Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-09-01
DOES III PAY

| keep up With times, a. the saying
goes, and do u In details
True, We may consistently answer In
the affirmative az regards modern inyrn-
tions aud things that actually help man
to live. would b. progressive In this
rr.p~Ct. don't believe In mere living
At \ s'dyiug raie;" want to sec men on
their feet and living ss though they
might keep on doing so for some time to
come. Hut what ~ the frlyoltics ~ the
times, the thing. that while they mln'
lister to somc ones wdAis, Yet do not
minister a. any ones ssoisf In brief,
doe. u pay Ia make life buricnsomc In
/ keeping up with the tlmcst
oh, these little details of life, the
capriccs of fashion, custom and the like :
They ar- what give. civilization IL. ruin
and the absence ~ which give. the sav.
age a score % comfort over the man %
civilization. Not counting the condition
of the savage dc.lrsblllty and bcgln-
ming with being just fairly civilized,
Ne shall hnd In looking over the grades
10 civilized soci.iy, that those of the
simplest aud most modest habits, actual
ly take the most solid comfort, which
comfort :. conducive ,o health.
should you hnd man, Who, a. b..
.ays, really takes comfort IN follosing
up the trivial. petty detail. II life, you
~ill - AFT Ia hni on. who !. shallow Va
| Inislls,.t, aud whose comfort u not solid
IN the sense that mean. II !. . sort ~
feshly comfort, based mainly on pride
and over scrupulousnrss. such a man
I. not far removed frpm the savage after
all: although not much like him hs l.
vet ciyilisci % only Ia customs aud IN"
ffiyolties of life, ~ shown In such q
strict sdheancc Ia the follles ~ fashion
aud ia. petty details ~ life. Some one
has aid that "a person might a. we'll be
oui ~ the world a. out 81 fashion" !
don't remember Who Invented such q
pruycrb, but I think u va. some one q
long WAYS this sldc of oil solomon.
WhocVcr b. was, ! don't envy him the
credit that honestly accrue. from having
made such q statement, especially when
viewed In the light % modern time. With
It. diversified fashions. 10 master
these details Ia of it..lf science, and
the man Who undertakes u with a view
to IL. everyday application Ia his own
personal bearing and behavior will have
a task iIcrculean before him and do lit
tie cl.s than perform u. IL will BE- hi.
life Sork necessarily. such people, 81
cour.s, arr AZ sfarc- a. they ar. foolish,
In that q man must have money to do
thus, and = majority II men are poor.
Hut then there l. always n larger class
who think II necessary Ia follow up the
fashion. aud folies ds mscA 90 iAsir
lasdAs vhi aloe, anil Who, some IL them
at least, keep thcmselyc. poor trying to
s'hght u out on this line" when ] look
around me aud observe the large pro-
portion ~ the world that trle. Ia max.
practical the little capriccs ~ fashion
aud custom. I cannot bat feel that
large portion ~ the great world has h,d
all the philosophy knocked out Of u. II
sesIn. "a me that We ne~i more philo-o-
ply to-day-tfuc philosophy such as
adorned the Grccisn days ~ old.
We nc,sl more men who do not take so
much for granted. who will Investigate
for thcmselye. With a sincere ie.lrc to
fnd cut the merits II things, new thing.
especially, aud having found, make
practical application of merit only.
The power or faculty of analysis IL what
We want to cultivate more largely.
Analytical minds, ar. naturally phil
o.ophlcsl. and With plenty of philosophy
things stand or fall on their merits In
stead % their fal.lties, the true philo.o-
pher adhering Ia thi. principle a. he
would Ia the law of gravity. a. view
Il, there u something en,isble In life
of simplicity aud modcsty, la the ease of
mind and Freedom from care u brings.
Aud need .ay that such cas-. aud such
freedom I. conducive Ia health aud con-
ssluent long lifcf TIL. Idea comes
spontaneously aud goes without saying
and needs no emphasis at my hands.
Look nj tlq natives of the "sunny
South" Life Ia them IL but a song to
all Appearances, aud full of sunshine.
Nature give. them much IL sunlight,
aud it, counterpart u In their hearts.
Their wants arr few, their living not
luxurious, and they have q large scope
for quiet, placid life. They are dis
tinctlVe "a a people In this AZ well a. In
other things. They are In Que sense
"hehind the times" and We would have
no one emulate their shlftlessne-s, but
life I. not half .o liable to become a
burden as II would bc were they fretilng
aud laboring to enter Into the fashions,
follle. aud fri,hlties of life. IL l. the
little affairs that worry. IL does not
max. life bur,iensome to Use a moving
machine, a horse rake or sewing ma
chine. TO be thus cup with the time."
l. q help "a IL conduees to ease and the
allayment Of worry aud fret. Hut the
ARTIFICIAL demands of society put people
Ia a stew aud interfere even with the
proper performance of business. To u
iustraie a little, ! wish to quote from a
| fashion writer who says, "Dld YOU know
there l. a new style Of feminine gaity''
Now how absurd on the very face Of "
To suggest attention to such q thing
as though nature had not endowed every
one with gait peculiar, and a. though
II wcr. not best to let nature direct In
such matters, or better still be AZ un-
conscious Of such thing. as possible, so
long a. they do not border on rudeness' J
This writer continues, ~ society wo-
man must bc rosy and healthy, or pre-
tend that she is" The advice Ia be rosy
and healthy Il very good, but the last
clause, ''pretend that she is," savors oi
that DECEPTION with which fashion nova
days IL crammed, aud wlthal fear that
roslne.s, however desirable, can never
be obtained by following the advice OF
this fashion fanatic. On the other hand,
Il I. easy To see that the "pale, thin,
pickle-esting damsel' this writer 90
much deplores the existence OF, may bs
the product Of her own advice.
Hut must close. Does II pay, ] ash
again In reference Ia these things
Only la worriments and ioss of time.
Hut can tell you what does pay In
these things a. In all things. III u to
lind the '.happy Medium" taking natur..
for a guide ne much as possible. And
itis happy thought that suggests such
a medium.
Nature L. always simple and modest
In performing her duties. II nj time.
and In some things she IL ornamental
and snowy, she Il at the same time mol
e.t, aud We find on investigation that ]
IL display wih a pspcse-a means ol
usefulness.
| simple melodies are sweetest,
| Mcie-t ssuAiss give dc<p>~t thrill;
And the biri Of plAieest plnmagc
Omen has In song moss SAIL
And the rtver's rs<kiess roaring.
Madly rushing ~ tbs sea.
tlas fof - ma half the ruaaBcs
Il tf - l1ru<k.s kOy murUurnR 10.