Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-12-28
Fireside Department.
Laugh.

Laugh, boys. a hearty, joyous,
rigging laugh, that sends the blood
gayly coursing along the veins and
arteries, giving life and vigor to
every nook and corner of the system
Laugh and grow fat and plump,
like the gay lambs that frisk and
gambol on the hillside in the joyous
spring, or like the rollicking kittens
as they roll and tumble on the mat,
as if to show their proud mother,
sitting near and watching their
movements, and how easily and
naturally they learn their first les
sons in cat gymnastics. Laugh; but
you need never indulge in course
horse laugh, a simple roar, remind
ing one of the braying of a donkey
or steam-whistle! Laugh like a
boy, wide-awake, stirring boy, one
ready for business, labor, errands;
ready to bring pail of water for
mother, gather flowers for sister, or
any honest and useful labor, physic-
al or mental. Laugh, but not sim
ply to make a noise, or because it is
expected thus you will, but because
you can not help it; because you
are overhowing with good nature,
with not cubic inch more Of room
to contain your joyous feelings, al
most ready to burst; filled with kind
ly feelings toward brothers and sis
tiers, parents and friends, school
mates and playmates, all with whom
you come in daily contact.
Yes, and let the girls laugh, and
expand the chest, initiate the lungs,
rouse the energies enkindle kindly
emotions, encircle the whole counte-
nance with an ample wreath of
smiles. Give me the boy or girl that
smiles as soon as the first rays of
the joyous morning sun glance in
through the windows, gay, happy
and kind. Such boy will be fit to
make up into man-at least when
contrasted with a sullen, morose,
Grabbed fellow, who snaps and
snarls like surly cur,or growls and
grunts like an untamable hyens,
from the moment he opens his red
and angry eyes till he is comforted'
by his breakfast. Such q girl, ,other
things being favorable, will be good
material to aid in gladdening some
comfortable home, or to refine, civ
ilize, tame and humanize a rude
brother, making him more gentle,
affectionate and lovable. 1t is
feast to even look at such a joy-in-
spring girl, such woman bud, and
see the smiles flowing, so to speak,
from her parted lips, displaying a
set of clean, well-brushed teeth,
looking almost. the personification
Of beauty and goodness, singing
and as merry as the birds, the wide
awake birds, that commenced their
morning concert long before sthe la
zy boys dreamed that the glorious
sun was approaching, and about to
pour whole food of joy-inspiring
light and warmth upon the earth.
Such agirl is like a gentle shower
to the parched earth, bestoving
kind words, sweet smiles and acts of
mercy all around her-the joy and
light of the household.
1t has been well said that there
are two muscles to raise the upper
lips in a. Laughter, and only one to
draw it down; therefore we should
laugh twice to crying once" There
may be time for weeping, and
even for mourning and melancholy,
yet cheerfulness. good-nature and
joy are far more favorable to the
health of the body and mind. Ex /
cessive grief often arrests the action
of the stomach, and produces dis
ease. The cheerful and hopeful
are far more healthy than the mo-
rose, the sour, the fretful and the
scolding mortals, who never see the
sunlight of cheerfulness or sociabil-
ity, but who scowl and frown, 'look
daggers,' and feel two7edged swords
toward all who dare to come within
Of them.-Oliver Optics Maya
zine,