The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-12-27

"a
q Sssssz1zzs1s~ q tasks and Father Time is
saz'sznuEuEzaS always catching up and
getting ahead of US in spite of his adj
vanCed age.
1t is always the same old story!
Spring surprises us with its BIOS
SONS and its bursting brooks and then
summer has come and gone before we
know it.
Very few of us stop to think that
this swiftness of time in its passing
indicates that we are really living
rather than lolling through life.
1t is only when the days hang upon
our hands that we know how blessed
are those other times when We have
to make lists Of the many things we
have to do and get up early mornings
to begin them.
OF course we are likely to complain
that We get so little done, especially
at this time, when the calendars tell
us that another 365 days have become
part of yesterdays 1000 years.
We look back regretfully and repine
that we have so little to record in the
way Of achievement, beyond the mere
act of living from day to day and from
week to week.
But living in the right spirit, striv-
ing, II not always accomplishing and
completing the tasks We set ourselves,
is nothing to regret.
1t comes near to that simple life
that sounds so grand and inspiring
when it is lived in the woods, but
which is quite as fine when lived In q
big city.
There is no doubt that when we try
to set up standards of happiness and
contentment and peace at the close of
year that has had it's riffs of sun
shine and it's stretches of shade, that
it is impossible to put wealth, or fame,
or success, personal popularity, beauty
or even health itself forward as the
great, good thing that makes life worth
living.
The thing that counts is the ability
and the desire to feel an interest in
things, in events and persons-in the
game of life itself.
All the other blessings pail unless
that interest remains. 1t is very close
II akin to health for it is part of
youth, of vitality, of life.
1t has become the general practice
to speed the departure of the old year
with every indication of rejoicing, well
coming in the new with acclaim and
expressions of satisfaction.
II 10 natural and wholesome to look
forward. but those of us who wish to
include the brick Of gratitude in the
building Of our characters should learn
to omit our complaints of the luck the
old year has brought us.
In truth, the new year will be to a
great extent like the old-what we
make 1t and how we take it.
Things will happen in accordance
with the same laws that guide this big
earth of which we are small part.
So We can greet 1908 in a calm and
happy manner, rather than with any
manifestations of frenzied JOY at its
coming, and let us have the good man.
ners to speed our parting guest, 1907,
politely.
With all his faults we know him for
what he was and the new year is as
yet stranger to us.
We can hope and believe that all
good things will come with him, but
let us avoid the hackneyed congratu-
lation on the passing of twelve
month that probably treated us better
than we deserved.
The dawning of another January is
invariably the time for what are called
good resolutions" which translate
themselves into rash promises, usually
broken before the new year is well un-
der way.
That was the old-fashioned way of
expressing an inclination to reform
ones bad habits and people kept on
from youth to old age making these
good resolutions every 31st of Deem
Der, finding themselves each year fur
Their from perfection than ever.
Good resolutions are not SO preya.
lent, or at least not so noisy as they
used to be at this time.
They have become popular material
for the comic papers and everybody
knows what joke they are.
Nevertheless, the close of year is
a capital time for look back, a retro
spect in which we can see the faults
that are on the mend with us, or the
ones that have persevered and grown
stronger.
Maybe some new tendency has
sprung up which does not promise
WELL
At all events II we are able to get
| new view of our charactars O,