The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1904-12-30
D The Old Year
and the New


things to many people.
Tragedy and comedy have PLAYED
hide and seek in the most unexpected
places. Joy and sorrow have gone
hand in hand in many lives. Wishes
have not ended in fulfillment even
when most confidently expected; and
Fortune, with her usual fiCkleness, has
smiled where her presence was hither.
to unknown.
The passing year has brought nany
gifts there was no refusing On Some
it shOwered blessings until all the
world was golden to its favorites, and
life a happiness so great it crowded
out all remembrances of griefs that
were old, or yet to be born, To Others
it has been the graveyard of dead
hopes, the burying ground of happi
ness, the final resting place of energy
ambition and ideals. To all it has
brought some experience that forever
will stand monument-like in our lives
to mark the birth of new capacities
within ourselves for good or evil; the
awakening of some powerful influence
for veal or woe.
Twelve short months, and how much
they mean! A few hundred ard some
odd days, and hundreds of lives are
marred forever, or made happy for a
time. Lived we'll and proftably, they
have brought contentment and clear
conscience to help us face the coming
year and buoy us up in the sturdy
faith that the future cannot but be as
bright as was the past. Ill-spent, those
few short months have banished hope
from many life, and dimmed many
an illustrious name. 1t is the mistake
Of the moment that makes the misery
OF a lifetime, nor can repentance
brighten it again. Few of US are capa.
BILE Of planning evil. but many of US
succumb to the unexpected opportu.
nifty. The strong withstand. the weak
falter and fall, and yet the world in.
the same stern standard of right and
wrong, with no allowance made for
weakness. It is so easy to be good
when one has all one wants, so simple
to resist temptation that has no allure.
ments, so comforting to sit in the con.
scious rectitude that knows no dispo.
sition to evil, and condemn those
whose lives are a constant struggle
to do the things they ought not to do,
and in whom one triumph is greater
moral victory than lifetime of right.
eousness on the part of the untempt.
ed.
We all have we'll defined wish at
this season of the year to turn clean
page in the book of life, to improve,
if possible, to perform miracles Of
kindness and goodness.
The universal desire is to be at
peace with mankind. To succeed one
must temper justice with mercy, until
the accepted position is reversed and
it is mercy which is tempered with
Justice. To ourselves we cannot be
too severe; to the faults of others, too
lenient. By our own mistakes let us
measure the misdemeanors of those
about us. Let us profit by the temp
tations we have met, returning thanks
for the courage which has helped US
to withstand some, from our failures
gathering fresh courage for new at.
tempt Each heart knows its own bit
terness. A deep stratum of sorrow
often lies close to the fairest surface.
Of the knowledge born of our expert
ence we must be generous, and deal
gently with the failings hardest to
understand in others. Charity cover.
eth much, but alas, in too many cases
it is a garment worn threadbare at the
seams, and in holes in many places.
To keep it whole and capable of shell.
tering the needy is a task that would
proftably fill the next year for those
of us who will undertake it; and
there should be many such, if we
were only honest enough to some
times make the allowances for others
we never fail to make for ourselves.
IF there be some weaker one. give
me strength to help her on" is a wish
that is charitable. practical and kind
ly, and would make a splendid device
for 1905.