Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-16
Be Grateful.
Let's be grateful.
W.T.

Let's be grateful.
Why?
1t does US good
Nothing swells the heart with kindness
Like genuine gratitude.
Nothing so shuts it up to its own mis-
cradle Sellshness as ,ingratitude.
Tile more thankful IL man feels, the
more things he sees to be thankful for.
We are never happier than when we are
grateful.
SO let's be grateful.
But for what?
That depends. If You live in a COM
Portable house which you are so happy as
to own, and If you have SO much money
that You need never worry about food
and raiment, then think of the woman
whose daily, nerve-racking problem is
how TO still the hungry voices of her lit
tie children who cry for food: and how
to keep their little forms from shivering
with cold; and how to put the landlord
off another month yet, until she shall be
strong enough to earn little money-a
mere 50 or $40, perhaps, which you
would spend on theater tickets in one
week, but which she would hail with
fearful eyes and heart bursting with graf
itude because it would mean roof over
her head for at least another month.
There are thousands Of such women
who deserve a kinder rate. Think Of
them, and If it does mot make you CRATE
full for your own possession-and grateful
with the only legitimate gratitude, which
IS the willingness to share your goods
with the peof-then you deserve neither
your possessions nor the blessing of a
warm, grateful heart.
But suppose you have none of these
agreeable superfuities of existence Early
and late you must work to keep the wife
and little ones decently clothed and fed
It's a hard struggle for you and her, too,
and sometimes you think you must give
up Don't. Be glad you have each other
where lies a cold, shrnuded form whose
eyes are closed to you forever. and whose
voice YOU will never hear again in this
world.
There are such sad homes in plenty,
and their inhabitants would, oh. so glad
erty if SO they could clasp again in their
arms the living, breathing forms Of
those they love.
Think. then, of those sad homes and
be thankful for each other, until thank
fulness shall bear fruit in courage and
in greater tenderness for those whom
you are permitted to keep yet awhile.
But suppose you are alone in the
world, with neither family, friends nor
possessions Then be thankful for what
you are! a man of sound mind, of clear
brain. of true heart and strong right
arm. mas that to De gfaTe1ul Tor TOR
which many a millionaire might envy
him. Be glad your honesty is uneor-
rupted, your moral sense acute and Your
principles clean. If you can be thankful
for an upright. free and untrammeled
manhood you have lot to be thankful
for in this day and generation.
Does that make you hang your head
and wonder if You actually have the
right to be grateful on that score? Or
does 1t make YOU laugh ScOrnful1y and
say you ,would be a fool to be grateful
for being the miserable failure that you
are!
Then be thankful for what you can
be-
There is no limit to that Self-respect
position. friends, influence and power
are yours if you care to have them.
No matter what you are, be thankful
for what you can be. And be SO thank
full that You will set straightway about
making yourself 4 Just cause for graft
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin