Woodstown register. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 187?-1892, 1871-03-07
Laughing.

Laugh, boysI . hearty, joyous, ring.
ing laugh, that sends the blood gayly
coursing along the veins and arteries
giving life and vigor to every nook and
corner of the system. aLaugh and grow
fat" and plump, like the gay lambs that
frisk and gambol On the hillside in the
Joyous spring, or like the rollicking kit.
tens, 81 they roll andtumble on the mat
as if to show their proud mother, sitting
near, and watching their movements
how easily and naturally they learn
their first lessons in cat-gymnastics
Laugh; but you need lever indulge in
q coarse "horse-laugh,"-a simple roar
reminding one of the braying of q
donkey, or q steam-whistle Laugh like
= boy, q wide-awake, stirring boy, one
ready for business, labor, errands; ready
TO bring q pail of water for mother.
gather flowers for sister, or any honest
and useful labor, physical or mental.
Laugh, but not simply to make a noise,
or because it is expected that you will,
but because you cannot help it because
you are ouerJqooing with ~good-nature,
with not q cubic inch more of room to
contain your joyous feelings,-almost
ready to burst filled with kindly feel
ings towards brothers and sisters, par
ents and friends, schoolmates and play
mates, all with whom you come in daily
contact.
Yes, and let the girls laugh and ex-
pand the chest, initiate the lungs, rouse
the energies, enkindle kindly emotions,
encircling the whole countenance with
an ample wreath of smiles. Give me
the boy or girl hat smiles as soon as the
first rays of the joyous morning sun
chances in through the window, gay,
happy, and kind. Such a boy will be
fit to /" make up" into a man,-at least
when contrasted with a ~sullen, morose,
.'crabbed fellow, who snaps and snarls
like q surly cur, or growls and grunts
like an untamable hyena, from the mo-
ment that he opens his red and angry
eyes till he is " comforted " by his break
fast. Such a girl, other things being
favorable, will be good material to aid
in gladdening some comfortable home,
or to refine, civilize, tame, and humanize
a rude brother, making him more gentle,
afectionate, and lovable. It is a feast
to even look at such a joy-inspiring girl,
such . woman-bud, and see the smiles,
flowing, SO to speak, from her parted
lips, displaying a set of clean, we'll
brushed teeth, looking almost the per-
s~onifcation of beauty and goodness,
singing, and as merry as the birds, the
wide-awake birds, that commenced their
morning concert long before lazy boys
dreamed that the glorious sun was ap-
preaching, and about to pour q whole
food Of joy-inspiring light and warmth
upon the earth. Such a girl is like a
gentle shower to the parched earth, be-
slowing kind words, sweet smiles, and
acts of mercy all around her,-the Joy
and light Of the household.
It has been well said, that "there are
two muscles to raise the upper lip, as in
laughter, and only one to draw it down;
therefore:w we should laugh toiee to crying
once" There may be q time for weeping,
and even for mourning and melancholy
yet c~heerfulness, good-nature, and JOY
are far more favorable to the health Of
the body and mind. Excessive grief
often arrests the action of the stomach,
and produces disease. The cheerful and
hopeful are far more healthy than the
morose, the sour, the %fretful, and the
scolding mortals; who never see the
sunlight Of cheerfulness or soclability,
but who scowl and frown, "look dag
gers" and feel tw~o-edged swords towards
all who. dare to come within reach of
them.-O ioer Optics Magazine.