The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-01-05
NEW YEARS WISHES.
I I is pleasant custom at this season,
\ Of wishing others happy New


Of wishing others a happy New
L Year. This custom is more singu-
lar than oul familiarity with it
would suggest. While there is nothing
more general Throughout the world
than wishing, there is nothing more
singular than a general custom OF wish
ing happiness to others-indeed, the
extensive observance of this custom is d
significant mark of our Christian civili-
cation
Peoples of all lands wish. They wish
by the moon, by the stars, by the
clouds, 10y almost every phenomenon.
With some ii is at certain periods in the
year, with oth-rs ii is a daily eni yment.
Not every wish comes true, Just as
not every seed that is planted natures.
There is q pretty custom among UNI
civilized tro., in the orient wherein
fair virgins make little boats with sails,
place on the top lighted candle and
put on board a cargo of wishes. AT
evening twilight these frail barks are
launched on the doubtful current Of the
river. Anxious eyes watch them as
they float away, for If the boat sail out
of sight without overturning and the
candle burns without dying, then will
her burden of wishes come true, and the
dark-iaced maiden will happily wed.
To-, Il ,.tt b,,
wise, these wishing boats and their car
goes come to a fatelul end and diSap-
point the hopes of those who risk them
on the treaCherouS stream--such is the
end OF many a wish.
We wish always for things that are
good but not always do the things that
seem to MS good turn out to be So
Perhaps no greater calamity could come
to us than the getting of every wish
In an ancient Italian fairy tale Fortu-
natus, by means of his wishing cap,
always had full purse, but that purse
proved the ruin of himself and his sons,
a result not uncommon in real life today.
We wish happy New Year to others,
not for its opening days alone, but for
all its days and all its hours, even to
when the year is dying: wishes for
December as well as May, for MAY as
January.
We wish that good which is ultimately
good, not that present sweet which turns
to bitter, but such fruit as grows sweeter
with ripening prosperity and never
knows decay.
We wish happiness, but mean more
than amusement, and even more than
pleasure. To be amused is the need OF
but the high intelligence of
man needs more than amusement for its
So pleasure, If we mean
that which pIeases comes far short Of
our best wishes. A child is please
with fire, and some poisons pleases the
taste, indeed. many things that please
also harm, and things displcasing often
bring ultimate blessing. Happiness is
more than amusement or pleasure 1t
reaches deeper into the inner life and is
far more.abiding. Inward conditions
determine happiness rather the outward
touches. To CAD about in search of
happiness is like doctoring a blood
disease by skin applications The source
of health is in the soul. Happy are the
pure in heart.
There is picture in one of the gal
lerieS of Europe representing the final
judgment of all men. Among the many
figures on the canvas is one surely meant
to be conspicuous. He evidently is not
a saint though he reveals the fact that
instead of being happy he is wretched.
He is now seeking to get out Of that
Heaven into which formerly he crowded
himself. Then he was sure he would
be happy could he but reach the place.
Now he has learned that happiness is
not place, but a state. Eden must be
in the heart if the fruits of Eden are to
be in the life.
Let us wish others a happy New Year,
but such an one as is here indicated.