Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-03-02

Uu nOuf, ana tDOuEn we must lay all
else aslde-to make others smile. The
sacrifice is only in appearance. No one
finds more pleasure for himself than he
who knows how, without ostentation.
20 give himself that he may procure
for those around lin n moment Of for
getfnlness and happiness.
When shall we be so simply and
truly men as not to obtrude our per
sonal business and dlstresses upon the
people we meet socially? May we not
forget for an hour our pretensions, our
strife. our distributions into sets and
cliqueS--ln short, our "pnrts'-and be-
come ms children once more, to laugh
again that good laugh which does so
much 10 make the world better?
Here feel drawn to speak OF some-
thing very particular, and in so doing
TO offer my well disposed readers an
opportunity TO 60 about a splendid
business. want to call their ut.
iention TO several classes of people
seldom thought of with reference to
their pleasures.
1t is understood that a broom serves
only to sweep, a watering pot to water
plants. Il coffee mill to grind coffee,
and likewise 1t is supposed that Il
nurse is designed only to care for tic
sick, a professor to teach, a priest to
preach, bury and confess. Il sentinel to
mount guard; ana the conclusion Is
drawn that the people given up to the
more serious business of life are dedi-
Gated 10 labor. like the on. Amuse-
ment is incompatible with their actiy-
tiles. Pushing this view still further,
we think ourselves warranted in be-
licving that the inlirm the afflicted,
the bankrupt the vanquishCd in life's
battle and all those who carry heavy
burdens are in the shade, like the
northern slopes Of mountains, and that
It is so of necessity; whence the con-
clusiOn that serious people have no
need of pleasure and that TO offer 1t
20 them would he unsGemly, while us
TO the afflicted. there would he a lack
Of delicncy in breaking the thread Of
their sad meditations. Ii seems there.
fore to he understood that certain per-
sons are condemned to he always Sc
rious, that we should approach them in
serious frame of mind and talk to
them only of serious things. So, too,
when we visit the sick or unfortunate,
we should leave our smiles at the door,
compose our face and manner TO dole
fulncSs and talk of anything heart
rcndinE. Thus we carry darkness TO
those in darkness, shade to those i'm
shade. We increase the isolation of
solitary lives and the mOnOtony Of the
dull and sad. We wall up some exist
ences. ms it were, in dungeons, and
because the grass grows round their
deserted prison house we speak low in
approaching it, as though it were
tomb. Who suspects the work of i'll
formal cruelty which is thus accom-
plishCd every day in the world! This
ought not to he.
When you find men or women whose
painful Office of seeking out human
wrctc' CdnesS and binding M wounds,
remember that they are beings made
like you: that they have the same
wants: that there are hours when they
need Pleasure aud diversion. You will
not urn them aside from their mission
by making them laugh occasionally,
these PEOPLE who SEQ 50 many tears
ami -ricfs. ON the contrary. you will
give them strength 10 20 on the better
with their work.
And when people whom YOU know
are in trial, do not draw sanitary cor
don round them, as though they had
the plague. that You cross only with
precautions which recall to them their
sad lot. On the contrary, after show
ing all your sympathy,Rll your respect,
for their grief, comfort them, help
them TO take up life again. carry them
n breath from the out Of doors-sOme-
thing, in short, TO remind them that
their misfortune does not shut them
off from the world.
And 81 extend your sympathy to
those whose work quite abSOrbs them:
who are. 80 TO put IT, tied down. The
world is full of men and women sac
riticcl ID others. who never have either
rest or pleasure ana 10 whom the least
rclaTItiuu. tlIr slightest respite, is
priceless -nnd. And this minimum of
comfort could be 50 easily found for
thcm If only No thought OF il. But the
broom. you EnJw. Is made for sweep
ing, and II seems ~ though II could
not hc fHtiguod. Let us rid ourselves
Of this criminal blindness which pre-.
vents us from seeing tie exhaustion
OF those who are always In the breach.
Relieve the scuiincls pcrishing at their
posts; give Sisyphus an hour to breathe;
take for moment the place u the
mother, slave 10 the cares Of hcr
house AMI hcr children: sacrifice an
hour Of our sleep FOR some one worn
by long vigiIs with the sick. Young
girl, tired sometimes perhaps OF your
walk with your gOyerncss. take the
cooks apron and give her the key to
the fields You will at once make 9TH
crs happy and bc happy yourself. We
20 uncOnccrncdly along beside our
brothers who are bent under burdens
we might take upon ourselves for
And this short respite would
suffice to sOaihc aches, rcyiyc Tie flame
Of joy in many heart aud open np
wide place rDr hrJtIcglinC sF. How
much better would ono undo, and an
OtEc' II llc knew how TO put himself
EcHiily In ihAt others place. and how
mich more pleasure there would be in
life.
/ have spoken too fully elsewhere