Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-12-28
PRESENT-DAY THOUGHTS.
BY a. oRosvENoR DAVE.

place of perfect assurance, yielding where
there should have been a proud resistance,
obstinacy at time more fit for cheerful
surrender fear when there was the loud
est call for bravery, bravado one day when
there was nothing to make it good. Pos
sibly we can even see our own great stoggy
footsteps across quagmire we ought not
20 have traversed and mud still clinging
to feet that were created to tread clean
highways.
All the innocent joy Of the little ones
who shout Happy New Year" at us seems
like a mockery. We say to ourselves
.sHappy! Indeed how can | be happy?
Failure over everything until life itself
seems a fraud played upon those who are
unwilling to live" The cheerful need no
cheering; it is the cherries ones who
should be called into a little glow of
warmth; and then only by those who have
known what cold is; for we often resist
pulpit utterance when we feel that the
speaker has no deep knowledge OF life's
sad hurry -burly.
Some time ago read a poem by Bos-
ton man. 1t was strung out lot of SEN
timent about "A Bird with a Broken
Pinion'. His argument-and a very self
evident one at that-was that the bird
with the broken wing could never soar so
high as before the accident. Then he
iikened us who make failures to that
same unhappy little creature. Surely he
was far from being correct. 1t read to
me like the nonsense Of comparing two
things that were utterly unlike, and then
basing n sermon upon resem blances that
a nd iet
Truth is not In his idea. The srniie was
false one, and life as it is lived by human
beings birds proves it so. The man
who has learned by serious and humilat
ing bumps that he cannot stand upright
unless ne looks well to the way OF his feet
will be "A greater man and greater power
than the one who never stumbles and
there fore fails to understand how hard is
the pat hway of his fellows. Real leader
ship IN ust have humility in it, and huml-
ity is hard to find among those who know
neither testing nor tempting.
In other matters besides those OF con-
duct, mistakes play valuable parts. The
progress of the world is based upon this or
that theory-sworn to vehemently for
awhile having been proved to be wrong
The i'm portance to the world OF making
errors is ranked by another quality be-
longing to us complex creatures, the
ability to see a mistake after we have made
it, and TO profit by it. In fact to have done
those things that we ought not to have
done. seems To put US in the best frame of
mind to attempt those things we ought to
do.
Sense enough remains within you to
comings-be glad of that You have not
reached the stage of hoggish contentment
with the mire of your own making You
have heart yet to believe that you are
capa bile of better things than you have
yet accomplis So at this season when
are prone to look mainly backward,
summon you to cheerful facing of the
future. Stop moaning and repining over
lost opportunities. Nothing will bring
them back. But you live. and life means
that oth her opportunities yet to be
placed before you.
Put courage in your heart for this two
fold reason-you know the worst that is
in you and regret it, and you must believe
in better things yet to be, or you would
not long after them. Therefore say, and
with me speaks every soul that has
triusphed over weakness and gone from
strength TO strength-let the time of fear
full divergence from everything that makes
for progress be no longer remem bered as
an active grief, but assume in your mind
dull, gray background that shall make
the completed picture of your later life's
work stand out more clearly.
After all there is usually great deal of
4. Il
dow IA hearted Examine yourself and see
If it is not so You sometimes think that
you have been singled out for special
affection and misery. That heart within
you is deceptive above all things and it
would fain make you think the whole
world is yellow just because your eye is
jaundiced. Good sense besiege thee, sad
friend, The universe is not to be jolted
out of joint just because you are out Of
step. 1t Is self-centred coneeit that makes
you think it so.
Scan the universe some clear night and
then reflect on the thousand times ten
thousand other creatures besides you who
have hearts that can feel and needs that
must be met. If your tiny agony within
does not begin to shrink to its right pro-
portions, you have no Imagination at all.
What business have you to be cuddling
misery and asking to be excused for
maxi e he world better place to live in?
While we live we serve, or we are I'M
worthy to live. While seltishly and
conceitedly mourn wasted chances, no
good at all can we do.
Take courage and be sensible. Turn
your past irresolution into purpose, over
coming SO much interested in the day you
serve that Won have no LONGER any time To