Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/683



concealed and quite out of their reach, has attracted them to the spot.—, "Butterflies and Moths."

(2903)

"An Apology for My Twilight Rambles" was the original title of the tender hymn: "I love to steal away a while," by Phebe Hinsdale Brown. The story in a word is this: Phebe was left an orphan in her Canaan home (New York), and fell under the cruel care of a relative who caused her to grow up timid and retiring to a painful degree. Marrying Timothy H. Brown, she made her home for some time in Ellington, Conn., caring for a growing family. At sunset, one day, she stole away "from her cares for a little relief and for communion with God, in a rich neighbor's flower garden, which, indeed, was her favorite resort. Her trespass was reported to the mistress of the house, who accosted her with: "If you want anything, why don't you come in?" meaning, "Get out!" Next day, with a wounded spirit and filled with tears, holding her baby to her bosom, she wrote the lines above, nine stanzas in all, and sent them to the feminine churl who was so little of a neighbor and belied the odor of the flowers that blest her garden. (Text.)

(2904)

Sensitiveness to Pain—See.

SENTIMENT, MIXED

In a home designed to get men and boys on their feet and become independent and self-supporting, there was found in the pocket of one of the boys the following poem:

I sometimes think it hardly fair That I am here, while you are there. Still I am perfectly aware You might come here or I go there.

And I would just as soon be there Or here; or have you here or there So I suppose I scarcely care; In fact, its neither here or there.

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SENTIMENT, USELESS

A gentleman was one day relating to a Quaker a tale of deep distress, and concluded very pathetically by saying, "I could not but feel for him." "Verily, friend," replied the Quaker, "thou didst right in that thou didst feel for thy neighbor, but didst thou feel in the right place—didst thou feel in thy pocket?" (Text.)

(2906)

Sentiment versus Sentimentalism—See .

Sentiments of a Dying Soldier—See.

SEPARATION

The South Sea islanders have a singular tradition to account for the existence of the dew. The legend relates that in the beginning the earth touched the sky, that being the golden age when all was beautiful and glad; then some dreadful tragedy occurred, the primal unity was broken up, the earth and the sky were torn asunder as we see them now, and the dew-drops of the morning are the tears that nature sheds over the sad divorce. (Text.)

(2907)

Seraphim—See.

SERENITY IN LIFE

Oh, heart of mine, we shouldn't         Worry so! What we've missed of calm we couldn't         Have, you know! What we've met of stormy pain We can better meet again, If it blow.

For we know not every morrow Can be sad; So, forgetting all the sorrow We have had, Let us fold away our fears, And through all the coming years Just be glad. (Text.)

(2908)

SERMON, A BRIEF

The longest sermon on record was preached by the Rev. Isaac Barrow, a Puritan preacher of the seventeenth century, who once delivered a sermon in Westminster Abbey lasting three hours and a half; and the shortest sermon ever preached was perhaps the sermon which Doctor Whewell was fond of repeating from the text, "Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward."

The sermon occupied barely a minute