The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-07-14
The Beauty Of Chccrfulnes..

is it not worse than vain to close our eyes
Upon the azure sky and golden light.
! Because the tempest-cloud doth sometimes
rise,
And glorious day must darkcn into night
tits sad thing to be pecvish fretful and
discontented. There are times and seasons
when it is almost impossible to rally re-
/ markable flow OF spirits, even when there is
apparently little or no cause for desponden.
cv. But these, with the great majority OF
the human family, are, or should he, few and
far between. luerc are some persens who
/ are constantly making themselves unhappy,
and without reason. They see nothing but
the dark side of life, and close their eyes and
their hearts to the bright. They get up in
the morning, out Of humor, not only with
/ themselves, but with all mankind; are where
ever they appear, or in whatever circle they
have power or influence, they chill, discour :
, age and repuse. They permit themselves
| to indulge in idle jealou,icS, foolish fears and
vague apprehcnsions and even if prosper
Gus for the present, they predict some sad
calamity in the future, and thus prove them
selves morbidly iniirm, and in fact, insens-
BILE to the blessings OF Providence. The
effect is not only to distress themselves, but
! to annoy and dislulet others They are in
/ the moral world, what a passing cloud is in
! the physical. They cast gloom over eve.
rything for the moment, and serve to drive
away the sunny influences which are SO al.
mirably calculated to brighten the pathway
! Of life. IN what happy contrast is the cheer-
| fui spirit--the individual whose heart is full
of kindness and generosity, who is everreaiy
] 4
act, and WHOSE daily iife may br lkened to a
constant beam of sunshne9 lie may be
disturbed and depressed for the moment, but
it will only be for the moment A shadow
may pass over his brow, and silence may
seal his lips, but his natural buoyancy will
soon acquire the ascendant, and his joyous
laugh and cheerful smile will soon be heard
and SEEN again. If he cannot say anything
kindly or complimentary, he has the good
sense and manly feeling to keep his peace
IF he cannot praise he will not blame. Scan.
dal has no charms for him, and malignitv Is
utterly foreign to his disposition, lie con-
stantly tries to gladen and encourage, to
cheer the despondng and unfortunate, to
assist and relieve to the extent Of his ability.
The head of household or the MASTER spirit
Of an extensive establishment, possesses, to
A considerable extent, the means Of making
or marring the comfort and happiness Of al
who look up to, depend upon, or feel the ex.
ercise Of his influence Imagine peevsh,
fretful and dissatisfied individual under these
circumstances! His very appearance ere.
ates shudder, for he is certain to say some
thing harsh, cold or uncivil, and, thus to
irritatc feelings, trample upon scnsibilitics,
or stimulate prejudiccs and passion. Ne is
miserable himself and, according to the old
adagc, misery loves company. lie moves
about like troubled spirit, and instead Of q
smile, a cheering word and an encouraging
look, frown, arebuke or grumblc are Ger.
tain to characterize his progress. How much
botter the gentler, the mllder, the more gen
crous policy How beautiful are cheerful.
ness, benevolence and appreciation under
these circumstances In the one case, the
heart shrinks back, the feelings revolt, and
the sympathies turn away; while In the
other, the cheek glows with pleasure, the
fountains Of emotion are filled 10 overHowing,
and a cordial welcome and an involuntary
blessing, arc sure TO attend, like invisible
angels, IdA coming and tho presence Of the
cheafal, che kind,hearted, tho arrreci,ting
and The good.