Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-04-25
seDucE YOUR DENOMINATIONS


HtththsHcnts anu Destre6-
To most earnest people life is hard and
iast, and growing continually harder and
faster, and to many 1t Is becoming more
and more burning question how they
snaii meet like men and women the de
mands OF each day without falling under
the condemnation OF that law II would
be comparatively easy for the society fol-
lowers, II they had any desire so to do, to
SETTLE their problem by following Carlyle,s
plan and reducing their denomnators. He
makes 1t 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 a child
TO do, because 1t lies In the region OF rela
tiv1ty-that our wishes and desires stand
TO our abilities, either pecuniary or men
tai, In the same relation as the denomi
nator OF a fraction to its numerator, ami
that the value Of the fraction OF each ore
of us expresses in terms easily written
down the total amount of our solid haup
ness or contentment
In this view it follows thar there IRE al
ways two possible ways Of increasing the
amount Of the latter-ind this is no doubt
the main object toward which are directed
most OF the efforts Of most mer-nameIy
TO increase our numerator BY increasine
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 it is often tie
impossible way, while the other path lies
always open to most people, with absolute
iy sure result.
Since that result-that alteration in the
0ynI t,a <.fkt .x.e L
OF us after, 1t 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 the demand Of
the working world to which we belong we
have already reduced our denominator to a
surprisingly low figure We find posi-
tive pleasure, as we walk in the city. in
seeing shops loaded with innumerabIe
things that we do not want, and would not
have even If 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 to the high hills, and drink from the
springs which run there, than to accent
the di uted stuff which is delivered to us In
conduits often not of the cleanest This
lesson. once acquired, frees one from many
perplexities, and confers not inconsidera.
Bile amount Of liberty, besides giving us
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 large. than hat of those
to which we aspire And it 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-
ton into certain circles of society to which
no entreaties of our hest meaning friends
would be able to drag US for a single even
ing.-Anna c. Bracket in Harper's.