The Winslow mail., 1900-11-22
EVERYDAY TRIFLES.
emall Ihings That Make or Mar the
Happiness of Life az We Go
Along.

In the ordinary acceptance of the
word trif1es there would seem to be but
little suggestive of care or interest, yet
1t is question if the sum total of sue
cessful human existence is not oftener
composed of an aggregation of small
things, which considered separately
might well be described by this title.
BY success is not meant the acquire
ment of wealth or fame or the gratifi-
cation of some absorbing ambition, but
rather the fullness of comfort and con-
tentment which results from proper
ordering of that which is essential to
daily life, writes Elizabeth Robbins
Perry, in Boston Budget.
Food is Indispensable to the main
tenance of human life, yet were no care
expended upon its preparation thou
sands might starve in the midst of
plenty. 1t is a small matter, mere
tr1t1e, to properly arrange the tray of
an invalid, that the infinitesimal NOR
sci of nourishment which may be TAX
en- may appeal to the finer senses of the
sufferer, yet lack of such care may be
cately poised scale of life against all
hope of recovery.
How much of the comfort of a jour
ney is often marred because of some
trif1ing, but absolutely necessary, art1-
Gle which one has forgotten, or which
is out of reach in the trunk in the bag
gage car, when it should be among the
handy belongings of ones handbag.
Most women know of the total change
OF plans sometimes necessitated by the
neglect to procure some trifie needed
to finish garment the completion Of
which at certain fixed time meant
much to the oSs who was to be the
wearer. The lack of a single needlefui
of proper thread has been known to
result in the failure of that which
otherwise would have been thing of
great beauty, yet who would think of
mere bit of frail fiber as other than
the veriest trife.
Yet so it is along the entire course
of our Lives. The word of sympathy
we did not speak, the kindly act we
failed to perform, the unkind thought
we allowed to form itself into Ian
guage, all these and many more things
unexpected moment and cause us much
discontinue.
In the home as nowhere else due re-
gard for trifes is a factor of success.
The forgetting of some minor ingre-
dent may cause the failure of a favor
ite dish. In, like manner a lapse of
memory in some comparatively small
matter may result in the disarrange-
ment of the entire household. Atten-
ton to little things may almost be
said to bridge the gulf between the un-
happy and the happy home. The little
courtesies, attention, services, all tend
toward the realization of the home
ideal, and their absence creates many
painful gaps in the home circle. The
placing of few fresh flowers is a tri-
fling act, yet is not the appreciative
smile of one who comes to the home
wearied by a day of toll and anxiety a
sufficient reward?
Attention to trifes is an inspira tion
to respect and confidence in all the re-
lations of life, and the boy or girl
trained to such observance will find the
path of the everyday life of activity
outside the home an easier one to
tread than will the one who, through
carelessness, Incidence or perversity,
fails to consider so-calIed trifes The
"day of small things" is the one upon
which one should exercise unremitting
vigilance. Larger interests and hap
penings will oftener provide for them
selves.