The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-12-27
NEW TEXR's WISHES.

| In;2d !, :; 419n:,.l..L Yf7 { .so
+ 1T is'a pleasant Gu ustom at this sea-
son, of'wishing others Ia happy New
! ! Year This custom is more singular
than our familiarity with it would
suggest. While there is nothing more
general throughout the world than
wishing, there is nothing more singu-
lar than a general custom of wishing
happiness to others--indeed, Jbe ex-
tensive observance of this custom is
a significant mark of our Christian
civilization. n.7.l ~ = = '%;' @ci;;.:~>
Peoples Of all lands wish. They
wish by the moon,' by tile stars, by
the clouds, by almost every phehom-
enon: With someHit is. atf certain
periodstin in taeeyear, with others It is
a daily enjoyment. 3';,fl' -e7'ls
Not every wish comes true;,hst as
not every seedthat IS planted natures.
There is pretty custom among un-
civilized tribes in the orient, wherein
fair virgins make little boats with
sails, place on the top a lighted candle
and put on board 3 cargo Of wishes.
At Ateyeniny twilight these frail barks
are launched On the doubtful current
of the, riveri Anxious eyes watch
them as they float away, for if the
boat sail out of sight without over
turning and the candle burns without
dying. then will her burden.of wishes
come true, and the dark-faced maiden
will happily wed. Too often, alas,
more often than otherwise, these
wishing boats and their cargoes come
to fateful end and disappoint the
hopes of those who risk them on the
treacherous stream-such is the end of
many wish.
We wish always for things that are
good, but not always do the things
that seem to US good turn out tc be SO.
Perhaps no greater calamity could
come to US than the getting Of every
wish. In an ancient Italian fairy tale
Fortunatus, by means Of his wishing
cap, always had full purse, but that
purse proved the ruin of himself and
bis sons, a result not uncommon in
real life today.
We wish happy New Year to
others, not for its opening days alone,
but TOR all its days and al 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 ulti-
mately good, not that present sweet
which turns so bitter, but such fruit
as grows sweeter with ripenidg pros
perity and never knows decay.
We wish happiness, but means more
than amusement, and even more than
pleasure. To be amused is the need
of children, but the high intelligence
of man needs more than amusement
for its satisfaction. So pleasure, if
we mean that which pleases, comes
far short of our best wishes. A child
is pleased with fire, and some poisons
please the taste indeed, many things
that please also harm, and things dis
pleasing often bring ultimate blessing.
Happiness is more than amusement or
pleasure 1t reaches deeper into the
inner life and is far more abiding. In
ward conditions determine happiness
rather the outward touches. TO gad
about in search of happiness is like
doctoring blood disease by skin az
plications. The source of health is in
the soul. Happy are the pure in
heart.
There is picture in one of the
galleries 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 saint though he re-
veals the fact 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 state Eden must be in tz
heart if the fruits Of Eden arsto be ina
the life.
Let us wish Others G. happy New
Year. but such an one as is here in
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