Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-22
OBSERVERS TIMELY CATCHES
Some Practical Thoughts Collected for
Consumption

To those who can laugh through their
tears
Can smile in the midst of a sigh,
Can mingle their youth with their years,
On the road to the sweet by-and- bye.
Never condemn your neighbor un-
heard, however many the accusations
which H1ay be preferred against him.
Every story has two ways of being told,
and justice requires that you hear the
defense as well as accusation. REM
ember that the malignity of enemies
may place you in similar predicament" |"
----~-------
Why don't men 60 to church? Each
man knows why he doesn't go, but he
does not know why HE neighbors don't
go. There are, however, some com
mon reasons which affect many nom
church going mon alike, and which may
be safely advanced as the reasons for
not going to church which more than
fifty per cent of the male stay-at-homes
would give if asked. The first and
greatest of all reasons is the neglect of
church in youth. The boy who stayed
away from church rarely becomes a
church-going man. Such boy when
he reaches manhood never thinks about
going to church unless there is an un-
usual attraction. More than twenty
five per cent of the men who do not go
to church were not church-going boys.
AS Christmas time is drawing near
let us not forget the many kind words,
acts and love and friendship that has
been showered upon US. Do not let us
forget how much our family and friends
have had TO forgive, the bad temper,
the unreasonableness and the anger
We have received much let us give
much, and let us make up our minds as
the Christmas time returns and reminds
US that we are moving on, that we will
grow kindlier, and more tolerant in
stead of harsher and more disagreeable,
and we will not grow selfish and self
centered.
The kindly words as cheap as dirt, so
give kindly " ord today, and it may
heal some grieIous hurt, and cheer some
pilgrim on his way. There is no profit
in a frown; it never eased load of care;
its memory ay travel down some 9th,
er's heart AM anchor there. The kindly
word you pa 8 along, the pleasant smile
that you bes low, may fill some darkened
life with sorg, and make some weary
bosomglow. You may forget that wor0
and smile, but some one treasures them,
be sure; you'll hear about them in a
while, for through the ages they'll en-
dure. Ii may be in a million years when
you, from whom the kind words flow,
are rooming DER the shining spheres,
and sowing stardust as you go; some
other shape will hail you there, and
cry, across the fleecy floor; "You saved
me from the blaLk despair, when We
were on that lower shorel Your kind.
ness brought me to these heights. where
have sought you far aud wide; through
all my days, and all my nights, Iprayed
for you until died." ]"
Hosea Ballow says that gratitude is
the fairegt blossom which springs from
the soul; and the heart of man knoweth
none more fragrant. A high tribute TO
gratitude, you say? Yes but not as
high as 1t deserves The grateful per-
son who keeps grnen in memory the
many acts of Kindness and resolves to
return them with usury, is not as com
mon as he should be. Mankind is either
too forgetfui, or else too selfish to re-
call the many acts of kindness of which
iA@ AiAD DNIh NAiE ANItft1AlNs az
exceptions TO this rule, and these ex-
ceptions are the honored members Of
the human family If every person
could be made to realize the beauties Of
grateful soul, how many would change
their selfish natures and live for others
instead Of wholly for self. When we
sit by our comfortable fires in our coy
homes We are apt to think that we are
lucky TO be thus eircumstaneed, but we
rarely let our thoughts drift to the
squalid homes Of the unfortunates where
little children, hungry and cold, huddle
close to the stove in which the fire is
rapidly dying out for want of fuel TO
replenisb it. These cold and hungry
children, like Lazarus - old, would be
glad to eat the crumbs that fall from
our table. A long, cold winter is now
here. 1t brings its fireless stoves and
hungry children. Let this spirit take
action, and every person who feels that
his or her station is preferable to that
Of some poor soul in the community,
make that cherries life one Of bright
ness az this articular time.