The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-02-18
NEVER SATISFIED.
DlscoNTENT THE POWER THAT
PUSHES US UPWARD AND ONWARD.

KIND 10 Try tor 6reat0r Advanc0-Th0
Problem OF Progress Ints which the
Thoughtful Man Secs Deeply.
Eager, enthusiastic and sanguine
people always expect to feel unbounded
satisfaction in the actual possession of
that which they strive for The boy
longs to be man; the youth Graves in
dependence; one looks forward to mar
riage as his ideal of bliss, another yearns
for wealth; one coyets position, another
power; one hungers for knowledge, an
other for skill; one sighs for opportunity,
another for ability. Whatever be the
goal of their ambition, they believe that
to be the one thing without flaw, the
one thing which is to insure their hap
piness and in the possession of which
their enthusiasm is never to grow cold
and their happiness never to fade.
When this goal Is reached, and it of
ten is, how are these sanguine expecta-
tons realized? Is the mind content and
satisfied? Is the pleasure unsullied? Do
the glowing colors continue as bright as
before3 Does their buoyancy receive no
check They have gained their point,
they have secured what they desired.
but have they realized what they antici-
pated2 Has the success been so very
successful after all?
Probably most of those who have had
these experiences will have to confess
that while in the first flush of posses
sion all was joyful excitement, yet in a
short time that feeling gave way to u
calmer and more dispassionate view of
its value. Certain flaws and defects
that would have been utterly secuted
became apparent; it grew to be COM
monplacs and ordinary possession, and
however unwilling they might be to
part with 1t, yet it was no longer upon
that, but upon other things still out Of
reach that their interest and enthusiasm
were conferred.
Mr.. Philip Hamerton, speaking of the
present attitude of the French people
toward a republican form Of govern
ment. gives an apt illustration of this
truth. He says: 1.-THE republican senti-
ment, though resolute as to the preserva-
ton Of republican forms, has certainly
become wonderfully cool. The ooolness
OF the young men is especially remark
able and significant. They are mostly
republicans, it is true, and haye no b.
lief in the possibility of q monarchical
restoration, but the more intelligent Of
them see the difficulties and the defects
of republican government very plain
ly, and they have a tendency to dwell
upon those difficulties and defects in a
manner that would astonish the militant
republicans of the past. This composed
and rational temper is the state of mind
that comes upon all of US after the SET
tied possession of an object, and it is a
sign of possession" Most of US can cite
instances to match this both in public
and private affairs nearer home.
The chief point to be considered, how
ever, is whether this result is or is not to
be deplored. Some regard it among the
bitter experiences of life, showing uexe-
ly the transitory aud shallow patase Of
all happiness and the futihty Of all
hopes. "Of what use u it" they say.
to strive and labor fos that which,.
when attained loses its power Of bless
ing and cheering rs? Why encourage
an enthusiasm that must fade away
and hold up an ideal that u presently to-
be trodden under fo0tg So they sink
into pessimism AND come to believe that
all is vanity and vexation of spirit. But
the thoughtful and Intelligent man sees
Tar deeper into the problem than this
He has discovered that in this very
truth, held to be so mournful, hes the
kernel Of all progress,
All the rose o0lored hopes that We in
dulge, all the attractive future spread
out in such fair proportions to our i'm
agination, lure us on to energy and eff
fort What does it matter that we ex-
aggerate its Importance, that we expect
effects from it, that all its de-
fects and disadvantages are entirely hid
den from our sight, Were it not so, how
much of our striving would come to an
endl And when we attain these OBJ
jects, what more natural than that, the
excitement of pursuit being over and
the tension of mind relaxed, a calmness
of spirit should follow and an ability to
judge of its excellences and its disad-
yantages more dispass;onately and moro
correctly, 7@' %.
Suppose the enjoyment is less keen
and the satisfaction less complete than
we had anticipated. Should the mere
pleasure felt in success be the main OBJ
ject of our striving? Satisfaction indeed
can only be a transient emotion to an
intelligent and advancing man or wom-
an. Were 1t a permanent condition Of
mind there could be no further progress
Take, for example, the youth who
longs for higher education and tries,
through many obstacles, to obtain it.
At length the opportunity comes, and
his wishes are crowned with success.
Yet his delight, at first very keen, grad
ually subsidies into calm serenity.
He comes by degrees to understand
the meaning of his opportunity, its diff
culties. its sacrifices, its labor and the
new field Of hope and aspiration which
it opens up He no longer rests satisfied
with the opportunity for which he ionged:
his enthusiasm now takes another
form; his hopes ara raised to higher
level; his energies are ENGAGE in taking
advantage Of the fortunate occasion,
and he now looks wi..ia equal earnestness
TO the time when he shall have finished
mis- course and begun the life work
which be has planned
{ And when that tisne comes he win go
through the sayae experience. His glad
enthusiasp will be transferred to still
higher altitude, and his new ideal will
draw him still onward and upward. Is
there anything sad or bitter in such an
experience? Is there any loss of real
happiness in this. fading away of tenn
porary pleasure? It is indeed the only
road to happiness that Is worthy of a
noble man or woman-that happiness
which follows the vigorous use Of the
faculties and the constant pressing up
ward 10 higher and higher attachments.
Philadelphia Press
Went to, Church Once.
A Maine woman who had an irreli-
gious husband kept driving at him until
she finally got him to go to church.
Now mark how she was rewarded. In