The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-07-24
ENTHUSIASM HELPS.
AS AN AID TO SUCCESS 1T is A GOOD
THING TO CULTIVATE.

Watch the Enthusiastic House,
keeper and You VIII See the Point.
If any work, any study, any purpose,
Is worth your while, 1t is then worth be-
ing performed, pursued and carried out
with enthusiasm.
If you cannot coax yourself into feel
Ing an enthusiastic thrill regarding what
you are planning or dreaming to do, then,
l pray you, take it not up.
One man who has built very useful
book of synonyms points out in this wise
the nice difference between the enthusi-
asst and the fanatic: fanatics and vi
sionaries are always more or less enthusi-
asts but enthusiasts are not always ia
natics or Missionaries"
Here is an opinion regarding the value
of enthusiasm as expressed a long time
ago by man writer, and the paragraph
Is just as well worth reading and remem-
bering today as it was at the time it was
penned: 81 look upon enthusiasm to be a
very necessary turn of mind, as indeed
it is a vein which nature seems TO have
marked with more or less strength in the
tempers of most men. No matter what
the object is, whether business, pleasure
or the fine arts, whoever pursues them
to any purpose must do so with love
or enthusiasm for them"
There is no inspiration about the man
or woman who goes about his affairs with
a lack or no evidence at all of entbusi-
asm. There is nothing about the temper
of such q person to inspire those with
whom he comes in contact to put forth
the best that is in them and to work
with a will. Rather, to the contrary,
those who go about either work or play
In a listless manner are depressing In
fact, their attitude fairly discourages the
one who is unlucky enough to come
within the bounds of its influence.
The enthusiast is always a good person
to meet. You may whisper behind his or
her back II you like that one is foolish to
he enthusiastic over such small matters
as those which engage your friends time,
but you must admit, although you criti-
else, that the enthusiasm is as refreshing
to your soul as a glass of crystal water
to q thirsty mortal.
The woman who expects to make a sue
cess in any line must be sure to keep
alive a little sprig of enthusiasm in her
nature. Don't let it wther and die once
you have planted it and don't allow any
one to crush the life and wholesomeness
out of it. Strange to say, much as all of
us like to stumble upon enthusiasm, there
are still many of us, for a reason we
! could not ourselves explain, who are
ready to laugh at the enthusiast or, at
least to marvel that one will still be so
keenly alive and such stranger to ennui
as to still have faith in oneself and the
work or play one is entering upon.
Ennui, "the awful yawn which sleep
cannot abate," is going out of fashion.
| You may once more be enthusiastic and
not be fearful of being considered any
thing but good form. We took our pat
tern in ennui from the English. 1t was
bad form to be enthusiastic, though it
must be admitted that when we were Civ
en- the opportunity to enjoy the enthusi-
asm of the French we simply reveled in
| 1t.
1t is in more than in business, pleasure
and the fine arts that enthusiasm is
worth while and good to see. In the
very smallest and most prosaic of home
duties that fall to the lot of the average
woman there is an enlivening and quick
ening to be brought about by enthusiasm.
Do you know an enthusiastic house
! keeper? One might speak of her also as
the ambitious housekeeper but | believe
that enthusiastic is the term that pictures
| her best. The enthusiastic housekeeper
never talks of "the weary grind" Of
| Homework, washing dishes, sweeping,
busting, etc. These things she fully re-
allies must be attended to every day, but
! her enthusiasm over them all well done
and her satisfaction in the perfection at
tanned in the end rob the work of the
"weary grind" quality. The enthusiastic
housekeeper and homemaker is an inspi-
ration to every member of her family. All
recognize the fact that her home Is her
palace and her castle, though it may not
be grandly fitted. She is enthusiastic
over the snowy linen that is folded away,
she is enthusiastic over the pretty bits
of silver and china that are placed on her
table every day and not saved for com
pany" alone.
The Indifferent housekeeper does not
need to wear badge for all the world to
be informed that she goes about her
tasks with thorough lack Of interest. A
very short stay in her home will convince
you of this. Nobody ever thinks of go
ing TO her for a cake recipe or to learn
Just how many minutes rolls should stay
in the oven to be well baked. All of this
is a bore to her. Long ago she lost her
enthusiasm. And If you will tarry by
her side awhile she will tell you what a
dull routine there is about housekeeping.
One may do ordinarily well, one may
even be able to manage to get along very
moderately and comfortably without a
spirit of enthusiasm, but to attain great
ness or superiority one must work with
enthusiasm in ones chosen line or voca-
ton
The enthusiastic poet, the enthusiastic
painter, the enthusiastic sculptor and
the enthusiastic musician have been those
who have given to the world the master
pieces. 1t was not the listless and In
different workers in the fine arts, you
may be sure, who created and left the
world these riches.
1t is the enthusiastic girl student who
will graduate with honors. Oh, yes, there
will be other graduates, too, but the en-
thusiastic student will have the honors.-
Margaret Hannis In st. Louis Republic
For Restlessness.