Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-01

exhibiting symptoms G
thoughtfulness.
Both the Chairman and Secretary
gave it up without the least hesita-
ton.
''Well. sir, I've been thinking what
a great thing it is to be contented,
gentlemen. especially in this age of
restless energy and everlasting strife.
I'VE Americans have got into the
habit of always looking forward to
some goal, and we never are happy
until we reach IT, And finally when
we do reach ii. there Is something on
ahead that we want just as badly. We
never are contenred, 1t seems, to
pause and enjoy the good things that
we have, but we must eternally be
pursuing some will o. the wisp that
lures US on and never let's us rest"
The Secretary sighed heavily as the
Janitor ceased speaking.
II suppose no one is ever really
satisfied" he began. unless it be the
fat savage in the jungle who has no
aspirations beyond a full stomach and
a few likely looking beads. He's per-
fectly happy. And. IN a general way,
I myself am what you might call hap
by under most circumstances. For
instance, I am quite cOntented when
sit here with you gentlemen; and
approve of the most excellent tobacco
that our friend the Janitor provides
for us.
but when 1 go into the street." he
added, bitterly, 'I see on all sides
the evidences that other people are
getting far more out of life than
I am, and it makes me discontinued.
see the carriages rolling by, and the
beautifully dressed theatre parties,
and the fashionable homes and res
taurants blazing with brilliant gaiety,
and realize how insignificant my
own simple pleasures are as compared
to these. The contrast is so striking
that a man cannot help but wish he
might be part of that world that has
so much enjoyment and of which he
now catches only occasional glimpses
from a respectful distance.
"It makes me sore to feel myself
such a rank outsider, for 1 always feel
like the street urchin who stands in
the snow and looks in through the
bright windows at the happy ban
queters."
The Secretary became quite gloomy
a he talked and his gloom reached
out and developed the sympathetic
Janitor.
That's a fact" said the Janitor.
eve have only one life to live here,
and IL seems hard to see it slipping
by without much doing in the en-
joyable line"
Some people," resumed the Secre-
tary, have a good time from child
hood to old age. Others very seldom
do. Some people can look back over
ors and interesting experiences. 9th
ers can look back across a waste OF
barren yearns that brought only trou-
BILE and drudgery. Now, realize that
am not getting a great deal out Of
life, except in drawing on the pleas
ant possibilities of the future, and all
the time the years are piling on and
1 see my chances growing simmer"
The room was silent for some time.
Each member was deep in reelection.
Eyes, it seems hard sighed the
Janitor "A moment or two ago I
felt entirely contented, but your OBJ
servations have made me much de-
pressed. I feel as though 1 ought to
rush out in the street and hire
carriage and drive enjoyably up and
down the street. I feel as though l
oughtn't to sit here doing nothing
t while the WOElQ OulSluc 10 bOOA4AAA6
with pleasure and gaiety."
He made a movement as If to dash
out of the room to lead a life of pleas
ure, but upon second thought, he de-
cided to compromise on fresh pipe
full of tobacco.
During the discussion the Chairman
had become more and more disturbed.
He felt sure that he should not allow
the morbid trend of thought to con-
tinue and 80 he determined to side
track It along a pleasanter line.
"Contentment is a curious thing,
he said, soberly, but, of course. we
all know that carriages and fine
clothes do not mean contentment.
Bright lights in the banquet room
may shine upon as many unhappy peo-
pie as the street lights do outside. I'll
tell you a little story to illustrate that
contentment does not come with
wealth and power. and the moral Of II,
1 think, will be good for you"
The associate members awaited ca
gerly,
"Once upon a time, there was lit
tie country boy He lived on his ia
theirs farm and usually had a very
happy time. One day his father took
him to the village some miles away,
and, as it was his first visit, every
thing interested him greatly. The
stores, the railroad, the noise and all
the little excitements of the small
town filled him with awe, but the one
thing he thought most about was the
station agent at the depot. He watch
ed this autocrat with absorbing inter-
est as the latter ordered the trunks
about. gave commands here and there
and walked briskly up and down the
platform.
"a Now, there's the kind OF a man
ia like to be- the boy thought. He
has power, and can order everybody
about and all the small boys are
afraid of him.
80 when the boy went home he re-
solved to aspire to be a station agent.
Several years passed and finally the
boy became a man, and 10 and behold!
he became a station agent-just as he
had wished.
"He thought he was pretty grand,
and he ordered the trains back and
forth and made the loafers clear on
the platform, and had good time In
general.
But one day the division superin-
endent came along and ordered the
station agent about and the latter
shivered in his boots and realized That
the power Of the station agent was not
absolute. He resolved to become d.
vision superintendent, so that he could