The Washington times., 1902-03-30
oDT1N1cT PHILOSOPHICAL ADVICE ANENT THE
| F1E OF | ii llO | ERA OF WORK AND WORRY
Bv WILLIAf1 EDGAR ROGERS,
Spanish Treaty Claims Commission

crushed with disappointment and worry.
Who could fathom her troubles? A few
minutes later the optimist entered the
business Office of friend; he found him
nervous, excited and on the verge Of
physical collapse, all because bills were
pressing hard while collections were
slow and far between. How useless to
say to such one, don't worry. Meet
ing Congressman a little later. he saw
evidences in him of unrest. and in answer
to a query as to it's cause, was told, Il
am worrying about money. and how | am
to get along. Nearly all my property
is in unimproved real estate: must carry
it: my taxes this year are $1,000. My
business is ruined by my coming here.
I must keep my end UP. too. or amount
to nothing, and where is the money COM
ing FROM" Passing on the optimist met
one whom he had known in former days
as al tmploye at the Capitol Changes
in politics had cost him his position.
and he had been unsuccessful in "catch-
ing on" Now his clothes were seedy
and his linen frayed. In response to his
hesitatipg. half-hearted appeal. the OPP
timist parted with his last quarter. for
the poor fellow had been hungry for
twenty -four hours, and one would have
been a monster to say to that half
starved man. don't worry"
Later on the optimist ran across an old
friend, one of the rich men of Washing
ton, though but little known. He seemed
the unhappiest of all. He complained OF
sleepless nights, of nervous Indigestion.
of such continuous depression OF spirits
that life was a burden. and ts wished it
over. To him the optimis: gave heroic
prescription. which will never be fol-
lowed. 1t ran something like this:
Forget your aches and pains; they ara
half imaginary. Make somebody happy
every day Out of your abundant meals
make some worthy man or woman rise up
and call you blessed. Don't do 1t by
halves Don't help deserving erson
with just enough to lift him or her from
the misery of today, but give such one
a good start on such lines that from
henceforth he may be sef-supporting. aud
consequently self-reliant, so. in the
knowledge of happiness scattered around
your path your own troubles will be for
gotten and the sweetest OF sweet sleep
come to your pillow at night"
Like the young man in the Scripture.
my friend passed on sorrowfully-"
To the optimist it has often been
puzzle why it is that men of abundant
means unable to spend their money. men
who ransack their brains in search OF
some new diversion; something to add 20
their pleasure, or give relief to mo-
notonous life-why, some time such men
do not try the plan just suggested-try it
from purely selfish motives. not as hu-
manitarians. but to give pleasure to them
selves by a novel experience-that Of
making others happy.
AS these lines are being penned, there
comes from the street to the optimist
the melodious- -cadenced song of the ba-
mana man. There is no undertone of wor-
ry in its notes, nor signs of gloom IN his
smiling face. Honest son of Greece or
Italy. your CHEEKY song quiets the thro5-
bing pulse of care, and teaches anew oue
of life's many lessons:
'Tis better to be lowly born.
And range with humble livers in content.
Than to be perk'd up in glistenng grief,
And golden SORROW.