Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-03-14
FITS OF THE BLUES.
A Btessed Baim That Never rails 20
soothc when one II Low
spirited.

The bluesl What are they2 Web-
ster defines them as "lowness OF spir-
it's" How they unfit us for our duties
Of the day; how they silence our kind
ly words and smother our smiles,
What a wet-blanlxet feeling they give
10 everything. Even the dog sinks
away, all his frisklness subdued,
when he looks us in the face and
discerns our "lowness Of spirits" says
a writer in Ladies' World, New York
We see n cloud upon our sky, per-
haps it is very small one; some.
times we feel IL instead Of beholding;
Just faint depression, a little dismal
dampness, a forlornness we cannot
account for. We Immediately forget
that no life can be entirely cloudless;
we think we have all the trouble por-
toned out to humanity; the spirit OF
gloom settles on us; we succuMb, and
lol we have the blues.
Who hath a cure fer them2 We
may take peppermint for our stom'
sch's sake, rub camphor on our ach.
ing head, battle our rheumatic limbs
with liniment and our bruises with
witch hazel; but how shall we min.
lister to our "lowness Of spirits?"
Let me whisper IL TO you; or shall ]
shout it from the house top? There
Is a blessed balm that never fails ia
soothe, which is found in doing kind.
ly deeds and speaking comforting
words.
One rainy day, not long ago, sat
mN 81. a.
chain a few words together in coher.
ent form. Whether IL was the awl.
ward material had to deal with, the
clumsiness Of my brain or the de.
pressing downpour outside. / know
not, but I felt my "lowness" stealing
DER me. Just then the small boy OF
my household very timidly reminded
me; "You said on a rainy day you'd
paste some pictures in my SCRAP
book" Being exceedingly desirous Of
wooing the Muse, / said. Don't both.
er me now, dear" The child's voice
was obediently silenced; but not tn,
far more insistent voice of my heart,
that firmly repeated the words my
memory had taught it: "Do soms.
thing for somebody quick" The pen
and paper were laid aside, the din.
ing table took the place of the desk,
and the ambitious scribbler was i'm.
mediately transformed into an inter.
ested mother delighting ner little son
by gayly pasting the gaudy bunchei
OF flowers, and the pictured birds and
animals into amusing clusters on the
white pages before her; laughing JOY.
fully herself as she brought sunshins
into a heart too young TO understand
a'"lowness Of spirits" but which felt
a detection not unusual on a dark and
gloomy day.
There Is never n time when W. can.
not find something 10 do for some.
body. IL may be only TO write a few
simple, kindly words; TO run ucros,
10 n neighbor with n book we believe
abe viii enjoy reading; 20 copy for
some acquaintance a poem we srs
sure she viii like to have. Perhap,
we arc using odd moments 10 make .
dainty gift for a friend; ~ 50, take
a few stitches on 10 and see how quick.
ly the gloom is dispersed. II you see
nothing else you can do. just sit
quietly for a few minutes and think
OF the pleasures you have had. That
trip you enjoyed 80 much last sum.
mer, can you ever forget IL? That
bunch OF roses your husband brought
home on your birthday, what n sweet
gift that was. Those cndearing words
your prattling chiiu lisps 20 you every
day, what could be more comforting7
Think and think, my sister. aud still
think on till sunshine has banished
shadow and you can rise up with n
sturdy will, turn your back on cloud
land where the Blue King reigns, and
go bravely forth TO cheerfully meet
whatever the coming hours may
bring.