Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-10-07
Miscellany.
Home Interests.
CONTENT WITH LITTLE.

The other day We sat by beautiful
lake hidden away in the heart of snr-
rounding hills conversiDg with gentle
man familiar with foreign lands, and
especially with the picturesque scenery
of England and Scotland. This is as
beautiful as Windermere," be said,
land yet few tourists visit the borders
of this lake The English make the
most of their scenery. That cataract
of Lodore, near Keswick, for instance,
concerning which Southey wrote, Is no
larger than one of our mill streams,
and in dry weather there is no cataract
at all. One cannot have a Niagara
every day, and / think the English are
wise in appreciating to the utmost the
romantic scenery of their little island.
Is there not in this a lesson for us all !?
Few of us but have a bit of woods, a
green field, a patch of blue sky, a
running stream of water or a still lake
that We may not magnify and dwell
upon until communion with these
various forms of nature gives calmness
and repose and peace to our lives.
Oieanders and cape lessamines are gor-
geous and beautiful aud fragrant, but
SO are wild roses and apple blossoms
and blue violets. One sweet blooming
rose on the window seat may fill the
house and the heart with suggestions
of Eden, if that heart is in tune all
tropical luxuriance is thrown away on
him who has no eye to see, no heart to
feel its beauty. We grasp after so much
wealth, learning, fame, travel-thinh
ing by and by, when this point is
reached, that elevation is attained, the
lifelong aspiration is realized, we shall
be happy; but genuine happiness comes
soonest to thsse who sift from the pass
ing days every element of enjoyment
and are chronlcslly and resolutely
thankful for what they have. LET a
man count himself worthy of hanging, ."
says Carlyle, ''and everything except
the rope will be received with gratitude.
We connt ourselves as entitled to so
much prosperity or good fortune that
too often We overlook the diamonds and
sapphires that sparkle in the dust at
our feet. Every fair morning the sun
rises in glory and sets at eventide in
splendor. Do We enjoy it The apples
are swelling and reddening In the
orchard, the forest is crowned with
Summer foliage, the clouds assume
innumerable fantastic shapes, and all
Nature reioices in the vivIfying beams
of the sun or reposes at night beneath
the glowing stars-how nanv of us
oren our hearts to all these Influences
and let them work npon us their legiti-
mate results? 1t was this that made
Wordsworth a classic.
One sorrow dwelt upon may darken
all our lives: even so a single JOY may
be made to expand and grow and tx
crease till it shall brighten all the soul
and throw its radiance out on an ever
enlarg:ng circumference. This way of
taking life will not quench our aspira-
tions or retard our pursuits of knowl-
edge or make the shining temple of our
hopes in the far distant horizon lets
alluring; il will rather smooth our
pathway, make us unconscious of
thousand ills that would otherwise tor
ment US, and keep us from wasting in
worry and dissatisfaction the strength
we need to conquer fate.
If the time squandered in vain regret
and sorrow over the past, in unreasoning
apprehensions concerning the future and
IN the indulgence of dissatisfaction with
the present-if all the time thus worse
than wasted were diligently employed
In gathering, like the bee, honey from
every opening flower around us, thistles
and branlbles and even nightshade and
cypress would add TO our stores no less
than roses and carnations.
We often fancy that bfows radiant
With o,nupu Of aartllx l,aI.,r :
those VINO have naught TO do but enjoy.
How often when those crowns are closely
scanned are :hey found to be composed
of thorns. Indeed, the crowns of glory
u this world are crowns of thorns. The
struggle against poverty, obscurity,
adversely, accepted and rejoiced in. has
made many a man a hero. Content
with the Little for the time, making the
most of present opportunity, extracting
from every opposing circumstance the
nutriment of virtue and the vine of iov,
rejoicing even in tribulaiiop, he both
wins and conquers peace. Contentment
rarely comes of itself. A few happy
tempersments enjoy lie Ro matter from
what quarter the wind blows but the
majority of those who are uniformly
cheerful in disposition and happy in
their surroundings exercise persistently
the virtues of patience and hope, phi
losophiDe away the ills of life OF draw
from religion the peace that passeth
understanding. Not even godliness is
gain without contentment, counting
only this world. A merry heart doeth
good like medicine. There is nothing
better for a man than that he should
eat and drink, ard that he should make
his soul eujoy good in his labor. This
also l saw, that it was from the hand of
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