The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-24

ton. that inca
pacitv even to understand it, with
which we start. yield to the spur of ex-
perience; but yield at the cost of so
much impotence on one side. and so
much heartache on the other, that it
would seem worth while to lessen the
friction involved in the process
This old and simple truth comes
freshly to mind with the return of our
holidays.
Festivals are flaming. two-edged
swords. They turn both ways with
equal es6e and sharpness. Created to
enhance Joy, they emphasize sorrow.
Their evident usefulness is to the glad
but their less considered influence is
strong upon the sad. We sometimes
forget that holidays are not the. espe-
cial property of happy people.
There is something Is irritating to
the .thoughtless as 1t Is appealing to
tho sympathetic in the phrase: They
are days to be got over" TIE first
time. that we hear these Common
words, plaintiuely discordant TO tho
holiday key, we have no more compre-
hension of them and little more pa
thence with them than with a Chinese
grammar Then the day falls when
we understand. The great deaf-mute
master. Life, teaches us, too; frames
our own trembling lips to form the
language of bereavement, of bitterness
or of desolation. We, too. slip into the
secret places of wisdom, of sorrow and
of peace; then the gay and the young,
and the superficial in turn stand crit
ical of US 1t is precisely this dual
process. this change and interchange
of effect which constitutes one of tho
most interesting by-plays OF export
ence.
There is no sufficient reason that
know of why the Old, dense wall be-
tween him who hath and him who hath
few intelligent loop-holes. One need
not expect to batter it down. 1t is too
venerable and the foundations too
deeply laid. But TO look gently
through now and then is altogether
possible.
Be patient with the sad, happy peo-
pie! Do not expect too much of tho
old and weak-you young and strong
Put yourself in the sAckcloth of the
homeless-you who reign in the purple
of home, Wien the holiday stir is in
the air, when the taper is lighted on
the tree and the holly trims the hearth,
when every one that is glad grows
gladder, and every heart that is sad
turns saddest, there comes "A sacred
summons to the prosperous life. pecul-
lar to itself and to the time. Then il
is that those whom God hath blessed
are called TO understand, IL they can,
those whom He hath smitten. ! say.
understand. It is not enough TO ''re-
member" as the word goes. Christmas
charity il commonplace and fashion
able. Christmas comprehension is
more rare and hundredfold more val
ia bic.
A lady. passing blind street must
clan and his wife. went back and whis-
pcred: I'm sorry for you" The poor
souls overwhelmed her with pathetic
signals of gratitude for months.
"Oh, it's the words you saidl It's the
words you said the woman cried
Money. clothes, fuel were small mat
ters, and cold. Personal comprchen-
sion was the warm and precious thing
The press, the sermon. the story. the
ballads and the social current; all the
holiday powers, press rs into the
stream OF blind, initiative b~nevoienee.
/ We give turkeys because our neigh
! bors do; families without coal and oat-
meal get from three TO FIVE Of these
festive birds apiece We load SUNDAY
school trees because the pastor says
30. We spend the pocket money of .
year in four weeks on presents for our
relatives. because il is the thing" ex-
pected. We purchase pneumonia b.
playing saleswomen at church fsIrs.
and overload the strength and temper
of our servants by houses trimming
with company. bccause Il IS the
way" We hunt up every person ue
ever knew 20 whom we can dcccntIy
offer gift or dinner becsu.e the
Romans do" We dedicate se-s- snd
WE'LL the DAY 70 our children. and
make them blaac with al the modern
improvements on Santa Claus Bat in
Gil our giving, re may not give The
sweet spirit that knows just hoyv
friend or child or ncighbor feels And
in all car getting. VIC mar TAI! - get
the patience and geu;leness hich
put US in :he place 81 him who re-
ce.ves
The study % the mind and hear. Of
another Is subtle art The highes.
form o. tact consists in making oar
selves personae gra;ae 20 those upon
WHOM, we confer a favor.
Happiness Is the only real noblssse
obliFe fore9er Possession "a &is1zTs
under obligation 20 denial, AID strength
j. The 3ivinely appointed servilor Of
weakness
10 rct suffer ia yourself Ia. natural
recoil Of the sTrags@ shles when the one
szd heart in the home group yields 20
the d2Ykening face that jars festival
huur. There usually - a. Least one lad
person IN The ssEnies. househoia- Per
haps il is the rs&sdsa sister. ~i1ssr own
young hop wcut cut IA zs21@s. long ago.
Whose rsasa and yssose pride keep r.ssl
step toge.her; whose ab7Eeass: !a;er~<.
il yourself and ynzs Affairs - not az
$780, "A natural ssr a. sszzgs IA L .sx~