Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-05-20
aspvcs YOUR DENOMINATION.
There Are Two Ways OF EuuaiixtnE Yoas
Attachments and Desirea


To most earnest people life Ia hard and
fast, and growing continually harder and
faster, and TO many IL II becoming more
and more burning question how they
shall meet like men and women the de
mands Of each day without falling under
the condemnation Of that law. 1t would
be comparatively easy for the society fol
lowers, II they had any desire so TO do. 70
SETTLE their problem by following Carlyle's
plan and reducing their denominators. He
makes II very clear TO all those who have
passed beyond the stage Of childhood, and
consequently do comprehend the nature OF
fraction an impossible thing for chlld
TO do, because II lies 10 the region OF rrla
tiyity--thai our wishes and desires stand
TO our abilities, either pecuniary or men
tai, in the same relation as the denom
nator Of fraction 10 its numerator. and
that the value OF the fraction of each one
OF us expresses in terms easily writer
down the total amount OF our solid happi
ness or conteutment.
In this view IL follows that there are nj
ways two possible ways OF increasing the
amount of the iatter-aHd this Is no doub,
the main object toward which are directed
most Of the efforts OF most men-naniely,
TO increase our 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 the
only one generally perceived by the major
ity Of people. and the one to which they
bend all their efforts, but II In often the
impossible way, while the other path lies
always open TO 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, IL may be surprising that the
always available aud sure method Is not
more generally selected. But. rs has been
said, 10 many OF us there Is no liberty Of
choice left open. Forced by the demand OF
the working world 10 which we belong, we
have already reduced our denominator to a
surprisingly low figure. We find a posi-
tive pleasure, ms we walk In the city, in
seeing shops loaded with innumerable
things that we do not want. and would not
have even II 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 il Is easier TO climb al
once to the high bills, and drink from the
springs which run there, than to accept
the diluted stuff which Is delivered to us in
conduits often not Of the cleanest This
lesson, once acquired. frees one from many
I perplexities, and confers not inconsidera
BILE amount Of liberty, besides giving us a
feeling OF buoyant health which the dwell
ers in the lowlands. who depend upon
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 aspire. And 1t confers almost
feeling OF royalty to see SO many people
around US who do not hesitate at any sac
rifice or any effort TO obtain an introduc
tion into certain circles Of society to which
no entreaties of our best meaning friends
would be able to drag us for single even.
ing.-Anna q. Bracket In Harper's