The Washington herald., 1907-06-22
THE OPTIMIST.

without hope there can be no opd-
mism-that much Is clear; without per-
severance and industry there can be no
lutely nc compensation for loss of hope
in a man. How can work-how can
be happy" said a great but miserable
thinker, when I have lost all hope?"
II is hope Of reaching the ultimate goal
that pushes a man on with all his might
to see whether the goal is good. We all
have to wait and persevere; nothing is
to be accomplished in a clap. There is in
the American character a sort Of hope
that something will happen that shall
bring the individual happiness; but things
do not Just happen. II was no miracle
that paid off the mortgage on the farm
lands Of the great West; only the miracle
Of hard work, continuous. persevering
work that saw the hope Of liberty coming
nearer day by day.
Laborers for the public good have TO
work long and patiently. but always
hopefully. Few Of them live 20 see the
seeds they have sown spring into fruiuon.
Sydney Smith, in his curacy when he
thought himself worthy Of better things.
strove for them and gained them. Adam
Smith worked for a lifetime In the dlngy
old University Of Glasgow. and laid the
foundation for his Wealth OF Nations.
but Il was seventy years before the seed
he sowed bore fruit; indeed, the harvest
is not all gathered yet
History is full Of examples Of the men
who have succeeded by perseverance.
The most-quoted instance, perhaps. is
that Of Timour the Tartar, who watched
the spider fall seven times: story
afterward appropriated 10 the honor Of
Robert Bruce. Dr. Young. the philoso-
pher, gave an example Of Il when In
vited to ride. Those with him leaped
their horses over high fence. DR..
Young would fain have followed, but he
fell He got up and tried again, but
again he fell At the fourth trial he
clung 70 his horse. and the fence was
cleared. Remember Audubon. the Ameri-
can ornithologIst, who having in the
course Of years Of study collected over
2) original scientific drawings. found
them all destroyed by the carelessness
Of a servant At first filled with de-
sp0ndency al The labor lost he soon
piucked up heart and himself tells us
that Il took up my gun, my notebook
and my pencils, and went forth 10 the
woods as gayly as if nothing had hap
pened. ! felt pleased that l might now
make better drawings than before; and
ere a period not exceeding three years
had elapsed. my portfolio was again
filed
Instances Of this sort might be multi
piled indefinitely II, indeed, the argument
that no good thing may be accomplished
without perseverance needed proof.
Hopeful perseverance leads TO wisdom,
happy labor, and the wages Of content
ment. SO if one would go through life
with bright optimism one might well
remember Eliza Cooks.
PAY g1odly heed al sc who read.
And beware Of saving can't
lis c0wardly word and apt 20 lead
To idlc1ess, FOLLY and want
To be persistently optimistic and hope
ful and persevering is 10 walk the path
that Nature has outlined FOR man. the
pats which Nature herself follows, and
which finds her always on hand at her
appointed seasons. We. individuals, try
70 reason why we should do this thing
or that, and always the reason is some
what beyond US. All there is for Us 10
do is 10 strive with all our minds, our
hearts, and souls, and 20 have faith
that whatever powers there be" will
not let our efforts 90 20 waste:
"The men vho conseCTates his hours
By vigr1us Effort. and an honest aim,
A. oucs be draws the sting Of life and death;
He walks with Mature and her paths are peaos. Il"