The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-12-16
Common Sense.
New Orleans Picayune.

One of the most uncommon things in the
world is what We call common sense. Any
day of the week you can go out and throw
brick and hit fifty men of genius. where
you can strike one who has real good hard
common sense. Yet it is by long odds the
most precious gift that can be vouch-safed a
human being. To possess it rs to possess a
sweet reasonableness that enables to
look life squarely in the face. instead of
through the long or short end of an opera
glass, as our prejudices happen to present it
to US. The man of common sense is never
carried away by extremes, blu. steers mid
die course between the heights or exhilara-
ton and the slough of despond. 1t is the
ballast that keeps his boat steady, no matter
whether it is famed by the winds of pros
Perity, blown about by the tempests of
adversely. In success it merclfully preserves
him from making fool of himself and get
ting kissed into obscurity; and in misfortune
it keeps him from the towards device of
suicide. He knows there is always change
of luck and new deal in the game. The
man of common sense is never undu1y pulled
up with pride or over conceited. He never
Stops over himself with sentimental gush.
He never Iuns after the fads of the moment.
Prejudice does not warp his judgment. He
never poses for the benefit of the world. If
SORROWS come to him he does not pictur-
esquely bemoan himself, and repine at the
inevitable. In the day of prosperity he goes
slowly and discreetly, for he knows riches
have wings that chiefly used in
flying away from us. To every diff
Guilty Of life he brings common sense
and finds it offers solution. In bust
ness affairs it keeps him from worrying
over much 1t prevents him from wasting
tears end time over the split milk that can
never be recalled. In short, it is the quality,
which enables man to line up and accept
ing. In only one thing in life has it been
felt that it was impossible to apply common
sense with advantage. and that in af
fairs of the heart No one who ever fell in
love, out of love, even thought of such
thing as using any reason about it, and the
results have often been tragedies that have
caused death, and tears, and lifelong
row. 1t is, therefore, extremely gratifying
to learn a new order of things is being
inaugurated, and that common sense is be-
ing introduced into love-making with the
most gratifying results to all concerned.
according to dispatch IN washington
paper young man of tina; city. about
year ago, met beautiful and clever young
woman, with whom he fell in love. They
became engaged, and when she returned to
her home IN the west the young man bonn
barded her with letters, and on one occasion
made her a visit. After time, however,
the young woman found that she had mis-
taken the state of her affections, and she
bestowed her hand upon another. Instead
of using reproaches, and Mysteries, and
tears, this up-to-date young couple dealt
with the subject on a purely practical and
common sense basis. The girl figured out
that the Washington sweethearts letters
were worth $3oc, and the time and
pense of his trip to see her $500, while she
assessed the damage to his heart, and the
wear and tear of his affections at t3oo more.
She thereupon drew her check for $1,000
and sent it to him and he sent her a receipt
in full to date, and, the diplomats say,
the incident was closed. What an improve
ment over a due, -even a French one, and
over vulgar suicide! Blessed be the reign
of common sense!