The Van Buren press., 1898-06-25
TRY TO BE CONTENT.
That Is the Advice Arp Gives Dur
ing Troublous Times.
Lots TO BE Thankful For-It Il N Sin
to lie Always Grumb1ing-
Happy Old Uncle
Billy Baugh.

ing for what we haven't got and in
apprehending trouble that may never
GOMEZ Ambition for fame or wealth
or power IS a mistake. Il is worse
st is a sin. for Il Is founded In selfish
ness. Burke tried them all and ae-
quired them all, and deserved them
al. and yet in his old age he said, in
letter TO a friend: solomon was
right. for they are all vanity. Ny time
is nearly out. and | would rather sleep
in the corner Of little country church
yard than IN the tomb of the Cspu-
lets"
was Illuminating about this because
q sewing machine agent visited my
house to-day aud when he found we
didn't want another machine he sat
in the serandah and talked about the
war and about he beautiful region and
The lovely weather and about inventions
md progress and the restIessness and
discomfort OF the people. He was a
philosopher and had Travelled. We
agreed that If man was making a fair
living here he ought to be not only
contented, but thankful and happy.
This Is the most attractive part of
Georgia." said he, "and | have not
found region 50 signaily blessed, and
Jet your people do not seem TO know it
or 10 appreciate their good fortune"
That is true. What a good idea 1t
would be for man to keep a debtor
and credit account with his Maker,
and charge himself with every good
th:ng-his health and strength, his sun
shine and shower, the pure air and the
trees and fruits and flowers, the pictur-
esque views OF hills and valleys, the fast
flowing streams, the songs Of the birds
and the music that cheers the hearth
and home. Then there are the daily
greetings and meetings with kind
neighbors and friends and the merry
voices of the children and the peace
ful. inviting sound of the Sabbath
bei.s-and the blessed privilege Of wor
shipping God according to our con-
science, with none TO modest or make
us afraid. Then there is the daily
morning prayer that is daily answered,
Give US this day our daily bread" and
He gives IT, for we have neither tramps
nor beggars to affict us and nobody suf
fers for bread or the necessaries of life.
Above all, we have peace within our
borders, and Pope says that "All the
joys Of reason and of sense lie in three
words-health, peace and competence
Good graeiousl what debtor account
we could run up against ourselves, and
every item would be God-given
Well, of course, there would be some
things to put down on the other side
such as sickness, death in the family,
or some afflicted child, or, what is worse,
some son or daughter who has disap-
pointed our hopes or brought grief to
broken hearts. But most of these things
are not chargeable to God, but rather
TO our own imprudence or lack of
duty. Fire and storm and pestlence
come through His laws, but they rare
~ come.
There is more sunshine than cloud in
our life, II we will only look at ii right,
for we are the most helpless creatures
on earth, and n helpless man ought to
he thankful for everything he gets.
We don't know where we came from,
nor where we are going, nor when we
will have to go, and yet we see folks
etrntting around and swelling up with
consequence. The best way is to carry
our sunshine along with us and di-
vide with our neighbors, and, If they
have got any to spare, letus get little
of theirs and mix it. Heard a fat
woman say at a picnic; Needn't both
cr about a cushion for me; | always
carry mine along with me-" That's
d good idea. ! can pick out dozen
men in this town who carry sunshine,
and you are glad to meet them, There
are many more who carry Clouds and
still many more who don't carry any
thing. Ii has been 40 years since old
Uncle Billy Baugh died. and | still
treasure his memory, for he carried
sunshine everywhere he went and never
complained. If he couldn't sell his
waiermelons he gave them away. He
raised the best in the world, at least it
seemed so 10 NEE small, long, white,
thin rind melon with red meat and
white seeds. He pedded them around
town, and like old Gen. Bethune, of
Columbus, talked to the pretty women
aud looked at them through his spec
taeles. II they didn't wish to buy, he
would say; "Well, | would like to
give you one If you will come after it,"
But II wouldn't do to send a servant.
lie said he wanted the sweet and pretty
ladies to come nigh enough for his old
eyes to see them good, and so they
generally accepted the compliment and
went. My wife, she always went.
when is 1t going TO rain, Uncle
Billy?" you'll know by waiting" he
would reply think of that nowadays
when anybody asks me what will be
the outcome of this old war you'll
know by waiting;" and the days are
all coming this way. But the eager
people don't want to wait. Aunt Ann,
our old Guinea African cook, came up
this morning wild with excitement. |
She declared that two trains went up
the road "'bout daybreak dis mornin !
ali loaded down wild 400 dead soldiers |
earryin' 'em to Chattanooggy TO bury
'em. Dey just killed in de fust battle !
and hadn't been put in no collins.
Blood runnin' from 'em through de
floors of de cars jes' like hogs. OATS
what dey tells me-"
We are having birthdays and other
episodes at our house nowadays Just
lie there wasn't any war. My wife
has been saying for long time that she
owed some social debts TO our good
ncigh bors. and was inst OBLIGED TO give