The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-25


to try to be content with our situation
and surroundings. Good Lord, what
sight Of time is wasted in longing
for what we haven got and in apprc-
hcnding trouble that may never come
Ambition for fame or wealth or power
is mistake. 1t rorsc-it is sin,
for it is founded in ishncss. Burke
tried them all and CURED them all
and deserved them ALL and yet in his
old age he said in letter to friend:
Solomon was right, for they arc all
vanity. My time is nearly out and |
would rather sleep in the corner Of a
little country churchyard than in the
tomb of the Capulcts.
was ruminating about this because
Singer sewing machine agent visited
my house to-day and when he found
We didn't want another machine he
sat in the vcranda and we talked about
the war and about the beautiful region
and the lovely weather and about in
vcntions and progress and the rest
lcssncss and discomfort Of the people.
lie was philosopher and had travelled
We agreed that if Il man was making a
ea.r living here he ought to be not
only contentcd, but thankful and hap
py. ''This is the most attractive part
Of Georgia. - said he, 'and have not
found region so signally blessed and
yet your people do not seem to know
it or to appreciate their good for
tune"
That is true. What good idea it
would be for man to keep debtor
and credit account with his Maker,
and charge himself with every good
thing health ands' strength, his
sunshine and shower, the pure air and
the trees and fruits and flowers, the
picturesque views of hills and val
leys, 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 meet
ings with kind ncighbors and friends
and the merry voices Of the children
and the peaceful, inviting sound Of
the Sabbath bells the blessed
privilege Of worshipping God accord
ing to our conscience. with none to
molcst or make us afraid. Then there
is the daily morning prayer that is
daily answered "Givc us this day
our daily bread, and Ilc gives it, for
we have neither tramps nor bcggars to
afflict us and nobody suffers for bread
or the ncccssaries 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. ;
food gracious! what a 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 rs sickness, a death in the
family, or some afflicted child, or what
is worse, some son or daughter who
has disappointed our hopes or brought
grief to broken hearts. But most Of
these things are not chargcablc to
God, but rather to our own imprudcncc
OF lack Of duty. Fire and storm and
pestilcncc come through His laws, but
they rarely come.
There is more sunshine than cloud
in our life if We will only look at it
right, for We are the most helpless
creatures on earth, and helpless man
ought to be thankful for everything
he gets. We don't know whore we
came from nor where we are going nor
when we will have to go, and yet we
sec folks strut;ing around and swelling
up with consequence. The best way
is to carry oui sunshine along with
Il, and divide with our ncighbors, and
IT they have got any to spare let us
get little Of theirs and mix it..
Heard fat woman say at Il picnic !:
"Nccdcnt bother about Il cushion for
me: | always carry mine along with
me. That a good idea | can pick
out Il dozen men in this town who
carry sunshine, and you are glad 20
meet them. There are many more
who carry rlou1S ,uI .,;ll ,,,,,,. ,,,,,r,
who don't carry anything |. has
been forty years since old ncle Billy
Baugh died, and .iill treasure his
memory. for he carried sunshine
everywhere he went and never com
planned. If he couldn't sell hi,
watcrmelons he gave them away. II,
raised the best in the world, ut lcas,
1t seems so to me nova small, long