The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-12-04

Wo VIII Cypress Un0 poor, Duy pictures,
old china, cracked jugs, lords, dukes
and fancy dogs in the mistaken idea
that they mean happiness. We. may
want wealth in order to make
pleasure and amusement our only OBJ
ject; we will pursue both until the
springs of our being dry within us and
before long we will find that pleasure
no longer pleases and amusement fails
to amuoe. There is no pleasure in life
for the man who can afford everything.
There is hardly smile left in him un-
less he can now and then introduce
something to make him forget that he
is millionaire. He learns that with
vast wealth comes the WEAKNESS of be-
ing unable to find happiness in merely
having money.
There is no doubt that men need to
fortify themselves against the demor-
alizing influences of great wealth.
Apart from the vulgarity of the per-
petual emblazonings of the rich, it is
mischievous and hurtful to many
classes. The shop girl and the poor
| clerk who read of the glittering lives
of wealthy men and women set up q
false standard of the aim and end of a
successful life. Their dream is to do
likewise, to be the possessors of luxury,
to have manners suited to their wealth,
that is to say, keyed up to the exact
pitch of superfine insolence. Nothing
higher, more intellectual, no duty as
citizens, no question. of education or
refinement and no claim of humanity
appeals to them.
The impression that they alone are
successful who amass great wealth is
an errof-in our present day education.
We are told that unless we accumulate
vast sum Of money we are hopeless
failures, and the careers of men of
immense wealth, whose lives from q
moral standpoint are frequently a
disgrace to civilization, are held up
for our emulation. Now to my notion,
the millionaire, as rule, is not an
ideal parsonage. At any rate, the
successful man is not necessarily a
rich man, but one who is rich in friend
ship and goodness. The disadvantages
of poverty are well known. It is fool
ish to envy people who, with all their
money, are slaves to false ideals in
life.
We sheuld improve our condition.
but should not forget the real meaning
of the word happiness. Neither should
anyone be discouraged against accu-
mutation of money to certain extent,
for it is possible to be millionaire
and at the Same time be content; that
is, by making right use of wealth. In
chasing the almighty dollar we should
remember that, in the eyes of eternal
justice, every one added to our pile is
so much added to our duty to the rest
of the world, and that even with our
freedom from the daily grind, to say
nothing of thes power and fame onr
money brings, we are no better than
our fellow men. We should also bear
in mind the fact that it is not the soft
bed of the rich man which gives re-
freshing sleep, but quiet conscience
and serene trust.
| 1t is what we have in our hearts, not
what We have in our pockets, that
makes us enviable. A large bank ac-
count is very fascinating, but the means
of happiness do not lie therein. It has
been truly said that, "The enchant-
ment of life has its source in< heart
beats, not in gold" We wrong our
selves and waste both time and energy
in making accumulation the sele aim
of life. 1t is impossible that the world
is so arranged that dollars will buy
what the poor need as well as the rich.
The most desirable things must be
within reach Of all, and l am sure that
lii we toll from day to day and bend
our shoulders to the burden of hard
ship, we ought to, and can, have great
comforts and great joys. Even if we
are not millionaires, we can still have
many things which cannot be bought
and certain quietness of soul which
the poor man perhaps alone enjoys.
Even If we are not millionaires, and
the way seems dark and stormy, we
may rest calmly in the watchful care
OF providence and feel in the inner
depths the touch Of strsng guiding