The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-23
PAYING OUR SHARE.

PAYING OUR SHARE.
How Boys and Girls May Contribute Either
to the Happiness or Burdens of Others.
Boys and girls do not have to be very
old before they learn the meaning of
the word contribute" and it seems to
be associated with the collection bas-
kets in church and Sunday-school, with
mission bands and charitable objects
exclusively. 1t is word with the
broadest meaning; it is a word that ex-
presses nearly every action of our lives.
We contribute every day to the hap
piness OF the home life, or we contrib
ute to tho friction, the annoyances We
contribute to the knowledge OF what Is
best that comes to us, or we contribute
to the sum total of disagreeable facts,
of persons or of things. We contribute
our share of strength in carrying the
burdens Of the home life, or our weak
ness, and then contribute to the burden
borne by mother. father, sister or
brother; some one is giving his strength
to bear our weakness. When we become
old enough to go into society, we still
contribute to the general good or pleas
ure OF the people we meet. Every one
wishes TO be popular in right way
that is, to be desired because they fulfill
a desire or meet want of the circle
they frequent. The contributions can
not all be alike, any more than
each can contribute the same sum to a
charitable object, some can give little,
some can give much, but no one is ex-
pected to give moro than he can. So
in society we can not all play like Josef
Hoffman,, and if we did society would
be very monotonous. We can not all
be Always or Lehmanns. we can not
all be wits, or elocutionists, or banjo
players, or whistlers-as has lately be-
come fashionable-but every one who
goes into society can contribute his or
her mite towards the general good.
We can cultivate the grace OF saying
pleasant things, reading, and thinking
about what we read enough to talk in
diligently. We c'n-at least those OF
us who live in cities-visit art galleries,
hear music and think about what we see
and hear enough to bear our share in
the general contribution. Is there any
thing more depressing than a boy or
girl sitting glued against the wall, wait
ing to be entertained? One scorns the
thought Of being a beggar for money.
but is not the guest who sits waiting
for the generous donation from anoth-
or mind social beggar? Have you
not met boys and girls who made you
think OF sponges? they took the best
you had to give them and gave you
nothing back. The place to begin to
pay our share to the social good OF the
world is the very first time we 60 out
in society; and we will do this if we
carry the same text with US into the
world of society that we do in the world
of charity-''it is more blessed to give
than to receive" Now, we do not give
to those who are already rich, but to
those who lack. When in any social
circle, if we forget ourselves enough
to see those who are timid, or awkward.
or shy, or so self-conscious that they
are too sensitive, and give them pleas
ure by contributing something from our
own better training or gift or tempera-
ment, we have paid our debt. And this
does not mean sitting and entertaining
them. but introducing them to others.
finding out what they have to give to
the fund OF pleasure or profit, and let
ting them feel that they are giving as
we'll as receiving; by so doing you have
made your contribution and succeeded
in getting another.
We can not all stand as shining stars,
but we can brighten the social world
by carrying into it our own lamps
trimmed and burning, and help to trim
another lamp filled with oil but not
burning. And if we wish to be the
wished-for guest, this is the grace we
must cultivate; and to bring it to per-
lection we must begin at our very first
party, and learn how to make people
happy by finding their best side
Christian Mirror