The Red Cloud chief., 1895-02-15
AS WE SEE THINGS.
INFLUENCE or THE INNER LIFE ON
THE EXTERNAL WORLD.

How An Individual or n Scene NAV uav,
an Entirely Different Appearance to Tw,
Persons Happiness and Sorrow Made b,
ourselves.
There havo been philosophers who de-
clared that tho earth on which we stand
and tho stars on which we gaze have nc
real existence, but are merely the ont.
comes of Il inner selves. Pcrhaps the
best answer to this is that tho mind it.
self, at least that of most people. rcrrr>l
to receive the idea. The difference H..
tween the. me and the not mo IL tll
sharply defined in the inner conscious.
ness to permit Bishop Berkelcy's notion
from taking root within us.
Yet we cannot afford to overlook tho
germ oftrnth which this idea contains.
Though not literally the creation Of our
thought, the outer world is to each one
OF us largely that which we make IL.
Nature herself. in oil her varied scenes,
whatever she may be in reality. shows
herself to us in the light which We
throw upon her. One man looks at a
landscape and sees land and water, grass
and trees, hills and plains, and nothing
moro. Another, a farmer, sees the grow.
ing crops, the fallow land, tho noxious
weeds, the prospect for future tillape
and the obstacles to DO overcome. An.
other, with a painters eye, sees every
variety Of form and color. proportion and
perspective. harmony and contrast,
beauty and sublimity. To tho melan.
choly man oil Is tinctured with gloom
"a leaden pail covers even the gayest
scenes-whilo to the joyous everything
seems bright and glad, and even the
dreariest Of November days only suR.
gests the radiant sunlight that is sure
later on to struggle through the clouds.
80 with the sights Of a city. For each
OF Ms ~ they take on the aspect Of our
own mental condition. How differently
they impress the citizen who has spent
his life among them from the foreigner
who views them for the first time! What
. different message the stately and mag.
ntficent buildings bear to the absorbed
man Of business and to tho architect
who appreciates every detail Of their
construction!
II there is so wide a divergence in the
aspect which inanimate things have for
MS, the difference is still greater In the
way We regard the men and women by
whom we are surrounded. Character is
o complex thing, difficult to detect, i'm. |
possible to fathom. yet we presumptu.
ously venture to gauge and pronounce
upon it with the smallest modicum of
knowledge. 1t is curious to notice how
differently the same person will impress
various individuals. His friend will per.
haps see no fault in him. hts enemy no
virtue. One will put faith in him; IN.
other will suspect his every action. One
will deem him cold hearted; another
will think him affectionate and kind.
II must be that their W personalities
are reflected in him, and that to q Ger.
tain extent no does thus become for q
time, while under their influence, what
they suppose him to DO always. 1t is
certainly true that the good and gentle
ind far more goodness and ge~ntleness
In tho world than those who are def.
Gent In such qualities. It is the selfish
who Is the keenest to detect selfish.
ness in others; it is the overbearing who
complain most of the arrogance and
pride with which they are met, and the
unjust who murmur ut the injustice
they receive. On the other hand, the
loving and sympathetic discover love
and sympathy everywhere; the noble
and true bring to light nobility and
truth which might otherwise be hidden.
Thus to a large extent we develop the
character Of those we meet. By a subtle
magnetism we draw like to like and
evolve u Of other personalities tho
characteristics OF our own.
Even the outward circumstances Of
life arc largely what we ourselves make
them. We are accustomed to consider
q blessing and adversely q
cnrse, but quito frequently they change
places. 1t is the spirit in which they are
received that determines their result.
The rich and self indulgent man. sur.
rounded by luxury and opportunity. may
be far less happy than his poorer neigh
Dor who brings industry, fidelity and
generosity into constant exercise The
same privileges that raise one young
man to honor aud usefulness are q snare
and temptation to another. The same
that invigorates n enfeebles
another. The same sorrow that softens
one and leads him out Of self to works
Of kindness and helpfulness p%rostrates
another and renders him valueless- II
Is that which Is within q man that 90
acts upon the externals Of life as to de.
eide their results to him, and through
him to others
II this DO so. then happiness or wretch.
edness is largely in our power. and
most Of our complaints only bear wit.
ness to our own remissness. We may
rightly recognize the fu~tility Of strug.
Cling against outward events which we
cannot control, but we can always bring
to bear upon them such a spirit and in.
huence as shall turn evil into good md
bitter into sweet. philadelphia Ledger.
a Startling Announcement.
An English literary man who was on