The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-18
REDUCE YOUR DENOMINAToR.
Two Ways of Equalizlng Attachments
and Desires.

Two Ways of EqualiZlng Attachments
and Desires.
To most earnest people life is hard and
FAST, and growing continually harder and
faster, and to many it is becoming more
and more a burning question how they shall
meet, like men and women, the demands of
each day without falling under the con-
%demnation of that law. IL would be COM
paratively easy for the society followers, if
they had any desire 80 to do, to settle their
problem by following Carlyle's plan, and
reducing their denominators, He makes
it very clear to all those who have
passed beyond the stage of childhood, and
consequently do comprehend the nature of
a fraction-an impossible thing for a child
to do, because it lies in the region of rela-
tivity-that our wishes and desires stand to
our abilities either %pecuniary or mental, in
the same relation as the denomination of a
fraction to its numerator, and that the
value of the fraction of each one of us ex-
presses in terms easily written down the
total amount of our solid happiness
or coutentment. In this view it
follows that there are always two possible
ways of increasingly amount of the latter
and this is no doubt the main object to-
ward which are directed most of the eff
forts of most men-nanely, to increase our
numerator by increasing our possessions,
or to diminish our denominator by dccreas-
ing the total amount of our desires. The
first Of these ways is the only one generally
perceived by the majority of people, and
the one to which they bend all their efforts,
but 1t il often the impossible way, while the
other path lies always open to most
people, with absolutely 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 tho al
ways available and slre 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 the demand
of tho working world to which we belong,
We have already reduced our dsnominator to
a surprisingly low figure. We find u posi-
tive pleasure, as we walk IN the city, in see-
ing shops loaded with innumerabls things
that we do not want, and would not have
even if VIC could. Even in the matter OF
books, the number which we care to own
grows smaller every day instead of larger.
We have learned the great lesson that it is
easier to climb at once to the high hills.
and drink from the springs which run
there, than to accept the diluted
stuff which is delivered to US in con-
duits often not Of the %cleanest. This les
son oncs acquired, frees one from many
perplexities, and confers q not inconsidera-
BILE amount of liberty, besides giving US a
ers in the lowlends, who depend u on
%aqueducts, and are subject TO all the incon-
veniences resulting from negligent or in
competent contractors and engineers, never
can know. With regard to society. too, the
number of houses into which we do not
desire to enter is infinitely larger than that
of those to which we inspire. And it oon-
fers almost a feeling of royalty to see SO
many people around us who do not hest
tate at any sacrifice or any effort to obtain
an introduction into certain circles of scci-
ETY. to which no entreaties Of our best
rnapninu frjaplc wpn11 ha nh1a tn 1pa~ 80
for q single evening. We have had SO much
to do all our lives hat we have learned
the value of time, and We are blossedly
thankful for it, for nobody who has not
lived n life of constant labor can possibly
know the exquisite delight of n whole half
hour in which one has at last the right to
do what she pleases. The fifty years of
Europe hold more conscious throbbing life
than Il cycle of Cathay, and oven if we Ind
the liberty of choosing, we would take the
fifty years.-Anna @. Bracket, in Harper's
Magazine,