The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-10
THE BEAUTY OF CHEERfulNfsS.

Cheerfulness is the sunshine Of lite; bat
,on,per IL Its gloom and aust and tempest
But the remarkable thing is that many people
pride themselves on their quick empers,
and expect to have ianumcrable imrertinenees
and mpositons forgiven because they lose
their temper so easily"--the fact. however.
being that they do not lose It, but exchange II
for whatever at the time they happen to
desire. They close" their temper In the homo
SO MS to gain other persons rights and COM
forts: they lose" II In the world so as TO
save themselves from doing nncongenial
things. They are always owing 1t TO them
selves" to iy into passion about something
to tell unpleasant truths that do no 5000
to send noffensivc persons from their pres
ence depressed and uncomfortable the mean
ness OF this disposition is proved by the
| fact that It rarely shows itself 10 superior
Bad tempered people know how to pontroi
themselves In the presence OF those rieher'
more bad tempered or physically stronger
than themselves.
Men are, unfortunately, not tho only sin
nors IN this respect. There Is probably
shrow for every charl-shrill-voieed. bad
tempered women ready to take hre Al tue
smallest spark and to scold at all creation
such women are often excellent housekeepers'
They have even strcng affections. ana ut
pinch can heroically rise to every occasion
for eelf-sscrifce, But these pinches come
! seldom; and tho need Of comfort and peace
and haprir,ss is an everyday carving II sueh
Won en- would only consider the old provere
about the dinner of herbs and the stalled OK
liz might help them to understand why their
husbands go to saloons and club houses at
might and why their children keep away from
home as much as possible.
f. Petulance, grumblng. violence suienness
and sulkinS never do any good no one
is justified in giving way to unroasonanie
temper Such exhibitions ought to be hero
ically treated and a healthy explosion OF
lust indignation at selfish. irrational conduct
| is frequently followed by the happiest results
Nothing can be more untrue than the popular
idea that good temper belongs TO interior
minds. and that high temper is indicative Oh
presumed superiority. The great men ana
women of the world have been nouceaniS
, Q God humored. Shakespeare. Bacon, caesar
Charlemagne. Horace, Chaucer. Montaieue'
: Goethe, Holmes and Scott only indicate most
of sunny souls behind them That Carlyle
: vas always erumbling and seoldine, In spite
e of being a philosopher and 1.-THE only sane
man among millions of FOOLS is one OF th'
few exceptions that prove the rule.
a "Oh Fido. Fido. thou little knowost wha'
= mischief thou hast done!" was all the grea
e Newton said when his mischievous puppy nae
: destroyed the work of yeais-researehe'
; which had been laboriously undertaken TO
d the benefit OF mankind. The late Delano a
y Goddard, editor OF the Boston Advertiser, wal
d not only a man of great attachments. but
: man whose amiabiity caused him to be ove'
h by everybody. on one occasion he was pre-
e pairing some urgent literary work previous L
s having to catch n train for New York. Hi!
), time was short and he was accordingly yer!
e much pressed, when lady, accompanied n'
e two boys. entered his office. unfortunatel,
for Mr. Goddard. tho ladys mission was al
exceedingly trivial one. and. more nnfortun
t ateIy still. the boys began TO play ball II
y the Office At last the ball struck Mr. GOD
II dard in the face. broke his spectacles and
= piece of shattered glass inflicted a psntu
e wound The mother profuse apologies wer
e met with the charming reply: "oh, neve
Is mind no harm has been dohe' love u
soc happy children at play" The selnsi
ID intrusion Of his brief time, the ugly wound
IS had neither force nor power TO ruiile tn
beloved editor.
u Good temper is characteristic OF great men
) tnl power Those who think they show IN
telIectuaI superiority by unknd. ill-natured
sarcastic remarks are greatly mistaken y
!. people are so tolerant as really great me-
u and women: for tolerance mas its source y
r both the heart and the head.