American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18

JUST out OIkSuHlmer, when every DOuy
feels lazy, wesiare not impose on our read
ers philosophical analysis of this word
but will content ourselves with few sug
| gestiOns and illustrations. Cheerfulnes:
is like sunlight streaming in at the win.
dows-tOo much of it at midday burns
| and blisters, whilst the soft rays of the
morning purify the atmosphere and give
health and joy to the household. Cheer
fulness unrestrained ends in burlesQue
and the man who cannot control it, but
lets it squirt in all directions, becomes a
clown. The genuine article is clear and
sparkling, not effervescent and noisy.
cheerful man is not known by constant
effort to be funny and dazzling, but rather
by the tones of his voice, the spice of his
language and the courtesy of his de-
meanOr. An aroma Of sweet joy pervades
the whole man, so that in the household,
in the factory, in the counting-room he is
as leaven that leavens the whole lump.
Age and youth are alike drawn to him.
and, unconscious to himself, he lightens
many burdened mind and comforts
many distressed heart. Cheerfulness is
the climax of round of good qualities.
If you speak of a merchant you describe
his financial ability, his judgment of men,
his knowledge of goods, his great perse-
verance-but if you wish to finish his
character, you say, and then he is SO
cheerful So you speak of q farmer, a
builder, a manufacturer-windin up the
catalogue of his virtues by adding cheer
fulness. And 81 with the minister of the
Gospel, if, in addition to his ability as
preacher and his reputation for learning,
you can add that he is cheerful you have
gained your case against his competitor of
larger ability and greater eloquence, who,
unfortunately, has hard face and morose
disposition.
There is DIR. T., fine example of uni
form cheerfulness. We have known him
for twenty years, and met him on all oc-
casions; in seasons of sorrow AID disap-
pointment; when he was full and when
he was empty; when his family was sick,
and when they were separated by long dis
tances. Other men, under many of these
pending adversely, or manifest desolate-
ness under penury or sickness. Never
the doctor-you might meet him on the
street without penny in his pocket, or
preparing to take new appointment flor
he Is Methodist preacher) without cash
enough to pay his freight and passage, and
you would not discover break in his
countenance His serenity pervades all
events, like an unruffied stream, where
deep and clear watefs move along grassy
banks without a murmur. We love to
meet him in the street, for he drops a
CHEEKY word we are fond of his calls in
the Office, for he always puts us in
good humor-besides his visits are short.
Now, as he reads theological and not
agricultural papers, he will not see
this article, and, hence, when we
hold him up as a model of cheerfulness
he will not be tiattered by our illusions.
We have another visitor who has been
thrown out of a lucrative situation by the
death of the proprietor-a young man of
energy and promise. We have watched
his career closely. Disdaining idleness,
he has seized with resolution every open
ing for employment, not minding what,
so it were honest, until at last his energy
has won him position superior to the one
he lost. During his struggle his cheerful
ness never tagged. Whether we met him
on the cars, or in the street, or elsewhere-
his countenance indicated merry heart.
What happy world this would be if
everybody were cheerful! And wouldn't
everybody be cheerful but for three things?
First, the pangs of guilty conscience for
words and deeds in the past; and sec
ond, evil devices concerning the future;
and third, constant apprehension of evil
arising from distrust of Gods providence.
Now, reader, put it down for u truth
that conscious guilt and cheerfulness can
not abide in the same breast. Neither is
there harmony between distressing spir-
it and cheerfulness The sense of the whole
matter is this: an evil man may be
clown, but genuine cheerfulness is the in
heritance Of the good.-American- Agrt-
49,.