The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-11-04
MAKE rHE BEST OF EVERYTHING.


Of twenty-one; who had acquired large
fortune apparently without an effort; who,
in short, was the happiest of men, and the
envy of all who knew hin. allow IS II"
we said to him, chat you are so fortunate?
What talisman secures to you all these
advantages?" He smiled as he answered, Il
have no talismsn, unless it is to make the
best of everything"
To make the best of everything! Like
key to problem, the answer unlocked
for us, at once, the whole of the great
mystery. Life is too short and happiness
too precious to consume the one or throw
away the other, in idle, unavailing regrets.
Even if ill-fortune swells into a flood,
threatening to undermine the very ground
on which we stand, is it not wiser to strive
to bridge the torrent than to wait, bewaillng
our fate, till the waters swallow us! The
weak and unstable succumb to destiny, and
are washed into oblivion. The wise and
brave, accepting circumstances as they
present themselves, plunge boldly, like
Horatius of old, into the stream, win the
further shore in safety, and earn immortal
guerdOn and renown.
Few men, if any, ever succeeded in life
who have not learned to make the best
Of everything; and generally, their success
is in exact proportion to their adherence to
the rule. Does a debtor fail? Every
merchant knows that it is the best course,
if the debtor is honest, to accept his first
offer of compromition, and not squander
money in useless litigation. Have you
become insolvent yourself? The worst thing
you can do is to give up to despair, and say
that it is folly trying to redeem yourself
Has friend misjudged you or an enemy
done you secret harm? Don't lose precious
moments in sentimental grief over ingrati
tude, or passionate threats at your wrong
doer; but 90 to work on the instant, to
shame your friend or disarm your foe. Had
Astor, when he was a poor German
emigrant, made up his mind that the
attempt to be millionaire was absurd, he
might have died beggar in the almshouse.
Had Washington, when CORVALLIS pursued
him across New Jersey with thirty thousand
troops, said that it was hopeless to save
America with his fragment Of an army, his
three thousand tattered continentaIs, we
might all this day have been in slavery to
Great Britain; but he said, IF the British
cross the Delaware l will cross the
A lleghanies, and if they are victorious there
I will fly to the wilderness beyond" and
this resolution never to give up, but always
to make the best Of everything, led to the
victory of Trenton and the freedom of the
Republic.
We are familiar with people who whine
continually at fate. To believe them never
was lot so hard as theirs; yet those who
know their history will generally tell you
that their life has been but one long tale of
opportunities disregarded, or misfortuncs
otherwise deserved. Perhaps they were
born poor. In this case they hate the rich,
and have always hated them, but without
ever having emulated their prudence or
energy. Perhaps they have seen their
rivals more favored by accident. In this
event they forgot how many have been less
lucky than themselves; so they squandered
their little because, as they say, they cannot
save as much as others. Irritated at life,
they grow old prematurely. Dissatisfied
with everything, they never permit them
selves to be happy. Because they are not
born at the top of the wheel Of fortune, they
refuse to take hold of the spoke as the
latter comes around, but lie stubborn in the
dirt, crying like spoiled children, neither
doing anything themselves, nor permitting
others to do it for them.
Make the best Of everything! At home
if wife or husband is cross, if servants are
careless, if children are irritating, don't fly
into passion, for that will do no good, but
make the best of the circumstances, fulfil
your duty, and wait for happier times.
Abroad, fittings look unpromising, preserve
stout heart, keep cool, and play your
hand to the best Of your ability. Even if
fate has the first move which is not always
the case, you have the second; and the
game may still be yours, ifyou play skillfulIy
and opefulIy.-Battimore San.
ZONES OF WIND IN THE NORTHERN
MISUNDERSTANDING to the scientific
investigation Of Prof. Coppin, there exists
in the Northern Hemisphere three great
zones of wind extending around the earth,
modified, and in some cases partially