The Washington herald., 1907-12-03
THE OPTIMIST.

LIE VI l. iIfllO L.
Ia spite Of the fact that that wise
statesman. Beaconsheld. told us that.
Change is inevitable in progressive
country. Change is constant" there are
many who set up for sage philosophers
who would decry all change and seek 10
deny that change is inevitable in pro-
gressive life. One of the favorite max
inns Of these old fogles is: "A rolling
stone gathers no moss" A very coward
Of a maxim, as II the gathering Of moss
or, to speak the parable out hOnestly-the
acquisition OF wealth. were the one de-
sirable thing in this life Of ours
Who is there that looking back upon his
life cannot see the way Uttered with
much mental camp-baggage that he has
thrown aside2 There was a time-doubt-
less. we can, perhaps. very well remem-
Der it-when we were quite sure that In
gersoIl had more logic than Moses. when
we thought that Walt Whitman was
greater than Shakespeare. and Lord By
ron. dying for the GreS1,s, a greater hero
than Alexander. Shall we be ashamed
because we have reached that stage IN
life where we think that our youth was
mistaken? What do we hold today we
think. perhaps. that a well-turned essay
is Of more interest than the fincst
novel; that biography is better reading
than a history OF travel; that a comforta-
bic seat by the fireside with a bottle OF
mellow wine az our elbow is greater joy
than furling a topsail in half a gale in
the North Atlantic Ocean. 1t is a ques-
ton of change, you see. The rolling
stone Of the body we may control II we
but cultivate some sort of Cowardice and
are afraid 10 front life boldly. but the
rolling stone Of the mind shall turn over
and over, ever moving onward. I ike
StevensOn's utterance on this question:
In the course of time we learn 20 love things we
hated and TO haze tlings we loved. u is
decidedly harder o. Climb trees. and not nearly 20
hard 10 sit STILL There Is no US pretending even
The thrice r05al game II hide ana seek mas some
how lost its zest All our attributes are modified
OF changed and lt VIII Dc a p0or account If uur
views do not modify and change in proportion To
hold tie same views az f0rty held a. twenty
Is o have becn stupchcd Tor score 0f years. and
take rank. not a prophet. but as an uuteachzble
brat well blrchei and none the wiser
Yes, that is what life means-change;
and there is nothing IA that fact 10 re-
gret at all. There is a certain sort OF envy
that IS part of every mans nature, so
that there are times when We cannot
forbear 10 compare our lot with that OF
our neighbors-usually our more fortu-
nate ones. Still, if We have really learn
I'd something about living and its rela-
tive values would We changer
That man has saved his money and he
has an account which makes his banker
dof hats to him on the street. but what
has he paid Tor n? You cannot tel what
the price has been. but you can know
that while be has been piIing up the coins
safely in neatly ordered rows other men
have been spending them and making
them ring true upon the worlds counters.
Prudence is a fine thing, but, like other
virtues IL may b. carried to excess
The time is coming when We shall
either grow old OF cease 70 grow at all;
in which latter case. the pother is all
done with and 80 10 more. But suppose
life. still clinging 70 Us, and our bank
account 10 be comfortable. and-then
what2 May IL not be possible. then, that
a man should regret having been so prU-
dent in his life2 The show. the gallant
show Of life. is still there. but the eyes
legs refuse 10 carry us 10 the fair. and
even II we We're 10 SIT down 10 the ban
Quet we should be Obliged 10 spoil the
taste Of the viands with some nauseoUs
dose for indigestion.
Youth is the time for vagaries. FOR
pleasure. for folly. and no man need
repent that De has used his youth in ac-
quiring a taste OF these things. Not 20
have known life on many sides is not 70
have really lived The lad who never
hshed. or stole away 20 swim, or adven-
tured forth into the world in quest Of
robbers, has not really tasted boyhood.
He was born prig. and dies with life
unused. Youth is the time for living
/ handsomely. Tor the enjoyment Of eyes
that are bright and smiling. and lips
that speak 10 Us in ecstatic poetry. Not
70 know these things is To misuse our op-
portunities.
The world changes day by day Let Us
change with il and be not afraid that
we shall be charged with inconsistency
/ because what we held yesterday we shall
/ know tomorrow 70 have been untrue.
( But while We believe, let Us work for our
( belief:
Not in vain the distance beckons forward forward
let range
Let the great world spin forever down the ringing
grooves = change.