The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1889-04-19
Select Mliseellamp.
THE JOY OF PURSUIT.

1t is natural for man to be ALWAYS
looking forward to something beyond
the present. hoping for something he
does not possess. expecting something
thing that has not vet appeared,
pursuing something that Is not vet at
taincd. Naturally, too, happiness
seems 10 him To be centred in this fu-
ture attainment or possession. He is
always going to be happy bye-and- bye,
when this or that hope is realized.-
Meantime he is content to labor and
strive for it, and endure as patiently as
may be the present hard work or self
denial IN the anticipation of what is to
come. Pope says truly:
HOPE springs eternal in the hu man breast
Man never rs, but always ~ be bic T."
Yet, whatever pleasure may reasona-
bly, be attached to success, there is q
still greater and far more lasting one
connected with pursuit. Every one
with normal abilities is striving for
something, and it is IN this very striy-
ing that he gains the most real happi-
ness. This is seldom realized. The
sportsman will probably admit it
Whatever be the pleasure with which
he bags his game, he knows it is not
for its own value chiefly, but for the
excitement of the chase, that he has
followed and taken it The same NAV
be SAID OF all amuSements, without fear
of dissent. The success lies not mere
~ III any point TO be attained ut the
last, bat III the interest and enjoymen,
OF the whole, as it goes on. The
means and end are the same But when
/ 1t comes to the serious business of life
most persons would scorn the idea that
1t is in the pursuit more than in the
/ objects pursued that his welfare is ts
be found. 1t is the wealth, the honor
able name, the official station, the pub
lie tribute of applause, the"well done,
either from the lips of others or in Sc
cret consciousness, which seems Il
most people TO contain the essence q
happiness. 1t is when the physician
has cured his patient. when the archi
tcct has finished his structure, and tn,
artist has put the last touches to hi
beloved picture, that each conceivet
his pleasure must begin. And thos,
who toll chiefly or only for the liveli
hood it affords them. or for the com
fort of their families, or for the pleas
ures of accumulation, would, perhaps
most all of resent the idea that thei
happiness lay more in the pursuit THAI
IN the attainment of these things On
" when they receive their daily o
weekly wages, their mcuthly or quar-
terly salary, when they spend what the
have earned, or put it into some saf
investment or promising speculation d.
they imagine themselves really happy
and were these motives withdraw
many would lay down their instru
mcnts of toll forever.
Now all things do bring much con
centrated pleasure, more or less intens
according to the strength of the desir
thus gratilied. Yet the activity, tn
energy, the striving, the very toll it
self which has led to these results, ar
more essential to the true and perma
nent happiness of the toiler than tn
prizes which he so eagerly srasps. n,
other proof Of this would be needle,
than the experiment were it possible
of gathering these prizes without tn,
preceding effort. Speedily would the,
lose all their prcciousness, partly be
cause they had lost nething, and part
" because the unused faculties had in
fused their dullncss into the whole na
ture. If diamonds We're always unde
our feet We should soon cease kicking
them up. and il the prizes of life wer
IL be- mad for the asking, the tim
would soon come when they would b