The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-04
OLlO NO. II,
vicissitade and Leughter.
NY MRS. M. g. WHITAKER, AUEHoR OF AhEERH
HAsTtEus
yICISsITUnE,

yICIssITUnE,
Nothing serves better as an exponent OF
integrity than that constant variation an hui
man affalrs which to-day elevates and to-
morrow depresses the fortunes of men.
Swimming buoyantly on the billows OF q
sn,eoth stream, how easily are we borne on
ward. while laughing sunshine dances on
transparent waters, while the heavens are
bright above us and the breezes scarce ruiIle
seayes hung by fragile stem on the Thousand
trees which wave over mighty forests. But
let the storm god unfold his black wings, Let
a,ery-eyed lightning shoot across heavens
grand arch, let beilewing thunder rend the
poles, while bowling waves rise mountain
high, and where is the courage which enabled
man, floating In strange element, to battle
with Neptune In his own mighty domain
Az the swimmer amidst storms and pres
ent death, 80 is poor humanity amidst LIES
tempests. Firm must be the integrity, strong
the trust In Gods good providence which en-
ables virtue to outride the glbes and sneers,
the bitter snjustice and domineering taunts
which ''patent meritof the unworthy takes. -
'SIet me possess my soul IN seeurty'l" is the
good mans exclamation at such a point of
his varied experience.
The endurance Of heathen magnanimiby In
circumstances of adversity may we'll In many
instances compel our admiration and chal-
lanQe imitation, Were we disposed to draw
on historic facts for the establishment of such
an assertion, many pages would not eutliee
for examples pertinent TO the statement.
How then, shall Christians, who profess a
higher system Of tatth, excuse themselves
while meekly yielding TO circumstances, and
30 the domination OF those who take their
cue from Fortune, worship those ahe favors
and tread down those ON whom she frowns.
We have seen land go we think have our
readers) people who once basked In the golden
light OF prosperity high iD name and fame;
but cloud came over their lives, by war or
come adverse influence 1t matters not what.
They could no longer regard mammon as
god among their household deities. Then
came the reverse; coldness substituted
smiles; their seat was found vacant at the
feast; they we're coldly and calmly ignored
as though Vice hal sealed their brow, dis
honor stained their robes, ami social ostra.
cism had been deereed them by their own
desert. This Ia the mercy which man reaps
fr8m his fellow-man In adveIsity, God help
the unfortunate when misfortune may have
pvertaken them through no fault OF their own !
Then, like the lthaean king, a pagan, great
In diEnified example, let them with his In
domltable spirit excaim:
Firm TO the msHt with corda the helm bind
And ride aloft. TO Providence resignedl"
Poverty, In itself considered, Ia no disgrace
Naked we come into life: naked we depart
from it: and yet Its short space is often
wholly dedicated to that most miserable of all
deities, Gold. We have seen people waste
youths best energies, sacrifice health, princi-
pile, affection, to one object the attainment Of
wealth We have seen such go down to the
grave unhonored and unwept, when a fierce
sauahhle would instantly arise regarding
that little yellow heap. raked together with
pains incaleulable, for which the detunct man
had bartered not only his earthly happiness,
but had, 1t may be, sold his immortal soul,
Having sowed the wind, he indeed reaped the
whirlwind.
shame and dishonor cit.
BY his grave ever.
blessing shall hallow it
... Never, oh, neveri'
One general evil only he avoided evil OF
poverty. Nicssitude he set at naught. as far
as that calamity was rendered null by the
possession of wealth. But his elay-cold lips
are mute as to any revelation of self-sacritice
which his long life suffered to ensure this Oh
iect. Whatever that sacrifice may have been
none record, and the pulseless heart, which
writhed beneath its bitterness, has done with
earth.
truly great mind smiles at vioissitude,
remembering the brief date of mans soiourn
on earth and the transient nature of that con-
sequence which he derives from worldly pros
perity. Like some battered rock on a tenn
pestuous coast, he remains firm through
good and evil fortune. Untoward circum-
stances serve only TO discover HE true friends,
II he has any, and as for the common herd
who buzz about the favored sons of fortune,
he learns to esteem them at their real value.
The hollow word and heart are barred to his
ken, and he feels that In knowledge of man
kind, an open field lies before him, where fact
instead of speculation assigns every one his
proper place.
Nicissitude Is the common law of humani-
ty. Neither are any exempt from 1t, even
though poverty be not one of its ills. But
there is country where change comes not
To that immortal realm LET the eye of hui
manity ever be directed. There the fierce
alterations of heat and cold are unknown.
wind. nEfilpntial hrapynl
sweep over the golden gardens of paradise
Here we "toil and weep and wish little
while" There, earth's miserable adiudca-
tion of things ends forever. There is no
vicissttude in heaven.
LAUGHTER
Amongst pleasant things laughter is es-
feemed most agreeable and so 1t is, when
an outburst of joyous emotion. But there
are various kinds OF laughter, and these sew
orally we propose considering with the pre-
hminary remark that in cachination, as In
everything else, Cdrtety asserts its dominion.
First, then, there is the genuine laughter,
old or young, whose sparkling eye accom-
panies, with bright scintillations, the utter
ance of soft sounds. Expressive lips assume
q merry and changing significance while the
Ut lasts. There Is something indehnable In
TINS laughter, something. seen as we'll as
heard. lt Is contagious, too, and, by secret
sympathy, we respond to its enlivening intiu-
ence.
The assumed laugh cannot ape, with
any effect, this natural and exhilarating
demonstration of mirth. Many peo-
pile make themselves hideous when
putting on the semblance of an
honest laugh. Smiles are more readily
adopted. The hypocrite has time to COM
pose and settle his smile like a time piece
His facial muscles may be educated for the
purpose; but laughter is another matter, and
he who can deceive, through its instrumental
ity, Is an arch-hypocrite indeed.
something repulstve, while imagining him
self most efficiently venting his bitter mirth.
A vociferous and vulgar laugh cultivated
degenerates, be 1t ever so good. .natured, into
positive nuisance, and we have seen excel