Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-10-25
CONTENT.

Anything conducive To quietude Of
the mind should always be welcomed.
There are instances when Il 10 difficult
indeed for one to be contented. have
seen cases Of struggling humanity 80
woefully organized from the very begin
ming that, do what they might, few aud
far between were the moments OF peace
to be enjoyed by them in any spot or
place. Such, Of course, are to be pitied.
But II is not Of these chiefly thst |
here wish to speak. Ii Is rather OF those
80 sfflicted with discomfort that they
have become hsbitusl grumblers-
grumblers without cause.
Now, being q young man, am mex
perienced, no doubt, but long since
learned that much Of the suffering Of
mankind IL due to the anticipation Of
possible or probable evil; aye, that one
may dwell in q palace, In the midst OF
parsdissical gardens, and unless con-
tented he will not be happy. The fact
L., have seen novels occupied by those
possessing, in n sense, only crust OF
bread, and vet appearing to enjoy life
vastly better than the pampered mil
lionaires, with their egions OF servants,
aud all because their crowns were In
their hesrts-crowns called "conteut."
Content. What world Of pleasure
its presence affords; what a void Of mis-
ery iss absence. A nonymous term
with happiness, II Is found in all the
walks OF life, for In any kind Of soil can
IL be cultivated. Byron In 1.-The Prison.
er OF Chillon" even tells OF a poor mortal
who became through years OF confine-
meut so contented with his dungeon that
he had no desire, when liberated at last
by his friends, to exchange It's fetid
darkness for sarth's broad freedom aud
bright sunlight.
Alas. Alas. Too lightly do We some
times value home, freedom, light, health
and q sufficiency to eat, however excel
lent these may be. Fear being a pre-
dominant element in all animate nature,
often may II obtsin the mastery over one
in some way until he is q confirmed
erumbler, as shown by the following
dialogue:
"why, what Ia the mstter?" asked
stranger, stopping by several men who
were coDversing together In front OF a
village store. Has your farm been
washed outg'
"No, not 'zsctly," answered the one
Intercepted; ~ guess the medder land
Ia all right, but the lower part OF my
south pasture is tlooded, and should we
have smother big rain I'm afraid the
wster'll stay there till il kills out the
grass"
And didn't the storm damage any OF
your buildiDgs:'
"why. no"
"Buf, surely, you must have had
some stock drownedy"
mo, didn't neither. Ie see, | grain
NV cows some. and then the lower part
of that air south pasture OF mine grows
such splendid grsss-thst Is, IL taint
fiooded-they always have all they want
To eat, and are generally fst and sleek.
That's the reason why they had the
strength 10 resch higher grounds sfore
the water come; but don't believe they
could do IL sgsin, and should we have
another storm, and they was dsown
there feeding
"Whst, you grain your stock? Then
you must hsve old grain on hsnd:"
"why, 10 be sure. | always carry a
lot Of wheat, rye. barley, corn, oats and
the like over. so that | won't be entirely
short should the crops fail; but, then, We
see, lightning might strike the grsnsry,
or the grain In the bins might heat and
set the thing sfire, Or"
"But how about this years crops;
Has the xeather been favorable for
them
"wsal, il might have been better. 1t
was all-fired wet AT first, then come on
dry-the driest ever see-snd, nsow,
it's wet sgsin. thought so much rain
'ud ipjure my rye sure; but, l swan
when come 10 put it In the barn,
found that only few OF the top sheaves
was mus,y. Just the same, lm looking
for some awful bad weather now oat-
hsrvesting's coming on. | tell ye, ye
take these here hard times and tough
seasons we have, and"
"But, surely, you keep little nest-egg
In the bank on which TO rely, don't you!"
"Ye-es. but what IL the bank should
break: Ie see"
"And aren't any Of your family sick or
snythingr
"why, no. What makes We ask such
questions: Sick: No, sir. They're
alive aud well-every one Of 'em, and as
hearty AS bears"
"Then. what In the world are you
grumbling for, mans Don't you know
when you are well of: Why. when |
first heard YOU talking, ! thought sure
YOU were afflicted with all the cAlamities
Of Job. and 10 here find you fair-to-
do farmer. Indeed, II you possess any
self-respect at all, never again degrade
yourself BY complaining without cause,
was the strangers admonition, as he
hurried on up the street.
All. that Is the point. IL you are dis
con,ented, keep il to yourself. Blab II not
In eyerybody's ear. Remember, others
may be discontented, too, and In such a
case the telling Of your discomfort won't
help matters any. Another thing !:
Rather than repair so often TO some
..trysting- place" near the line fence, or
theresbouts, TO smoke and talk over
''hard times" and still "harder seasons" +"
devote the same, provided there Is moth
ing else TO do, TO helping about the
house, picking up broken limbs and
pieces Of boards In the front yard, max
ing n flower bed for your wife. tacking
loose bsttens back into place on the
farm buildings, patching the roofs,
catching leaning length OF fence by
setting In timely post, moving bushes,
thistles and briers in out-of-the- way
corners, or the like--not very much, to
be sure, but all tending to improve and
beautify the farm, and make Its machin-
cry run much more smoothly.
Think Of your neighbors, OF course,
but do il iu an unselfish way; that Is,
cease to contrast your lot with another's
"more unfortunate" In brief, think OF
them only when you can forget self.
Why: Because this exemplifies q most
beautiful attribute Of character ia that an
unsefish life is comparable with the rarest
and sweetest flowers, whose fragrance,
rising from the fields which they grace,
,,,;coiaa Nth sho esspnce of angels