Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-11-30

sonal enjoyment of the owner The
disproportion in the world between
pleasure and cost is. indeed. almost
ludicrous. The two or three shillings
that gave us our first Shakespeare
would go but small way towards pro
viding one OF the, perhaps, untasted
dishes on the dessert table. The choic-
est masterpieces of the human mind
| the works of human genius-that
through the long course of centuries
have done most to ennoble. console
brighten and direct the lives of men,
might all be purchased by the cost OF
one or two of the little stones Of
which q lady's necklace is composed
Compare the relish with which the
tired pedestrian eats his bread and
cheese with the anpetites with which
| men sit down 70 some stately ban
quet: compare the level Of spirits at
the village dance with that Of the
great city ball. whose lavish splendor
| fills the society papers with admira-
| ton; compare the charm Of converse
| ton in the college common room with
| the weary faces that may be often seen
around the millionaire's dinner Ia bic
and we may gain a good lesson IF the
| vanity or riches. The transition from
want 10 comfort brings with il keen
| enjoyment ana much lasunA nappi-
ness The transition from mere com
for I" luxury brings iucomparably less
| and costs incomparahly more
| Those who look with envy OH their
| wealthy neighhors, measuring the de-
| lights which they suppose them Il take
| in their horses ana carriages. their
yachts ana hanquets. hy the pleasure
which they imagine ihe~e things would
give I" them. make great lniScalcula-
ton. Habit has dulled thy edge If en-
joynent; simpler pleasures have lost
their zest. and unless the rich man has
been Very wise and self governed. his
| pleasures are probably fewer in num-
| Der and less in degree than those Of the
very ones who envy him
| II is true certain degree Of leisure
ana opportunity is necessary in order
to take delight in anything The man
| who is so driven by his work as to
have scarcely time to sleep ana eat
| can neither command pleasures nor the
power to enjoy them. Such poverty as
TINS is a shame to whoever permits il
| ana should not he suffered to exist. Yet
| poverty is not its only cause There
are men in every walk If life. and Of
every shade Of resources. who kill their
power of enjoyment by their absorption
III some Single interest. They will
graN"ly say that it is impossible for
them ever to take days holiday. al
though there is no one hut themselves
10 lay any such embargo on their
happiness They will even expect
sympathy for their condition: but in
stead of this. the best favor that could
be granted would be to convince them
mat in so doing they are weakening
ana narrowing their own natures and
lessening their possible value to the
community. In truth. il is largely in
our own power so to train ourselves
that Whatever innocent pleasures lie in
our path shall at the same time in
crease our joy and uplft our charac
tcrs. The time has gone by when work
ana stern duty were supposed to alb
scrb all our allegiance and pleasure
could safely be left to chance They
are both parts of life. requiring intelli-
gent tr1lning, and adding each in its
measure to our value. Neither the
pleasure seeker nor the pleasure shun-
her makes the most of himself. The
one III searching for flowers misses his
appointed path in life. while the bios
SONS Wlther in his grasp. The other.
spurmng and trampling upon them.
loses all the beauty and fragrance
winch they held in store for him. and
winch he might in his turn have shed
upon others. --Philadelphia Ledger.