Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-01-31
Private Woes.

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emotions are at all excited, feel that
everybody else is excited with us, and
that our hapS and mishaps have the in
terest Of romances.
If we were able to lose the thread
of our own discourse for one moment,
we might find that this is a great mis-
take, and that most OF the rest of the
race are busy with the thread of their
own discourses and that although
they turn to listen to our plant, and
even to give us share of sympathy
and pity, it is quite as a matter aside,
an affair as much of selt.respect as of
respect Tor us, and they are presently
hurrying on with their own affairs
again almost as indifferently as nature
herself seems to hurry.
But even allowing that the sympa-
thy is very great, given for a long
time, without stint and actively felt,
there comes an end to all things, and
perpetual draughts must only reach
the lees Of that. If one is gJing to
demand sympathy forever, one should
be very careful as to the manner in
which it is demanded, as it is no i'm
possible thing to wear out the pa
tience even of those that love us most.
Real troubles can never fail to re-
celve lho tribute of warm and endur.
ing compassion but real troubles do
not last forever, nor are they the ones
concerning which the most rout is
made, for deep sorrow is apt to seek
to wrap Itself in silence, and OF the
literally cureless diseases Of the body,
these the sufferer ccncoals to the last
possible moment, and those, Ivy the
very fever they excite in the blood,
kindle cheerfulness. We are so con
stituted, both physically and spiritual
ly, that under too heavy a burden for
US to bear we sink and fail and real
trouble of any amount wears us out,
be it of body or of soul, before any
great lapse at time, and puts an end
to any need of sympathy--wears us
out before we have chance to wear
patience out, 1t is, except for very
rare and phenomenal cases. the unreal
troubles, the actually slight ones, those
to be in some measure avoided, miti-
gated, or overlooked, that are spread
before other people with loudest itera-
ton and demand for sympathy.
This is especially to be noticed in
cases Of partial illness, where much
discomfort is experienced, some pain,
great WEAKNESS, perhaps, yet not posi-
tive danger; but you will observe that
where there is an invalid suffering
such illness, no guest enters the door
who is not Hospitality eutreated with
a detailed account of that invalid's
least symptoms-and unless the guest
be nurse or physician, to what result ?
1t is even then ten to one if the COM
palmer be we'll listened to, the first
words having recalled some similar
instance in the guests experience, i'm
patience to recount which, according
to the very same tendency, dulls the
ear to all the rest of the sickly recital.
1t is, perhaps, exceedingly sad and
dreary to be obliged to suffer as this
invalid still lives on, growing no
worse, we sometimes feel obliged to
husband our resources, and 10 question
if good taste would not try to wear
the bright face Instead Of saddening
t,.> world with the darkest side. In
reality, we are most Of us inclined to
sympathize generously with sorrow,
with injustice, with pain; but the in
stinct OF selfpreservation prevents our
being able, if were are willing, to en-
dure too prolonged strain, and it
may be pronounced as an axiom that
the individual receives the best and |
surest sympathy who makes the least
oulcry and bears the sad lot with for.
titude.
There are, indeed, many sorrows
and troubles of which the old proverb,
"Least said, soonest mended," holds
true. There are some things best hid
den in secret receptacles, with the lid
shut down, rather than aired in the
sight of all. Whoever wears a happy
face does a service to humanity for
it is infinitely better that the world
should feel full of sunshine than of
gloom that the general heart should
be lifted in gratitude rather than abas,
ed with ranking injury; and happi-