The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-07-07
IN THE SUNSHINE. ~
The Benefit and Duty Of Living In the
Light.

The long days through which we
now live, and that are to increase their
hours during another month, bring us
a large allowance of sunlight. If there
is dark continent across the seas,
there is here bright one. The morn
ings blaze with glory, the noontides
are flooded with light, and the even
ings, softer and were tender as becomes
them, are no less full of splendors. But
such brilliancy is not only to look at,
but to i've in. 1t is, indeed, almost
hard to keep out of it. but we can do
it if we try, and the darkness we
choose for ourselves will be greater be-
cause of the illumination that is all
around us. A tunnel is never so
gloomy as when bright sky is smiling
on both ends of it, and strangers COM
ing into our Swallowed city Pitts
burgh] always say il is at its worst
when the hills are sunniest and most
cheerful. We do need to temper the
light sometimes; its glare may be too
fierce for us. The shade of a tree is
often great relief, and the shadow
of great rock" may be properly
sought for its protection. but when we
flee to these and enjoy them we are
still in the light and are receiving its
blessing.
But the propensity to choose dark
ness rather than light is often strong
in us. And sometimes, even against
our choice, we find ourselves in very
gloomy situations. Nearly every one
las his fainting spells. The heart of
the strongest sometimes sinks; over
the lightest spirit the shadow gathers
now and then. There is cause, or
there is not-there may be no known
one-but the brooding comes, and, so
long as it remains, the light, with all
its suggestions of joy, seems more like
an irony than blessing. The wittiest
of the poets, the one Who has treated
the world to more genuine merriment
than any other, had his periods Of deep
depression, during which no one would
have suspected the gayety that usually
made him SO attractive. He was not
like Cowpef, whose alterations were
symptoms of disease, but the coming
and going in HIM of the light and
shade were but parts of his native
mental experience. A minister whose
ruling characteristic was cheerfulness
was, to those who knew him best,
often down in the depths, full OF
cloud and the shadows of the valley Of
death. The public thought he
was exceptionally lightheartcd. His
power over men was in his cheeriness.
He was an agreeable companion, and
the life of the social circle. He could
throw genial light over an assembly
that seemed determined to be morbid
His faculty in thus controlling his
weakness-for it was weakness
and hiding it was remarkable, and
probably, because it put him constant
ly upon his metal, was one of the
sources of his power.
"A gloomy kind of a day this is, y
some one says. What a drcary day.!
means another. All the while the
days may be bright enough; what i
WSutCu Is gay SpTi1 tua1 Can uPPio
ciate and use its brightness. Thi
spirit can not always be commanded al
it is wished, but persons may often ge
it if they only try. They do not try
. but rather court the darkness, pre-
ferring to live under walls, hooded ant
cowled, than to keep an open fac,
towards the friendly sun and the smil
of the world. They are more to b
, pitied, perhaps, than blamed, thougl
, since their moodiness is due to fault
, they might as well keep clear of, the
are not wronged when chided an
even rebukcd. The hand may be
friendly one that will roughly tear Of
I their monkish wraps and compel Their
I to live in the light they seek to hid
e from.
RI We are not at our best when morbid
1 " serious. We think we are, but W
. are not. Our mock-solemn airs whic
/ seem so impressive to us are onl
|. amusing to others. and to certain elias;
es, the youthful ones especially, the
are disagreeable and repelling. Man