The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-31
CHEERFUL THOUGHTS FOR
 THE NEW YEAR.

Foreigners who visit America for the first time are impressed before all with the levishness of supply on every side, the luxury displayed. They say no other nation has so much money as we have. and no other people spend their wealth so freely. It is true that few of us are consciously aware that we pos sess so much-wealth. yet if we contrast our circumstances with those of indi- viduals of like social standing in other countries we shall see how much better off we are than they. Did you know that the farm products alone of the United States for 1905 amounted to over $6.00o.0 100000? No farm crops in any other country at our time ever were so great.
 To begin. 1t is much to be thankful for this January 1. 1906, that we as a nation are so comfortably off and blessing of blessingsi--that our land is at peace at home and abroad. Think of Russia's New Yeari
 Come, let us resolve to fill all 1906 with cheerful. thankful thoughts!
 You think you as an individual wo- man, maybe, have not much of hope and joy to face 1906 with? Let us see. Suppose you have six children and have to buy pair of shoes for one or another of them every week. Are they all healthy and possessed of good sense neither deformed nor silly nor subject to fits? Oh, be thankful even though they do keep their nose to the grind stone, for here are six little men and women who through you have oppor- tunity to learn life's glorious lesson of achievement. There are your neigh bor's two poor little crippled children, born with spinal disease. There is that hapless idiot in the next street whom for thirty years his mother has tended like a babe--a man in statue. an in fant of three months in intellect. Look on your six rosy. romping ones. among the brightest pupils in their classes, the teachers say. Have you nothing to be thankful for, looking forth into 1e06f
 Maybe you can only afford a plain billed" dinner on New Years day. Do you know there are in this land at least a hundred thousand people who have no New Years dinner at all, that in one part of the country and another there are that many persons every day who have nothing to eat and know not where to get anything? Are you bet ter off than theY9
 Again. suppose New Years day Is for you only one tiny break in a round of toll that continues day in and day out, six days in the week. year after year. in shop. store or office. You can do your accustomed labor without much trouble. It is wearisome. but it gives you a good living and you are secure in your place. You are so busy you do not have time to fret and get into mis- chief like those whose lives are empty and, after all. things are not positively bad with you. Well, when things are not positively bad with us they are certainly positively good. and that is the right way to look at the matter. Think of the plain everyday comforts of life which are certainly yours. re- member how badly off you would be without them and give yourself joy full New Year
 Then, if you work in shop. factory or office you escape many unpleasant eX- periences some women who live at home encounter. Suppose, for instance, you had to live at home and wait on