The Republican journal., 1882-06-22
Lucky People.

BY SARAH oRSE JEWETT, SOUTH BERWICK, Me
The older one grows the more one
sees the folly of attrbutlng peoples good
fortune to that vague and indeScribable
imaginary power in the world which we
are pleased to call good luck. There
are dozens Of proverbs akin to that
about being born with a silver spoon in
ones mouth; we often hear that it is
letter to be born lucky than rich. The
word seems to have many different
meanings, but after watching people
who are supposed to be the favorites Of
fortune, one comes to the conclusion that
there is nothing we have to work 50 hard
for as this very good luck.
To every man his own life seems the
best, else he would be ready to change
places with others, which no man ever
has been. God gives to each of US
blessings that are entirely our own. Still
we can each call to mind many a friend
who has been in many ways more fOrtu-
nate than ourselves, and whose lot in
life is more enyiable. But some time OF
other the man has had to do with the
cause, which brings about the effect; it
may have been that he was polite and
kind and some one waited to do him a
favor in return; that he was wise and
generous and provident; it may be that
he was always careful intelligent stud
ent Of books and Of his business, and
fitted himself for the place that was
given him later; it must be always that
he did not yield to the temptation to be
lazy. which would have hndered his
mi bn -lo 4 II,
which would make him richer for all
time. The real good fortunes Of life are
more apt TO be deserved than we imagine
the real successes have been the re
ward Of character and an inevitable
harvest from the seed that was some day
soWn. People are not willing to work
for what they want that is the trouble
They feel dt1raudcd if the best gifts Of
this world are not theirs, and do not fall
into their lives out of clear sky, when
they never have taken the trouble to win
or earn them. They do not see why
many friends and much money have not
fallen to their lot when they really never
have worked for them. They seem to
think that they should have certain
credit. and a right to riches OF any kind,
because they have wished for them; and
II another man stands in the place they
would like to occupy, they think it in
justice and oversight, and find it hard
to reconcile themselves.
People fail Of success in life, says Dr.
johnson, because of the weakness Of the
means they use to gain it-and there
never were truer words spoken. If YOU
hear a man beWail his lack Of time for
reading and parade his fondness for it,
you may be pretty sure it is affected for
some OF the greatest scholars in the world
have fairly stolen the minutes for their
study, and people are sure to find time
tor the til ngs they really like best. With
all of us the will is ottener found wanting
than the way. If a young person tells
me that he has great ambition to follow
some path in life which will lead him
high in the world the first thing should
ask him would be whether he was really
willing to work, and try to make him
understand what | meant by that. We
are tired OF hearing it said that genius
Is only great patience we all try to find
the royal road to learning, and when we
make sure that no guide post points that
way most OF us turn back, not being
willing to go with painful steps over the
rough mountain path which is the only
kings highway to wisdom. We forget
what Outlooks there will be, or what
treasures lie hidden in the rocks. If it
had been a smooth, straight turnpike,
and short one at that, we would have
followed it. More of us would be rich
and great if it We're easier work to be-
come so.
We look at the results Of our neigh
boris toll and envy him his good luck,
often without a thought of the long,
hard years which had to be lived through
before he came to the place where he
could do a good thing easily, and get
great pay for it. We notice these effects:
We do not think of the causes we talk
about them as if all the work that be-
longs to them had been done in the day
they were finished.
Some people have quicker wits than
others, and seize and hold the oppOr-
tnnities of life with sure and steady
hands, while others, more from Incidence
than lack of capacity, let the chances
for betterin2 themselves go by untouched.
| believe that God gives us more power
than we ever use, and puts tools enough
in our way to every man He gives the
chance Of growth and improvements but
we willtuly stand idle, and fret because
our lives do not suit us. There is a
great difference in the constitution of
our characters mems are weak,
and others are strong. But it is no use
to call one event of life good luck and
another bad luck. God sends us the
events Of every day, and it is we our
selves who make them bad or good, ac-
cording to the way we take them.
\ sum Of money may be shared by
two people, and one may be ruined by it
and the other lifted and helped in every
way 10y its honorable use-one might
multiply illustrations of this kind for
ever. A sorrow is sent to household,
and one man is made hard and bitter
and unklnd, While another's face shines
like an angels already with the light of
Heaven that has broken through the
same sorrows cloud. TO each of us
in his lot and place in life God gives all
Of Himself that we will take; and to
each of lis He gives this worlds good
fortune for which all work and toil-if
we work and toll intelligenty and reason
ably. There are fewer gifts and graces
of existence impossible to us than we
think. And if we are called away from
this world to the next, while our plans and
purposes are yet unfulfled, | am ready