The Washington herald., 1909-08-15
BY THE OPTINIIsT.

most secrets of the soul, but the man
who wears a smile Is the man who is
brave enough 10 hide his sorrows and his
vexations from the world. and, putting on
a cheerful front. goes forth to fight Hfes
betties-and TO win
The value Of a smile Is measured by the
need. Sometimes the sight OF smiling
face changes the whole trend OF your
mind. II you have been worrying over
money matters. business cares, or have
household anxieties which are bothering
you constantly, you need smile If the
face OF your neighbor is plunged in gloom
and you have only him to look at. the
world seems very black indeed. II his
countenance is wreathed In smiles, no
matter how badly you yourself may feel,
there Is somehow the suggestion OF q
break in the darkness and through that
sunny smile the silver lining Of the cloud
peeps through.
What a wonderful thing a smile Isl
Some one, whose name cannot for the
moment recall has described very beau
tifully a baby's smile, and has said that
II breaks into a thousand pieces, which
the fairies gather up and use for Jewels.
Unhappy indeed is the man or woman to
whom a baby's smile cannot appeal, who
cannot feel the heart expand under its
sunny infection.
What a helpful thing Il IS. too! The
man who can go about his daily tasks
with a smile on his face IS the man who
VIII be successful IN those tasks II
makes very little difference TO the smil-
ing optimist whether he encounters snags
while In the performance OF his duty; he
has 8 cure for them. He just smiles and
the cares vanish. Inwardly he may have
his misgivinEs, but the world shall never
know that. He Is determined to win. and
he feels that the world loves a winner
but that II has no use for a hard loser
So he smiles on and eventually wins, and
when the world praises his endurance
and his pluck he still smiles and knows
that the real reason for his success IS
the smiling heart and cheerful counte-
nance that no kept toward his fellow
men.
You can use a smile anywhere 7 know,
my fellow-opumists, that none OF you
wish TO be the possessor OF n chronic
grin. but II you accustOm yourself 70
smiling. the smile viii become something
more than mere facial contortion. The
smile comes from the heart and Is seen
first In the eyes. Look into a mans eyes
when he smiles and you win see what IS
behind the smile Unfortunately a smile
81 sometimes mask for hypocrisy for as
Shakespeare says. a man can smile and
smile and be q villain" But such a man
is soon discovered, for appearances are
deceitful. but a mans acts will always
find him out
know that the members Of The Wash
ington Herald Optimist Club know how
10 smile. They couldn't be optimlsts
otherwise. and into the club OF cheerful.
smiling members we invite the heartsiclI
and the weary, so that we can teach
them 10 smile. We want 70 show them
that this earth Is a good place 10 live in.
that the whole face OF nature IS one broad
and genial smile, even though sometimes
the storms gather and the smile is hidden
from view. Does not Lander say. "A
smile IS ever the most bright and beauti-
ful with a tear upon It. What IS the dawn
without ,he dew? The tear is rendered
by the smile precious above the smile
itself"
Smiling through tears Is a sure sign or
the smiles triumph. No matter how deep
the sorrow the smile follows after as
surely as the next morning follows the
night
Smiles make lighter the burdens OF life
All humanity Is oppressed with some kind
OF labor; often the yoke Is more than hu-
man nature can endure. II is then that
the value OF a smile Is enormous. The
faintest ray Of sunshine IN the lives Of
those who toll and slave and whose lives
are sorrowful and heavy brings llghtness
10 the load.
Fellow-optimists you know how 20
smile. Teach your neighbor that he must
not entirely depend upon the smile OF
others for help, but that the smiles must
come from within himself. Smiles Will
surely help him 10 win.
Truth" has been selected as the topic
for next Sundays contest. Contributions
should be received not later than noon Of
next Wednesday
Don't forget that welcome suggestions
from the members regarding subjects for
the Sunday discussions. There may be
something that appeals strongly 20 one
OF you that would prove helpful TO the
rest Of the club. We all want the opti-
mist page 10 be an expression Of each
members best thoughts and favorite quo
tations
I want 20 say just a word 10 the mem
hers about writing On both sides OF the
great many contributions in the waste
basket on this account. q thing I regret
exceedingly 90 do. but the peculiar re-
quirements Of the printing department
render It absolutely necessary. For your
own sakes as well as my own trust you
will bear this matter I'm mind and write
only on one side Of the paper.
The prizes for contributions on The
Value OF a Smile" have been very difficult
10 award. SO many were excellent and
helpful But I am inclined to think YOU
will agree with me that the poem sent in
by Mary W. Darg. Of 459 G. street north
west. is worthy Of first prize. Here IS
the contribution.
It's easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows along like a song.
But the one for me is the one who'll
smile
When everything goes wrong.
For the test OF the heart is trouble,
And that always comes with the years.
And the smile that is worth all the praise
of earth
Is the smile that shines through tears.
For second honors I have selected the
short essay by Powell Rogers, 1871 New
Jersey avenue as follows:
A smile is invaluable and cannot be es-
timated, being far more 10 the world than
all OF its precious jewels, gold and in
cense. For what would be the effect II
all humanity would never smile? Life
would be like the springtime without its
flowers, its foliage. its birds: the day
without It's sun; the night without its
moon and stars; It's rainbow Of the hu-
man nature. Il dispells gloom. despair.
discomfort. and inspires hope faith. cour-
aEe' confidence, ambition. effort. An open.
candid smile has turned many a human