The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-20
REDUCE YOUR DENOMINATION.
There Arc Two Ways OF Equaltzing Your
Athainunants and nasirAa

| There Arc Two Ways OF Equalfzing Your
Attachments and Desires.
To most earnest people Life is hard and
| fast, and growing continually harder and
! faster, and to many IL is becoming more
and more q burning question how they
| shall meet like men aud women the de-
mands Of each day without falling under
the condemnation OF that law. Ie would
be comparatively easy for the society fol-
lowers, if they had any desire so TO do. 10
settle their problem by following Carlyle'a
plan and reducing their denominstors. He
makes it very clear 20 all those who have
passed beyond the stage OF childhood, and
consequently do comprehend the nature Of
fraction-an impossible thing for q child
| TO do, because IL lies in the region OF rela-
tivity-that our wishes and desires stand
TO our abilities, either pccuniary or men,
tai, in the same relation as the denomi-
| nator of fraction to its numerstor, and
that the value of the fraction of each ons
OF us expresses in terms easily written
down the total amount Of our solid happi-
ness or contentment.
In this view it follows thai there are al.
ways two possible ways of increasing the
amount Of the latter-and this il no doubt
the main object toward which are directed
most of the efforts of most men-namely,
TO increase eur numerator by Increasing
our possessions, or to diminish our demon.
inator by decreasing the total amount Of
our desires. The first Of these ways is tho
only one generally perceived by the major.
ity of people, and the one 20 which they
bead all their efforts, but it is often the
impossible way, while the other path lies
always open 10 most people, with absolute
ly sure result.
Since that result-that alteration in the
value of the fraction-is what we are many
of US after, it may be surprising that the
always available and sure method is not
more generally selected. But, as has been
said, to many of US there is no liberty Of
choice left open. Forced by tho demand Of
the working world to which we belong, we
have already reduced cur denominator 10 a
surprisingly low figure. We find posi-
tive pleasure as we walk in the city. in
seeing shops loaded with innumerabe
things that we do not want, and would not
have even IL we could.
Even in the matter Of books the number
which we care to own grows smaller day
by day instead of larger. We have learned
the great lesson that it is easier to climb at
once 10 the high bills, and drink from the
springs which run there, than TO accept
the diluted stuff which Is delivered 20 us in
conduits often not Of the cieanest. This
lesson, once acquired. frees one from many
perplexities, and confers not inconsidora-
bic amount Of liberty, besides giving Us a
feeling Of bUOyapt health which the dwell
ers in the lowlands. who depend upon
aqueducts and are subject 20 Gil the incon-
veniences resulting from negligent or in
competent contractors and engineers, never
can know.
With regard 20 society, too. the number
of houses into which we do rot desire TO
enter is infinitely larger than that OF those
to which we aspire. And 10 confers almost
a feeling Of royalty 20 see SO many people
around US who do not hesitate at any sac
riice or any effort TO obtain an introduc.
tion into certain circles Of society % which
no entreaties of our best meaning friends
would be able 70 drag US for a single even
ing.-Anns G. Bracket in Hsrper'A