Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-11-15
Cheerfulness.

There are some persons who arc constant
ly 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 porning
out Of humor, not only with themselves, but
with all mankind and wherever they appear,
or IN whatever circle they have power and
Influence, they chill, discourage and repulse.
They permit themselves to indulge in idle
Jealousles, foolish fears and vague apprehen-
sions, and even if prosperous for the present,
they predict some sad calamity in the future.
and thus prove themselves morbidly infrm.
and, in fact, insensible to the blessings of
Providence. The effect is not only to dis
tress themselves, but to annoy and dsquiet
Others. They are in the moral world. what
passing cloud is in the physical They
cast gloom over everything for the moment.
and serve to drive away the sunny influences
which are so admirably calculated to brighten
the pathway Of life In what happy con
trast is the cheerful spirit--the individual
whose heart is full Of kindness and eenerosi-
ty, who is ever ready to say a good word, or
to do benevolent act, and whose daily life
may be likened to a constant beam of sun
shinel He may be disturbed and depressed
for the moment, but it viii 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
Scandal has no charnsior him, and malignity
is utterly foreign to his disposition. He con-
stantly tries to gladden. and encourage, to
cheer the despondng and unfortunate, to
assist aud relieve to the extent of his ability.
The head OF a household, or the master-spirit
of an extensive establishment, possesses. to a
cons derabe extent, the means of making or
marring the comfort and happiness of all who
look up to, depend upon, or feel the exercise
of his influence. Imagine peeyish, fretful
and dissatisfied individual under these circum-
stances! His appearance creates shudder.
for lie is certain to say something harsh, cold
or unciyil, and thus to irritate feelings. tram
pie upon sensibilities, or stimulate preiudices
and passions. He is miserable himself, and,
according to the old adage, misery loves COM
pany. lie moves about like a troubled spirit.
and instead OF smile, cheering word and
an encouraging look, frown, rebukc or a
grumble are certain to characterize his pro-
gress How much better the gentlef, the
milder the more generous policy How
beautiful are cheerfulness, beneyolence ana
appreciation under these circumstances In
the one case, the heart shrnks back, the feel
ings revolt, and the sympathies turn away; ;
while in the other, the cheek gows with
pleasure, the fountains of emotion are filed
to overhowing, and a cordial welcome and an
involuntary blessing are sure to attend, like
invisible angels, the coming and the presence
of the cheerful, the kind-hearted, the appre-
ciating and the good--7Ze Paiiadeiphia In
qu5rer.