The Washington herald., 1907-12-18
THE OPTIMIST.

Tears, Surely. al first blush. not an
optimistic subject, and yet what a bless
edness there is in tears. Even a smile
as Landor said. is the more beautiful
with a tear upon II. The tear is rem
dered by the smile precious above the
smile itself" Without going quite so far
as that erratic genius. Bernard Shaw.
who declares that laughter is in truth the
echo OF sorrow and tears the token OF
JOY, one must yet realize that there Is
some truth behind what he says. Byron
saw this when be wrote
When Friendship or lose cur synpathies move,
When truth IN a glance should appear,
The liIs may beguile with dmple or SMILE
But the test Il affections a tear
Nor is il true that tears are a fem
mime Prerogative. The poet who wrote
TAX not q grief bu thou hast seen
strong man shedding tears
Was moved only by the knowledge that
man. hardened by contact with the world
and prone TO lock his joys as well as
his sorrows within his own breast has
come TO think OF tears as an unmanly
show. I like best the attitude Of Aaron
-@-A- 80 AAAo ~AA~AAeAs AAO NAArQ
Hide not thy team: weep boldly and be rrctis
To give the flowing virtue manly way:
lis natures marx. 10 know an honest nan by
Shame those breasts of stone that cannot mel
In soft adoption q anothers s7Tow.
The man who has forgotten how q
weep is. In most cases. so steeped in self.
satisfaction that his chances fo- saliva,
ton are poor indeed Tears-the time.
Of tears-is there a man who cannot looH
baPk on such times and feel his sou
chastened. his heart sOftened. and SCI
that life was made more beautiful there
by? Such griefs as one. may weep for
are in truth Strengthening % the sou
OF man and help him TO go forward
bravely about the business and the bat
tie Of life. Hear Mrs. Browning:
Thank God bless God an ye who suffer not
More griet than &c can weep for. That is wall
That Is light grieying lighter none befeI
since Adam forfeited the primal lot
Iea0' What are tcars1 The babe weeps IN its cot
The mother singing; &C her marriage bell
Ine BRIDE weeps. aud before the oracle
Of hiShfaned hills the poet has forgot
such moisture on his checks Thank God Tor grace
1e Nho weep only, r. as some have done.
Ne gTope tear-Dlinded IN A desert place
And touch but tunbs-leok Up. those tears viii r1r
Soon IN long rivers down the lifted face.
And leave the vision clear for stars and sun.
In very truth mans tears are asso-
ciated with some OF the happiest moments
OF his life, paradoxical as II may seem
The griefs that caused the tears in those
old days are now forgot. and only the
pleasant paTt-such is Gods infinite
mercy-remains 10 comfort Us. Have we
not, broken in spirit. either as youth or
man. knelt and poured out our tears al
woman's knee-mother. wife. sister OF
sweetheart. And with the flowing tears
the pouring heart. has rot pride beer
humbled. consciousness OF our power
seemed more than doubtful. and-througt
blessed tears-we have become once more
trusting and clinsiag even like little chill
dren. and so the nearer God?
Tears are a divine benedictlon and an
aid 70 peace The man who canno;
weep is cruel man and his heart Is
III and hardened; untouched by woes that
fan upon himself he has no soul that
can be reached by the suferings OF
others He has no kindness in his heart
that in divine tears can overflow. Locked
up within himself untouched by emotion
unmoyed By sympathy, unkissed by kind
ness. he stands a solitary being. dry
eyed and grim OF jaw, who. some day
shall feel his vauated power fan away
and pray in vain for Gods good gift OF
tears.