The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-08-28
THE DAY THAT Is DEAD.


Polly" In Chicago T~imos-Herald.
~ day that is dead" is very pretty
To scntimcntalize over, and very po'
cite, no doubt, but was It, | wonder
any brighter and better than the day
that is still alive? Isn't it another
instance of that enchantmcnt which
distance lends? l often think these
thoughts when the people especially
old people-sit and extol pass times.
To hear them talk Que would suppose
that thcn-ycars and years agO-all
life was golden, all men noble, all wo-
mcn fair and sweet. Yet was there
not Il snake even in Eden9
Life" says a clever man, sis a
journey on which people are either
lp1king forward or looking back. No
body has the wisdom Ia sit down for
half an hour in the shade, listening
to the birds overhead, examining the
flowers undcrfoot. 1t is always "lIow
pleasant it was yesterday. or what
fun we shall have tomorrow Never,
by any chance ''lIow happy we are to-
day And yet. what is the past,
when we think Of it, but a dream
vanished into darkness:"
Well, we may not quite agree to all
this. because remembrance and rcmi.
niscence are very beautiful things,
else were affection and culture and
travel very largely wasted. But some
times, cherc amies, it would seem that
we could enjoy the present just a lit
tie more than we do. Why not take
all the happiness that we can out OF
the dear to-day? Docs not the June
sunshine, the summer flowers, con.
genial occupation, the charm OF
friendship, and Il thousand and one
other c0ncomitants Of our daily OK
lstcncc, stir It's somewhat with wha,
the French know as joie de yivre?"
/ am not at all sure that 1.-THE da,
that is dead" was such an unmixe(
pleasure; are you? There is q great
deal Of twaddle talked about the hap
py days Of childhood as they appca
in the rosy glow OF retrospcction
The truth is that in those ''happl
days W. used to have many misera
Bile little hours. The "threc RS
were as hobgoblins to us, and we al
ways had an uncomfortable trick 0
getting hungry when it was too lat
for dinner and too early for tea, ant
"piccins" between meals was strictly
forbidden! Mosquitoes chldcd our ten
der flesh during those 'happy days,
and it wasn't all fun when one pluckc(
Il honey bee with Il flower, to lose thu
towcr instantly, but to have the be-
remain.
"llapry days" indeed! Why, tn,
juvenile existence is full OF minOl
calamitieS! Then we looked forward
Now, pcrchance. we look back. Thu
perfect happiness which we diml,
seek has not comc-and never will
for it is not Of this poor wcaried earth
But the little, ever-occurring delight,
OF our daily lives, let this he Il pie;
for their recognition.
1t is very hard for some people t.,
enjoy the present, to realize that it !
very good indeed. One Of my nearcs
and dearest friends suffers from thi
blight. Sometime ago we had bee,
having a most perfect holiday. Every
thing seemed to conspirc for our dc
lcctation.
Are you not happy to-day, a
~least:" | asked her.
"Oh, | would be-" she responded
mlSerably, ''only l can't get rid of TIL
thought 81 how Lonesome l shall b
) to-norrow!'
AS write, my eyes raise to loo
: upon n vast OF roses, and | find mysel
) thrilling at the beauty Of their slen
der stems, the graceful foliage. til
milk-whitc foam Of their blossoms
1t has been Il bad season for roses, til,
Il Irist says. and none OF the fair bios
SONS are as good now as they were las
June. What Of that? Last summer
roses arc faded to dust. shall | griev
over them rather than rejoice in tn
living roses'of to-day?
Oh, you know, my friends, you VIII,
make means Oye 'the day that /
dead" that il it well and wise t,
grasp the happiness OF the fragil,
moment. For days pass, and the nigh
flils-and there comes o o or late
silence for all!