Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-07
THE BEST OF THINGS.
Seeing the Bright Side of Every
 Possible Event.

GeIlIS III lllc Wluu OuISlClc Ol ny SuI- bath window. 1t is a second story bayed window, and I cannot by any artifice get at the web, which coolly laughs at my housewifely habits and my uneasincsS. Very well" says John, ''some day will put up a ladder and pull it down for you; but probably another will be spun aome warm night, and the wind will make it look very much like this one. On the whole, is it not rather pretty web, and rather interesting, as it catches a few drops of rain, and suggests to you how many more creatures in the world are as in dustrious as yourself?" 1 had not thought of the web as in the least in teresting, but then l began to think of the fellow who wOve it there, and the history of it, and as it really was not in the way, it began to seem beau tiful.
 1 wanted very much to take a drive to-day, but rain last night soaked up the roads and a dirty mist is filling the air and dripping from the trees. 1t is just q day to stay at home, only that l do not wish to stay at home. There arc a dozen good reasons why I should be driving into the city, not all of them selfish, either, although I wish very much to call at my dress makers. Can l make the best of things as they are and turn my disap- pointmcnt into pleasure? It is so easy to make the worst of things or only a half good of them. I should like to lra"n the art of seeing in every possible event the tery best.
 l have read somewhere a story told nf -InGI1S hnt sion JUa1lxinO with His disciples they happened on q dead dog, which they spurned as a | disgusting sight. Jesus, stooping down, said; 'Ah! but it has beauti- | ful teeth" They say that Grants art as general lay in his ability to make q favorable use of unfavorable circum- stances I think this is the secret of really good housekeeping. As sure as the day dawns there are going to come about events and omissions that will not be, on the face of them, agreeable. | The problem which each one of us has to solve is whether we will become l grulnblcrs or fault seers, or will secure | the power to make the best out of things. I do not mean, to be sure, that think anyone should cultivate a spirit of indifference and be equally | happy whatever occurs. 1 know few of these cver-smiling women who con- 1 sidcr it perfection never to be ruffled. 1 Wrong ought to be righted, evil to be
 attacked and made over What 1 mean
 is that when we cannot mend or change
 q matter it is a capital art to find out
 the good there is in it.
 It is a curious and not a pleasant
 fact, that we have in our language the
 term fault-finders; but we have no spa-
 cial designation for the opposite sort,
 who find beauties and charms. I sug-
 gest that there be compound word
 devised, such as blcssing-finders or
 good-seers. As it is we plainly imply
 that human nature is inclined to be un-
 pleasantly critical; that it has no gen.
 eral capacity for seeing the good and
 beautiful.
 There probably never was a more grumblesome age than just now, and I am quite willing to make the best of it Some one has said that he would } prefer dissatisfied Socrates to very contented negro slave. Popular dis content means that there is so much material improvement going on that we have come to believe in constant
 betterment as a kind of religion. We
 do not sit down as easily as formerly
 in hovel, without planning to turn it
 into palace. This spirit needs soften.
 ing and toning. There is no sense in ? the outcry of farmers during year o1 such universal plenty as the present So l am delighted when l read of one
 farmer who has been interviewed anG , cannot bH induced to look on the dark side. But you cannot sell your enor
 nous surpluoage to advantage.'' Per , haps not; but we can cat the more
 give away llberally and show our in
 vention ih preserving the rest" ''Bu
 you cannot live on apples" No, bu
 folks have got in. the habit of eating = too much meat. Fruit is healthier i I our wimmin will learn to put thei q brains tu cooking it." So, however the subject was t;,rled, he saw the best O it always. such a man is sure to hay, 7 a good homo, and l believe he has
 happy wife and family. The riches Y farmer that know is the most miser r able gru:Hhlcr, and his wife is chron l. ic gr2m }"r. and the children have rul t off to t.:r city and are not doing an, 0 moro Y: y there.
 d Th ..,t of good children is at leas t very i;.:ErlY in not seeing them alway : at ta"j' worst. It seems to be impos sibs' l'r >"Iae mothers to see the goo in tH IT own families, although the, if are Ga ready as others to boast of thei n chll l!ren. and show off their acquire l. mcnts, It is, of course, always diff }, cult for us to combine q just judgmen
 and wholesome correction of evils
 with full appreciation of good inten
 tions. Every child has specially ba
 tendencies; 1 do not believe there ar
 any exceptions. Our true work a
 mothers is not to be blind to these, an
 yet not to bear on them too exclusive
 ly. By all odds most emphasis shoul TTN