The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1878-07-25
Look ON tIse Bright side.


Is there one of us who does not some-
times need this bit of adyice2 Things
are contrary. The people around us are
not entirely congenial. Oar worldly
affairs are not adjusted to our satistac-
ton. The children are fretful. Our
fayorite book has been borrowed, and the
borrower IL VIGOROUSLY careless person,
so that we know that it will come home
despoiled of its freshness. The plan of
life ON which we have built seems very
much like failure. We are in some
anxiety about some loved one, whose
chamber OF sickness may perhaps become
| the chamber of death. Some other loved
one misunderstands us, or opposes us
with caprice and temper when we are in
almost childish want of sympathy and
support. Perhaps our hardly-earned
money, the aceumuiati0ns OF faithful toll
and frugal savings for years are gone, like
puff of smoke, or breath. Look ON
the bright side! How can we? We are
ready to say that the heaven is hung
with gloom, the earth obseured, the
onward path hidden from our view. We
are in the condition of travellers in a
mountain land, On whom, midway in
their journey, has descended a cold
binding and impenetrable veil of fog. A
step either way may be perilous, for it
may be over precipiee. 1t becomes to
our thought almost an impeitinence.
this sweet voice which bids las be OF
good courage, and count up the mercies,
instead of mourning ever the disasters.
Yet, there il, if we but care to look
for it, always bright, serene aspect
somewhere, always an element OF cheer.
and always the hope of better days to
come. 1t il very seldom, indeed, that
things are so utterly forlorn that they
may not be worse. In our reasonable
moods we recognize this, and however
great our trouble, We can acknowledge
that it might be greater. This is true,
particularly with regard to calamities
and affections, such as visit Us and con
stitute events in life. These, it is true te
say, are frequently encountered and
borne with rare heroism by those Whose
fortitude fails them when small worries
and cares annoy and distress 1t is amid
the trifing, ffetful pin>pricks of yexa
| ton and daily embarrassment that
we are mortified by finding that
the souls armor is not of proof
Then we are resolved to see
no bright side, and we are angry at thoss
who try to present it to our view.
Quite apart from material burdens AND
sorrows, there is another region of life il
which at times there seems to be nc
brightness possible. Sin the mid-silenes
of the yeiceless night" have you eyel
lain awake, questioning your own soul
while the tick of the clock and the echo
ing football of some belated passer on ths
street alone broke the stiilness9 All
the mystery, the vague, the terror
which have blackened on you. and shut
you in, as the tide imprisons loiterer In
some cave on the ocean shorel How
the thought of swift coming eternity
las made you feel your own nothingpass
your helplessness, and with what avs
you have contemplated the hour wher
| but few failing pulse beats should b.
between you and the vast unknown
Speculation, separated from faith, set
you adrifi, mere chip upon a torrent
and you have taken up the cry .
| enc Of old, aLoFd, what is man
| that Thou art mindful of him
or the son Of man, that Thou Wis