Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/533

 composed. In reply, Walter Malone wrote the second selection:

I

Master of human destinies am I, Fame, love and fortune on my footsteps wait, Cities and fields I walk; I penetrate Deserts and seas remote, and, passing by Hovel and mart and palace, soon or late I knock, unbidden, once at every gate: If sleeping, wake—if feasting, rise before I turn away. It is the hour of fate, And they who follow me, reach every state Mortals desire and conquer every foe Save death; but those who doubt or hesitate, Condemned to failure, penury, and wo; Seek me in vain, and uselessly implore: I answer not, and I return no more.

II

They do me wrong who say I come no more, When once I knock and fail to find you in; For every day I stand outside your door, And bid you wake to ride, to fight, and win. Wail not for precious chances passed away, Weep not for golden ages on the wane! Each night I burn the records of the day, At sunrise every soul is born again. Laugh like a boy at splendors that have sped, To vanished joys be blind and deaf and dumb; My judgment seal the dead past with its dead, But never bind a moment yet to come. Tho deep in mire, wring not your hands and weep: I lend my arm to all who say, "I can!" No shamefaced outcast ever sank so deep, But yet might rise and be again a man. Dost thou behold thy lost youth all aghast? Dost reel from righteous retribution's blow? Then turn from blotted archives of the past, And find the future's pages white as snow. Art thou a mourner? Rouse thee from thy spell! Art thou a sinner? Sins may be forgiven. Each morning gives thee wings to flee from hell, Each night a star to guide thy feet to heaven.

(2254)

The importance of seizing opportunities as they pass by is realized by astronomers who study the sun's corona:

The study of the corona of the sun is limited to the few brief moments of total solar eclipse; to some five or six minutes every few years. For this purpose expeditions are fitted out and sent to the most favorable locations; and the astro-physicist utilizes every moment of totality in obtaining photographs and spectographs for measurements and study.—, "The Solar System."

(2255)

Howard B. Gross, pleading for better conditions for the "submerged" classes, says:

The other day, after Easter, I took a lily which I had bought for my wife—it had withered and grown yellow—I took the ugly thing and threw it into the back yard, and as I threw it the pot broke, and I saw a thousand little rootlets beating against the pot, hungry for air and moisture, and I planted that ugly thing in the soft and tender soil, where the morning sun could smile upon it, and the noonday sun not smite it, and the fairest thing which ever grew in the garden grew out of that despised and dried thing which had no chance to grow. All these people need is the full, free, fair chance that we have had.

(2256)

Single acts and moments are fraught with destiny.

Esau filled his life with regret for trifling one day; Esther's was full of glory for one day's courage. Peter slept one hour and lost a matchless opportunity; Mary's name is fragrant forever for the loving deed of a day. Do your best now. (Text.)—

(2257)

Some men make their opportunities.

Less than sixteen years ago a clergyman was called to two New York parishes. One was thriving, the other was standing still, the duty of existence growing heavier with each year of inactivity. He chose the latter church, because, as he said, "there was more work to do." At that time his congregation was never large and bad weather often made it very small. It had a Sunday-school of less than fifty members and the Sunday services were practically the end of the week's labor. People were moving rapidly farther uptown; the churches were going with them, and St.