The Searchlight

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 Excerpt: ...God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky; We praise Thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. CHILD LABORERS. (By Elizabeth Tousey, in The Woman's Journal.) Night is past and day is dawning, and the world awakes and stirs, Rises at the call of battle, meets the struggle, his and hers! Man and woman join the army. Man and woman, did I say? But I see the ranks increasing--boys and girls in close array! Surely not to grinding labor? Judging by their years and looks, They are off to desk and schoolroom, spelling-match and writing-books, With a merry time at recess and an afternoon of fun, --Whether in the lane or alley, children love to play and run. No, for eight or ten long hours they must ply their weary tasks, Strain their sight and sap their vigor, till their faces grow like masks, Lacking lustre, joy and spirit, while their tired bodies bend And their patient, unskilled fingers keep on working to the end! Unskilled, patient!--There's the reason, there's the crime, and there's the sting--That the weak and the defenseless must endure this cruel thing! Innocence and blind obedience, which should shield them from all wrong, Hold them slaves to kin or stranger, the unscrupulous and strong. Can we profit by the labors which their task-masters have wrung? Can we count our gold and silver in the sorrows of the young? Can we guard our health and comfort while disease and toil and pain Warp their minds and mar their statures? Perish such a ghastly gain! Look upon the dumb creation, --even it can guide and teach! Does the swallow force its fledgling far beyond its strength and reach? For the hours she has brooded does she clamor for return? Must the pare...