West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1884-05-28

derness and gratitude. 1t would be
useless for me to attempt to soothe
the ill-feeling of the writer, for this
unjustis alsoan unreasoning mood.
useless to explain or to attempt to
vindicate myself. Naturally. /
feel wounded and abused, and nv
heart is sore enough to indulge in
tears, and self examination, and all
possible morbid emotion. But I
cannot afford such waste of life. /
read the letter once, did not dwell
upon it or look at line the second
time; threw it on the Goals in a
! mc,nens, and forgave the writer in
another, :sud pitied her that she
had no better control of her tenn
per, and wished heartily that /
could help her; and l can do so
when the reaction comes, as it
is sure to do, when she will be
heartily ashamed of herself. Now,
having settled that in my own
mind, l am done with the whole
matter forever, / asked bat one
question: Had I done this friend
any wrong? and this answered, |
had absolutely nothing more to do
with the matter"
And it did not sadden your dav
nor weaken your love for your
friend?"
"Not bit. | am not saddened,
and my love would be only more
careful not to give the friend cause
for irritation. | might have less
pleasure because of less pleasure in
her society, but would forget that
loss too, in enjoying the sweetness
of some other soul"
Aunt Margaret paused mo-
ment,a as her niece seemed to be
thoughtfully studying the fire, she
added: "Then one little plan will
help you dear, and that is, never
go out to meet care. Wait till it
knocks at your door before you op-
en- it. When the scarlet fever broke
out in our street, my mothers
heart could have gone through all
the fatigue of nursing, all the an
gulsh of the death Of nv little
ones, if | would have allowed its
anxieties to control me. But I shut
my hearts door to all that dreadful
anticipation, resolved to bear sor-
row If 1t came, but not one pang
that was not meant for me, and the
disease did not touch my house. If
1T bad been coming would my I'M
fitting myself to bear it have pre-
vented? If again, some accident
beyond my control forces me to be
unpunctual at an appointment, l
do not allow myself to fdget, and
constantly consult my watch. 1t
will be hard enough to bear when
| arrive and find l have perhaps
disappointed others. Remember
this, dear child, it is safe to antic-
lpate joy If the reality fails, you
have already had a pleasure, and
be grateful for that. l don't be-
lieve in the theory of people who
say, %, | never dare expect any,
thing good lest | be Disappointed
What bad economy of joy that is
Better to cultivate the habit of
expecting things to turn out right
and forget the disappointment if it
comes. 1t is safe always to hope,
but both unsafe and unwise to an
tlcipate evil. To-morrow's torment
has no right to thrust it's shadow
upon the household of to-day, and
never will do it unless we open
the door. [ try to remember that
to-day meier dawns again. and to
realize that if | get no gladness in
1t for myself, and give none to 9th
ers, the sum Of joy that might
have BEEN on the earth is dimin-
ished, which surely is not pleasing
unto God. To live in today as
wisely and as heartily as we can is
not only the truest religion but
the wisest philosophy and the best
common sense. The truth is, dear
child, that when we refuse to take
any burden that does not belonq to
as, and then take those that are
our own to the burden bearer, life
does NOT lack tho hIocOod occ &c