The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-04-26

that while we have no new expert
ence and no new thoughts and there
are no new situations. yet. each OF
lis is essentially different from every
body else. Naturalists tell lis that
there are no duplicates. No two
things in nature. animate or mani !
mate. human or animal. are precise
lv alike. Therefore We have infinite
variety and nothing is ;" small. So
light. So trivial that t has not its uses.
1t is the habi. ri many excellent
people To look with some contempt
upon the frivolous and irvoiticS. At
various times in lkc worlds history
the experiment OF cNtcrminating them
has been tried: and. in fact. in various
parts ri the world the same expert
mcnt sometimes is undertaken even
now. The old PuritanS attempted
- make lie altogether serious and
solemn. rigid and austcTc and they cS-
.abliS,lcd ir0n-clad and rockbnund
codes 81 conduct and principle and
supported them with ali the power oi
religious influence OF civil and domcs
tic authority. OF the terrorS OF hell and
the hopes or heaven. Against all these
massive. grim and irownirg 1ortltl-
cations the light. unseen waves OF
laughter rippled. the kindlier. brighter.
gentler impulses and instincts OF hu-
manity pressed: and the fortiflcations
crumbled, tumbled and disappeared
and frivolity danced in and claimed
her share OF the human life. even in
New England.
: When we are monotonouS we are
wrong. unwholcsome and unhealthy.
Frivolity and the frivolous have their
places and uses III life. and really are
as important as the proioundeSt phil
osophv. the philosophers and the
mathcmaticians. The girl who swlsheS
her skirts and kicks up her heels and
performs atrocious puns and even
more atrocious music on the stage
is valuable in her way as the serious
theologian who in a cloistered re-
treat gives his mind to the knottiest
and most intricate points of doctrine
or explores the most awful mysteries.
Aside from the fact that she may be
as frequently she is-in private life
sedate and decorous person, faith
full wife with a strong domestic turn
and a watchful mother, realize it is
as useful to make people laugh as to
make them think A life without
thought is empty and barren. a mere
desert: and life without laughter is
dark, desolate and gloomy, mere
dank and miserable cave. Those who
are frivolous as profession and
make frivolity their purpose IN lite
are among the worst, most pervaslve
and tiresome nuisances that af1ict
humanity Nothing is more pathetic
than man or woman come to middle
age to decreptitude with no purpose
but to try to make somebody laugh.
Nothing is more dreary OF ghastly
than joke out OF season or labori-
ously manufactured Maturity or
age without dignity and trying to
caper vivaciously and to grin and
grmace with the abandon of child
hood is even more ridiculous and
painful than a youth which is one
long. giggle. Yet, the people who
are weighed down with their own dig
nifty and unable to unbend from stiff
ness become chronic, and people who
find nothing in life but the serious and
solemn are equally repulsive and un-
profitable.
The Power that created the froWn-
ing and towering cliff gave the same
pains to the fashioning and perfect
ing of the daintest flower that sways
obediently to the zephyrs. The Hand
that made the fierce heart and twisted
the mighty thews of the lion created
the butterfly, cleaning and quivering
in the summer sun. Frivolities are
as necessary and pleasant as the flow
ers and the butterflies. A world all
cliffs and furious lions and a world