The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-29

Philadelphia Saturday Post. !

Pleasant, cheerful people make a dull
day cheerful; they have somewhat of the
same effect in a room as an open fire or a
bouquet of flowers; they make us feel
for the nonce as if everybody was pleas.
ant because they are.
We cannot always explain exactly
why they are 80 pleasant. They may
not be beautiful-they are often plain
they are not always robust people-they
are sometimes invalids; they are not al.
ways the wittiest; but they possess a
magic superior to anl these which dwarfs
the wit and cleverness Of others, and
makes these of small vulue beside their
own attractiveness.
As general thing, it will be found
that those who have the largest faculty
for enjoyment have the largest develop
ment of hope or cheerfulness, and vice
versa. We project our present feelings
into the future, and make them its in
tsrpreter. The constitutionally happy
man may have many griefs, and suffer
under them acutely, but he is elastic,
and his spirits at length rebound to
their natural condition. Thus he habit
ually dresses the future in bright colors.
He hopes for the fulflIment of his de-
sires, whatever they may be, with q hope.
If he is enterprising. he hopes for sue
cess; if ambitious, for honor; if affection
ate, for love; if benevolent, for the good
of the community.
These hopes are so strong that they
come to be expectations, if not convic.
tons; and, as he looks forward, he sees
the continued image Of his own happy
thoughts as we see N cOuntenance in a
succession of reflections from opposite
mirrors. 1t is largely because he enjoys
that he hopes, and his hopes in their
turn afford him new enjoyment.
People who are fond of complaining of
the injustice of circumstances, declaring
that the good are often unsuccessful and
the evil are often prosperous, would do
we'll to analyze carefully their estimate of
success and prosperity. If they include
in it riches, fame and position, and ex.
clude from it cheerfulness, hope, peace
of mind, a contented spirit, a good con-
science, a NOBLE character, and the lux.
ury of doing good, they are right, ac-
cOrding to their standard. But, If these
latter possessions are preferable, then
are the good prosperous, indeed, with a
prosperity that no misfortune can touch,
and no loss can remove, and the evil are
truly unsuccessful, though they may
have wealth. station, power and ease.
There is a certain feeling of calm
power that always attends the fact of
possession. When we are struggling and
hoping cheerfully for what we desire, we
are eager, excited, and in a measure un-
strung; but, when we finally obtain it,
We become, 80 far as that one thing goes,
restful and assured. OF all possessions
that can possibly be secured, there is
none which gives this quiet and digni6ed
sense of power 80 thoroughly AS a proper
sense of hope and justice. To feel sure
that We possess any single power or
faculty, that we have it under our con-
troll, and can use it at our pleasure, is a
source of great happiness and peace of
mind; and those who are fortunate
enough to have this sense extended over
many of their faculties, are to be warmly
congratulated.
The Oregonian Editor has His Views.
Some folks can't find enough in this
world to do and bother their brains about
without neglecting business here, TO con-
jure up, defend and quarrel about what
is going to happen hereafter.
Some of these w~earisome, worrisome
fellows go up and down in the earth con-
t~inually preaching the speedy end of all
mundane things, as if that, if true,
ought to make any difference in the con-
duct of mel.
Another class of troublesome creatures
have seen n little juggling some time or
other, and can't let anybody rest until
they are convinced that spirits from the
other shore come eavesdropping around,
and talking more nonsense and wone
grammar than can Be learned In . "Nor-
NAL Iustityte."