The Washington herald., 1907-07-16
THE OPTIMIST.

There is no use being optimistic about
cheerful subjects; any one can do that
The beauty OF the optimistic viewpoint
is that it allows us TO see the good
where it is so minute that the pessimistic
eye could not discover IL through a
microscope. 1 have in view particularly
the subject of bores. on which learned
authors have written much. And yet ii
is a subject that is by no means ex-
hausted. There are few crosses We have
TO bear in this world harder than this
one OF boredom. inflicted by man who,
without exception. is always eaten up
with selishness; mean. parlous nature,
TO whom his own griefs, sorrows, and
petty difficulties seem to bulk large
enough to ill the world.
The astonishing thing about the average
bore is not that he talks so much, but
that, avoiding so many words, he finds
so little 10 say. Never does the bore stop
talking long enough 10 consider that
words without thoughts never to heaven
60 The sound OF the bores voice, duly
mOnOtOnOus. usually finding fault, dries
Up the we'll springs of affection and does
moro than most things 10 kin the love
that man should feel for his fellows:
oh he's as tedious
As tird horse, railing wife
Worse than & smoky house, had rather live
With cheese and garlic. IN a windmill. far,
Than feed Oh Gates. and have him talk 20 me,
In any summer house in Christendom."
And the bore is so longwinded. too.
How we all dread his coming and look
forward with eagerness 10 his going.
Again I hear that cracking step.
He's rapping az the door.
Too well know the boiling sound
That Ushers in a boFe.
/ do not fTembie when ! meet
The stoutest q ny f0es.
But heaven defend me from the friend
Who comes-but never goes"
In that verse J. @. SAKE expresses the
universal feeling about bores. And yet
they are but human. after ALL The
faculty Of boring people. Il behOUves Us
optimists to believe. is something Ike a
disease We do not willingly 90 into the
sick chamber OF our friends. Il Is not
a pleasant place to be. but they can't
help being i'll any more than the bore
can help being just bore.
II IS pretty thankless TO say that We
should make the best even Of this speci-
men Of humanity, but optimism viii help
us nightly in this. The pessImist, like
the Pharisee. would pass the bore by o.
the other side, but il Is the duty Of the
optimist to act the part Of the good Sa-
marian and TO try and get the bore 10
partake Of some Of the spiritual oil from
our cruise. which We, by experience, have
found helps so much TO ease the grind
Ing wheels Of life. At least optimism
win teach Us not to despair; even a bore
may be cured. and though the man may
be impossible, his qUerulOGsness rob you
Of yoar appetite, his fault finding take
away the SAVIOR from the salt Of life. il
may be that in other aspects the bore is
a good man. Il does not follow that he
is-but he may be-and il behooves us TO
give TO him the benefit Of the doubt.
He may have children about his knee 10
whom his idle prattle is real wisdom; a
fond wife may hang upon his words and
try to heal his ailments: and. after all.
you know, he can't go on talking for
ever
There! I knew there was ground for
nope somewhere. II really takes an opti-
mist 10 realize that even a bore must be
much the same as other men when
night falls and he is asleep.