Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-02-26
A SENSE OF HUMOR.

1t "Saves the situation" and Turns
Domestic Tragedy Into Comedy.
1t is impossible to keep human ma
ture at tension forever. The snap
must follow, and consequently it
should occasion no surprise that new
apostles have arisen, preaching the gos-
pei Of good cheer, insisting upon hap
piness as natural element of being
and mer1iment as an important part
Of it's expression, says writer in the
Boston Cooking School Magazine. Ac-
cOrding to the writer, the new gospel,
which is being more and more general
~ accepted, means social and family
regeneration. 1t stands for more
perfect understanding between indj-
viduals, unity Of purpose, new
sympathy of endeavOr and Il better
and deeper affection based upon
clearer knowledge of one another's
traits and characteristics--tha is, of
course, where it is taken at its best
and finest There is another side,
which develops quite the opposite
qualities, and one of the first lessons
which one has to learn is that there is
all the difference in the world between
having fun with the members of ones
own family or ones friends and max
ing fun of them. The one is delight
in which all share alike; the other is a
cruelty which causes one person mOrti-
ficaton and pain, while the others are
hardened in spirit and coarsened in
mind by the very ability to enjoy the
suffering which they intlict.
The ability to see the humorous side
Of domestic hardship and to smile
when the first impulse is to scold or
cry is one of the most fortunate pos
sessions of a house mother and has
saved the situation for her many and
| many a time. What threatened to be
tragedy, or at least mClodrama. las re-
solved itself into pure comedy, and the
recital Of it III the new phase il; family
cOnclave has been a source of unalloy
ed mirth when, had it been presented
| as it first appeared, it would have cast
pail over every spirit
A sense of humor is a saving grace
and, where one does not possess it as 4
natural gift, it should be carefully cul-
| tivated, and that is by no means impos-
sible. If there is one member of the
| family who cannot comprehend q joke
| or see the point to story unless dia-
gram accompanies it, by all means fur
nish the diagram. BY and by it will be
| no longer needed. Sometimes this I'M
apprecative member refuses to accept
the mental handicap and makes believe
| to enjoy all the jokes. because she will
! not admit that she is at all lacking in
that which the rest of the family pos
sesses to such a degree.
| In one family there is standing JOKE
of such venerable age that it is entitled
to respectful consideration. Ever since
the family was, it has been brought out
on occasion and rehearsed for the ben
eft of guests. Everybody always
laughed at it, one of the young daugh-
ters the most heartily of all. What was
the surprise of the family when. one
day after the guests had gone. she said.
II have heard that story of fathers for
| ten years, ever since l was little girl.
but l never saw the point until today"
| There was general exclamation.
But nobody has laughed over it as
you have"
ITO be sure" was the reply. Did
you think l was going to confess my
self the fool of the family|
One goes out of fun loving family
in better mood to meet the trouble
some side of life. The memory of the
laughter, the gay good nature and the
cheer of the breakfast table, the genu-
inc good morning that makes all day
good. help one over many a hard spot,
and, while it does not take from the Sc
robustness of a really grave situation, it
gives one courage to meet it more
bravely and to face it more steadfastly.