The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-02-14
To the Melancholy.


day by day. and not by years. AUNT LUCY.
To the Melancholy.
think we are too much inclined to look OF
the sorrowful side of everything. Instead Of
making the best of everything, we make it SAD
as possible. We even sit and brood over Inn
aginary grief We think low we should feel u
this one should die, or we should lose an eye
or a limb; and, IL we have real grief, We
nurse and fondle 1t till it be larger grown thar
ourselves, and, fastening upon us, take the
best and sweetest of life away.
Chaplain McCabe gives lecture called The
Bright Side of Life In Libby Prison Al
once comes the thought could there have
been one bright thing, or happy moment inside
those walsy / very much wondered what he
could say; but he had plenty 70 say; and there
were many laughable Incidents amusing not
only to us at this distance, but to the suffering
men incarcerated there. They made fun for
themselves over things they had never thought
of before. They had very meager stock OF
material to gather cheerfulDess from, but they
worked IL up TO the best advantage. 1t ~ ma
ture, and our duty TO be CHEEKY. think many
grumbler snarls himself into tho grave a
long time before death would ever have looked
for him had he not gone long way TO meet
him.
When yen are happy and joyous have you
ever noticed how strong yonr pulse beats, how
fuoyant and light you feels Let the sun be
shining and your spirits away up, and nothing
daunts you Work seems easy, and all goes
we'll. Let grief settle upon you and everything
drags. You are weak and displrited-almost
sick, strength fled You know not where A
gentleman once remarked TO me that most OF
the trouble he had was what he borrowed
sometimes he found himself in deep grief, over
the imaginary death of his wife, she, dear wom-
an, being all the while in the best of health.
Again he imagined himself cripple. orpenniless
and struggling for support, only 10 succumb and
leave his wife and children in poverty. Were
it not that think such person has diseased
mind would call him ridiculous.
Cry when you cannot help It; gr1eve VIXEN
you must: but when you can extract any honey
from life do so, and You will live just as long,
have fewer wrinkles and gray hairs and shorter
faces; and l am sure your friends will enjoy
your so iety quite as much. / want to tell q
ridiculous little story, but a fayorite of mine.
Once some one found an old maid in great grief
and shedding bitter tears. Why, what can
the matter be! asked her friend Wait mo-
ment till tell you how to read this: Have the
fire almost out on cold night, then fold
your arms and rock yourself sadly back and
forth To proceed, sWhat can the natter beg"
"Oh, was just tn hiking If / should ever get
married and have baby, and should go out
and leave that baby alone, and it should get
burned to death ia the fire, how awfully /
should feel" SRoC.
Off with the Cld-On with the New.
The old year is dead and gone from our sight
forever. As the physician counts the pulse of u
dying man, we counted the steady tick, tick, of
the old time piece, until the death krell was
sounded, and we said farewell, earnestly and
solemnly, TO one who had been tried aud true
friend, and welcomed the new year a. new
friend, not knowing whe her il will prove faith
full to the trust reposed in it, and make real the
dreams of happiness, which we have hoped it
would bring 10 us or like false friend make
promises only 10 deceive; but, like its predeoes-
sor, it cannot prove true to all al sunshine and
storm follow each other i'll tho changes OF life
Some who have looked forward TO naught but
happiness during the new year may bow the
head in deepest sorrow ere il has passed away,
and to others who have thought of rothing but
care and trouble 1t may bring good that they
dream not of Why may we not look forward
hopefullyy If sunshine and storm come, il
makes it no worse to think that We enjoyed the
sunshine while it lasted; and if the storm and
darkness gather around us, We may know that
some day the sun will shine and we may be
able to catch one ray, even though the
clouds be dark In thinking of the new year
we cannot forget the old 1t il gone
but its influence still lives, for in It words have
been said and deeds done that cannot be blot
ted from our memory. We may have done
and said many things which we now regret, and
formed many good resolutions which were not
kept, but il is useless to grievo over them, as
we cannot recall word or take back an action.
If we have failed in the past let us now start
anew with the new year aud make another eff
fort-a humble one, in memory of past fail
ures-even if we knew that all would end in the
same abyss that has ingulfed so many of our
good resolutions Will it not be worth the
trialy Then, with hearts made strong with
faith, let us hope for the beat. -profting by the
past, and 80 live that when the year which now
is new is growing old we may look back and
know that, even if We have had care and trouble,
we have done the best we could, and have no
vain regrets for duties unperformed
KATHIEE