The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-19
ST. PAUL MINNESOTA THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 49, 1874
CHEERFULNESS.

CHEERFULNESS.
The long winter is coming on apace.
The days shorten, the skies grow grey,
the moan of the wind forebodes ice and
snow and tempest. The world will soon
lie. under the bleak heavens, like a
shrouded corpse, cold and silent and
desolate.
Shall the heart Of man sink under
the universal gloom! No; there is
world beyond the reach Of winter; the
| world of the affections, the world OF
human sympathies, which gather and
cluster around the fireside. Here love
dwells; here the intelligent mind looks
abroad ovor the great surging, strug-
Cling multitudes of the world; reads
the GIBBS and flows Of public sentiment
ard watches the rise and fall Of gov
! ernmants.
''Tis pleasant, from the loop-holes Of retreat
! To peep at such world"
| We think one of the finest things in
our literature. and one of the most
truly American ever written, is Whit
tiers splendid description, in "Snow
Bound of the New England family OF
the olden time, in their Lighthouse, gath
cred around the rearing fire, while with
out the tempest roared over the great
fields of snow:
"Shut in from all the world without,
We sat the clean winged hearth about
Content to let the north-wind roar
In batied rage at pane and door,
While the red logs before US beat
The frost line back with tropic heat;
And ever, when louder blast
Shook beam and raiter as it passed,
The merrier up its roaring draft
The great th-oat of the chimney laughed,
The house dog on his paws outspread.
Laid to the FIRE his drowsy head,
The cats dark silhouette on the wall
A ctuchant tiger seemed to fall;
And,-for the winters hre-slde meet
Between the andiron's straddling feet,
The mug of older simmered slow,
The apples sputtered in row,
And. close at hand, the basket stood,
With nuts from brown October's wood
But to do justice to this fine poem We
would have to quote the whole book.
The great lesson we would preach to
our readers is, first intelligence to i'm
prove their condition, secondly cheer
fitness in that condition. By cheer
fitness we mean not stupor but phlloso'
ply; the spirit that makes the best Of
surrounding circumstances. and sees
the soul Of goodness even II things
evil"
And so, friends, We would say to you
90 into the coming winter With cheer
full spirits and clear heads. Remember
not the few who are richer, but the
mutitudes who are poorer count uI
: your possessions not your wants; YOU
blessings, not your misfortunes. Make
: your home bright with love and con
) tentment, and,-though it be Of the
hemblest,-t will shine with light
3 oftentimes denied to palaces.
Is Do not isolate yourselves from your
neighbors. Organize meetings for dis
. cussions, for supper parties. even thu
: dance; for the pure and innocen
9 movements of the dance are better thar
faces that glover and hearts eaten VI
Is With discotent.
! SO shall you triumph over the hos
IS tility of the season, and make storm
= cold and darkness beautiful.
e Rememer how Robbie Burns paint
8 the merry making Of the poor Scotch
/ psasantry. Their rude and homel,
! fare, their holden gray, their sever
= climate, could no, quench the light o
St intelligence and cheerfulness With,
;. them:
" WI merry gangs snd friendly oracks,
r VA, they didna weary.
l. An unco tales an funny Jokes,
Their sports were cheap and CHEEKY.
Il Till but.ered so'ons, vi fragrant tunt.
Set . their CABS steefln':
Syne, wi social glass o strunt,
They parted at careerin'
e Pu' blthe that NIGHT
= We cannot conclude this article bet
/ ter than by quoting the advice OF Jere
S, my Taylor:
se Enjoy the present, whasever it may Be
n and be not solicitous for the future; for !
you take your foot from the present stand
L ing, and thrust it forward TO tomorrow
ID event. you are in restless condition: !:
lie like refusing to quench your present shirs
by tearing you viii want to drink the mex
st day. II tomorrow you should want, You
s,rrou would cnrne time enough though
e. YOU do not hasten It: let your trouble tarr,
Is till its own day comes. Enjoy the blessing
= OF this day, If God sends then,s and III
evils OF it bear patiently xnd sweetiy, to
this is ours We are dead to Yesterday, an
Is no. vet born 10 tomorrow.