way ho pleases. Hut there arc serious objections to this. Ono man is placed in favorable circumstances; ho is blessed with health and strength; while another seems to be but the mark at which nature hurls all her bolts of disease and misfortune. Shall the one blessed with plenty leave tho other to his fate ! No : humanity says that of his plenty he shall give a little, and, indeed, in so doing, ho increases his own happiness as well as his neighbor's. There is another class, however, who up. parcntly have no right to usk help from any one. They arc the improvident and the dissolute. If these classes coula be separated from tho others, if they alone had to suffer for their folly and wick edness, it miht, perhaps, be well to let them take tho consequences of their own acts But the facts are that while ono such would have to sutler l)y such a cause, many who are not responsible for their condition, would have to endure the lot also. When a person has enough of every tiling to supply all his necessary wants, to add more and introduce the luxuries of life does not increase his happiness, but on tho contrary rather detracts from it just as a satiety of any tiling else has a tendency to produce indifference and in many cases even a loathing. Just where to draw tho lino between luxury and a competency is somewhat difficult, but I think it should be where money would cease to add to the comfort and happiness of its possessor. Wherever it may be drawn, it is right that the sav- ing and Industrious man should have more of the comforts of lit'o than tho im provident; for while man is placed hero to do good, and make his fellow man hap py, it is also true that eacli man, to a certain degree, is responsible for his con dition. Hence if lie will not take the means to surround himself with the com forts of life, ho must take the consequen ces. Finally, whatever a man ought to do, ho has the right to do; and whatever he ought not to do, he has no right to do: hence, as a man ought to help, in some way, the needy, and ought not to hoard up for his own desires alone, he ha not the right to use luxuries till those in want around him are provided for. Waip. LEAVES. "To htm who in tho lovo of nnturo hold Communion with her visible form, Shu Bponkn A various language; Tor IiIh gayur Iiuum Shu hn n volco of gladuuns, and a Hindu, And clotjuunco of buauty; and ho IUIom Into Ills dark muslngn with a mild And gentlu sympathy , thnt Htualn away Tholr BharnncHR cro ho Ih aware." Human nature is beautifully proto typed in the development of foliage. The early, tender buds, nursed into existence by genial sun and gentlo shower, shyly, timorously advance,' and grow firm by exposure to the elements around. Dovelopcd at last into refreshing leaves, they rollic and rustle on tho parent bough from which they derive life. The tree, in turn, enjoys sweet protection from its frail ollsprings, tho leaves, until crowded off, their mission fulfilled, they cosily nes tle around its roots one by one. Although there is an allotted time when they must all retire to a hidden life, they by no means follow tho samo law of do parture. Somo more delicate or earlier matured than others, their mission being sooner fulfilled, lose their grasp and la-
