Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02
Sunday Morning Talk
The Luck of the Road.

| In that charming novel recently issued en-
| titled Felicity" and depicting the modern
stage and the life OF the people who figure
| on it, the phrase THE luck of the road"
again and again appears. 1t is frequently
on the lips of the hero Of the book, the Old
Man, and he always uses It to cheer the
members of his company when they get
down in the mouth. His point was that
having accepted the romantic and uncertain
life of their profession. they should not
whine over its outs" but should rather
exhibit sodierly spirit and extract all the
comfort and pleasure they could out of even
hard experiences and situations. And this
genial philosophy governed the Old Man
not only in relations to his troupe, but in
his dealings with all whom he met.
Perhaps theater can sometimes teach
the pulpit a lesson. At any rate, there Is
deal OF gospel sense in this view OF life.
For we are all up against IT. in one way
stay at home. whether we work for our
selves or work for others. whether We wear
broadcloth or homespun. we are all amena-
bic to luck of the road. II we have chosen
a profession or trade there will be some In
evitable limitations and drawbacks con-
nected with it. II we have married a wife
or husband. perhaps he or she will be one
or two notches short Of perfection. II we
have centered all our hopes on some beau
tiful expectation. 1t may fail US; or, II not.
the reality fall far kn below the w e.
in the mood of the little girl who moaned
The world is hollow My doll Is made Of
sawdust. and want to be a nun" :
But Is that the right spirit In which to
meet life as 1t comes to us2 Isn't 1t far
better to accept the luck Of the road, rather
tnen to kick against 1T 1t may help us TO
never so exceptional as 1t seems We all
get In the habit Of looking at our woes
through the end Of the telescope that mag
niies them: and then we reverse the In.
onpf md 1pnk NJ Mt
and how small they seem! But get down to
the heart Of that well-gowned lady OF 20.
ciety, that prosperous business man, ana
maybe his luck will seem as hard as yours.
The longer I live the more l am impressed
with universally Of discipline and sorrow.
If II doesn't come in one form, 1t usually
day after day. but depend upon 1t, the
clouds will come and very few people In
deed are able to live out many years and
never have to look back upon loss disap-
pointment, pain and hardship.
1t helps us also to look for the relieving
features which are seldom absent from
any experience. Standing on the front Of
car the other night, overheard a motor
man complaining about his luck-that IL
was all the one way and that a bad way.
We'll, my friend" l remarked, you look
in mighty good physical condition. I envy
you your physique and Drawn" Yes" he
admitted. II have hardly had sick day IN
few months ago" And you have a
it six years" Well" said I. "a man with
health, home and work isn't 50 badly of
after ALL" And then l thought OF another
carman whom l know, whose wife has been
in the insane asylum for several years.
and whose children have all died. and yet
who never falls to wear a cheerful coun-
tenance. and I said to myself. How tre-
mendously men differ in the way in which
they take their luck!'
And one reason for the difference lies in
the attitude they have toward other PEG
pies hard luck. Lend a hand to the fellow
who IS little worse off than you, and you
will find yourself taking much moro
cheerful view Of your own luck When We
begin to be helpers Of individual human
beings and cease being critics OF the uni
verse In general brighter era In our own
personal history begins.
There is just one more word to be spoken
about the luck of the road, and that is.
that the people who down deep In their
hearts believe that good strong hand
holds the helm Of this universe tho
ones who complain least over what hap
pens Away with the idea that the miscel
laneous events of each passing day that
are fraught with sorrow or JOY for all
mankind simply happen. Let's side with
the man who cried out OF his experience
OF harder luck than most of us have ever
known, "All things work together for good
to them that love God" And let's side
with that greater Man who saw into the
heart Of things when He said, Every
branch that beareth not fruit He taketh
away and every branch that beareth
fruit, He cleanseth it that 1t may bear
more fruit" THE PARSON.