Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-02-05
KEEPING A HOLIDAY.


How Shall We Pan to Get from fc an tho
Good 1t Can Give?
What is sure TO make il rcd-lettei
day?
What is the very best way to spend il Z
il can give? To make the very most of
single day, holiday. day that we
are ut liberty to spend us we like, may
he something of puzzle.
1t suggests the question-w do
you care most about doing with all
your time? Time is the stuff of which
life is made. and just to he cure ofwhat
we care most to do with ii is worth
thinking about.
Most young people, and in fact pretty
much all persons. have some favorite
occupation or study, - both in one.
some special direction in which they
are strongly drawn, that lies outside of
the daily necessary routine of work.
For those who have ordinarily but lit
tie leisure (nnd in this busy work-a-day
world this includes the Majority. the
indulgence of this private liking is Il
capital use for at least part of the
holiday. II may lead to important re-
suits or ii may not-thc thing we are
most eager to do may be- u mere amusc-
mcnt of which we soon tire. or II may be
the thing that we were made to do,
the real serious business OF our lives,
which circumstances have seemed tc
put beyond our reach. yet which per
severance will enable us TO achieve.
However that may he. there is no
question about the pleasure of doing
the thing one likes best. II may he
r'usic or history. or football. or wood
carving, or what noi--thPrc is certainly
a very keen satisfaction in following
ones own personal taste. And the
chances are that il You are enough in
earnest. something worth while will
come of it. Too much is made of the
moti"e OF making money. II is well to
remember that there is another kind Of
satisfaction in good work. in every kind
of employment. done for its own sake.
1T does no: make much differences what
The work is. Any kind of useful or
beautiful thing done, in the measure
IN which the heart is thrown into it,
doing ones very best for the sake OF
seeing it well done. is good and satisfy
ing. Time spent in this way is we'll
spent.
IT there is any such thing as Il secret
Of happiness, il is surely his-mal<c
others happy. And all good work is
an antidotc for scllishncss. Not only
that. but il is one of the surcst. most
lasting and rightful sources of con-
iinual happiness. To talk about work
ms the hest play--thc best resource
for enjoying n holiday, seems ON. the
surface n contradiction. But The best
play is not idlrnrss merely. TO he
worth having, il must he some kind OF
activity. and To III really delightful. it
must be something loved. TO make the
most of n holiday, then. il is quite fair
to do the very thing that you care for
personally, however unimporiant il may
:: ppear to somebody else.
Something is due to the day itself.
Is it Thanksgiving day? Are VIC not
more ready TO give thanks in sincerity
for material blessings. for abundant
food and rich dress, prosperity in the
shape OF money, houses and lands. than
for better culture and richer gains in
building up our own characters and
lives? Yet these are worth more.
Is il Christmas? DO we think of IL
as time of gifts, of merry making. Of
Unusual gayety and self-indulgcncc. or
10 we care first for its higher mean
irCs? Do we make IL time OF good
will toward all. n time for carnrs,
thought and generous deeds 10 pro-
mote the welfare of those whom we love-
first. but also. so far as we may. Of all
our human brothers and sisters?
Even on Il holiday. and perhaps MOST
on holiday, when our time is free from
ordinary claims. little honest discus
sion with ones self Of the very best
uses and objects TO which wc,ecan de-
vote little of our time will not come
nmiss.-Country Gentleman.