The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1888-10-31
We Find What We Seek.

Find what you seek! 1t you seek
flaws in the character of your neigh
Dor, don't you find them? Ii you
seek trouble don't you find it? Ii
you seek to get up fight, don'tyou
do itP
IF you'll pick the daises, I'll
weave the chains" was the merry
suggestion of fair and curly haired
little miss to a brown and ruddy-
checked boy. That was eighteen
years ago. The boy is man now
and the little black eyed miss has
passed over the river of death. 1t is
ever thus, we have often thought;
the man as well as the boy picks the
daisies; the woman as well as the
girl weaves the chains, and the
daisies are white and the links are
golden, no matter how old we grow.
We find only those things we are
looking for; we receive pleasure only
as our hearts and natures respond to
sights and sounds. The savage cap
see more to admirein the structure
of his bow and wigwam, than in the
most perfect modern engine of war,
or in the Cathedral of St. Paul. The
world contain both sorrow aid glad
ness, and he who looks only for trou-
bic, only trouble will he-fnd; he is
afraid toenjoy the blessings thateven
he cannot fail to see, for fearof some
calamity in the future. The scrip
tural injunction, take no thought
for the things of the morrow" and
sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof" have little meaning to him.
We, with all of our diversities, are
j ined in a common pursuit, we are
all seeking happiness; but what con-
stitutes happiness for one might be
far, far from it for another. When
Goldsmith wrote IMAM wants but
little here below, nor wants that
little long," he had little knowledge
of the present age. Had he said:
MANS always wanting here below,
and he wants all he can get" he
would have come infinitely nearer
the truth. But Pope sums up all
our happiness in few words when he
says:
That only virtue makes our bliss below
And all our knowledge is ourselves to
know"
A eontented, happy disposition is
then one Of the most desirable gifts
with which a man can be endowed:
a nature whose sunshine pervades all
with which it comes in contact, just
as che small pebble stirs the waters
of the lake. There from the centre
a circle spreads with first entrances
parents and friends, and gradually
broadening it finally takes in all
mankind, and such a nature is pluck
ing daisies all along the pathway of
life and weaving them into a chain
Of happiness. Such nature is a
never failing source Of happiness,
for
we receive bit what we give:
Ia our lives alone does nature live
IL We seek happiness we will most
assuredly find it: just rs the converse
is true.
Religion is highly profitable, even
for this life, as well a. the life to
come; securing to Us the best adj
vantages here, and what is infinitely
more important, the best advantages
Observation-Disclosures real. safety
ing. sure, and everlasting. ID hurts
not: it cannot hurt any Of our true
and proper interests upon earth. II
stimulates industry; it encourages
application; it enforees the practice
Of all the social and moral virtues:
il will enable US to enjoy theadvan-
tages Of life with the highest pleas
ure. for ''her ways are III" ways Of
pIeasantnes.,' as well az ways Of
honsT and pynft Saek IL We