Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01
A Little Pig

A Little Pig
-Nades in mud and grows fat. Train him
and nc does tricks on til. vaudeville stage.
An ordinary kitten sleeps in the sunshine
and eats; n trained kitten reads a newspa-
per and plays base bail IN ordinary pup
delights to bark and bite; a trained pup
delights to fetch and carry for his master.
walks on two legs and sits up like a Judge.
From, elephants to canary birds all the big
and little beasties OF the field and the fowls
OF the air can and often have acquired the
power OF doing all manner OF things that do
not belong 10 the ordinary ways of their
l5!Hd.
As puppies and kittens, so men and
women.
Think or the trained hand of the speedy
typewriter Of the expert pianist of the
skilled sculptor. Of the swift needlewoman,
Of the straightforward performer! Think OF
the trained eye OF the artist and the marks
mani OF the trained voice Of the prima
donna, or the orator, or the yentriloquist'
OF the trained. feet of the dancer; of the
trained lungs ANA muscles of the gymnast;
Of the trained legs of the runner: Of Tie
trained arms OF the oarsman of the trained
reason OF the losjciau; OF the trained imagi-
nation Of the poet and ihe inventor,
To be or not 90 be Is not only Prince
Himlets question. Of dying or of not dying
but II is on question OF living or not living;
e do or not to do, to achieve or not TO
achieve; to become or not to become: TO
drift or not 60 drift: that is the question,
IL is all q matter OF using or not using he
materials at our disposal We all have
heads that can be educated. hearts that can
he educated hands That can De educated
There is good ola Alory of two worklnen
who utilized their noon half hour. the one in
Playing with dog and the other in per-
tecting a little idea ia mechanics In time
both succeeded. The one had a little dog
which could do highland filings through the
streets: the other had q little fortune made
al the profits of his invention We can
all play with little dogs or work ont little In
TentIonS The one is daujance; the other
IS achievement
Achievement ia realizing that we can
make more OF ourselves today than we were
yesterday. IL IS -akiug advantage of the
ia't t!ldt HSe become just what we will
Ih7t We can make our minds and bodies
grow siraighg or distorted. lust as p tree
can be made to grow by its gardener
stra ght or distorted.
IT, is embracing opportunities TO feed the
mind and train the body. Il is not quarrel
Ing with opportunities. whether they are
fis or ljtlo II Il embracing tine ppDortuuf-
ties that We have. wei knowing that every
opportunity embraced leads to others that
;ge larger.
Just ms humble work well done in an Office
leads to promotion, 10 loftter work. so
humble opportunities embraced inevitably
lead to greater opportunity. Every faculty
used Increases the power of that faculty.
W hatsoever we sow We are certain to reap,
II not now. later on; Il not in this life. IN
another.
The More We Dwell
on troubles The larger they grow and the
more we find upon which to dwell: the more
we brood over the dark things the darker
and the more numerous they become. The
more We have Ca do with care the more
care we get. IN the end it not only makes
rs morbid. but unbalanced. This is not
only chiJ-chat. 1T is psychology; it is So
SoIace and comfort come from turning
toward the light.
The same earrgy that s. consumed in car
ryjug other peoples troubles or our own
weights OF Worry II differently applied.
would brighten us with a cheer which IN
itself would dissolve many shadows. The
same nerve force that is burned in knitting
c; ows' feet of care and wrinkles OF worry
II made fuel for sunshine would Hlumine
or whole face with peace and gIadness and
quiet.
We grow ike what we contemplate; let
r7 therefore contemplate the true the beau
Itul and the good, LOugfellow said. We
grow like what We contemplate, and others
1'l'- elHpl1t!HB US. grow ike what
ten plate. Let us therefore contemplate the
happy peaceful strong Let US therefore
contemplate The dHuntless. the hopeful the
buoyant. the compIalsant, the serene. the
delightful the sweet. the refreshing If we
wish 10 refresh friend or stranger we must
he refreshing: We must provide thoughts
that are refreshing. The worst troubles are
only spilled milk We may cry our ewes
out but we cannot unspill it. we only get
teavy faces
To some of u troubles appear as the re-
ducrs fire which puTiies the gold from the
drosz, and are hence TO be sweetly permit
ted because they work out far more ex-
Ceediug and eternal weight of glory When
thus conceived. troubles may bring sor-
rows traces on the face, but through them
ever shines patience through suffering.
To others OF us troubles are neither here
nor there they are simply experiences that
teach and train US; they are conditions: they
are bad weather beating outside our hearts
and giving them a certain nourishment
they need, like the rain that feeds the flow
ers. But what difference does the weather
make in the cuntentment of a coy homer
When the day IL bright and fair everybody
sits out on the ycrandas or the lawn When
II Is stormy and cold they gather snugly
around the fireligbt with games and music
Each IS delightful
When thus conceived troubles may come