The Washington herald., 1909-02-21
By THE oPFIaHsF.

and up!ifting-is what I ofIer you to-day.
Surely there are none Of Us so downcast
OF gloomy but We may find among the
many beautiful and fine compositions
which have come to me from many
sources, North. South. East, and West,
something that viii induce a smiling
face, laughter in the heart. and q serene
trust in the ultimate purposes Of God
Since our contests started I think you
viii agreg with me that we have not had
6 more helpful or hopeful page than this
which nave the honor. by your generous
help. Of presenting TO you to-day. It
should make US all feel better. And am
glad, too, that this pageone Of the most
widely read and best enjoyed pages OF the
Sunday edition OF The Washington Her
ald-shows by your help and interest a
constant progression. This is as It should
be. That is as all good optimists would
have It be. For this page Is undoubtedly
growing into a mighty force for good, and
we may surely look forward 10 the time
when these hopeful utterances shall reach
into the homes in every part Of this wide
continent.
There Is one matter I want TO speak
about. although it is a trifie unpleasant.
because Il affects in a measure the good
clean spirit that should animate every
member Of the Optirnist Club. I received
2 letter from Miss Edith Y. Bradt. to
whom was awarded two weeks ago the
first prize in our contest. The CommUni-
cation which this lady sent was quoted.
though she did not recall the source from
which il was taken Under the rules gov
erning our contest. as I have distinctly
stated several time. contributions. both
quoted and original. are eligible The rea-
son for this is that I wanted, as I am
sure the rest Of you fellOw-members do.
the best thoughts on the subjects as
signed. But Miss Bradt has been dis
tressed by the receipt Of a letter charging
her. by Implication at least, with unfair
ness. The letter 20 Miss Bradt is anony-
nous. L IS signed simply and most map
propriately Fair Play. According to
my way Of thinking the last thing an op-
timist should be guilty Of IS the writing
Of an anonymous letter. The complaint
contained in the anonymous letter is ab-
solutely unjust UnwarTanted, and Un-
founded. and I can only hope. for the
sake Of our good membership. that the
writer IS not a member Of OUT club. I re-
gret exceedingly that Miss Bradt should
have been distressed by this COmmUniCa-
ton. which I thank her hereby for for
wardlnE TO me But I would urge her
and other members OF the Optimist Club
10 remember that a person who has not
courage enough 70 sign his name 10 a
letter he writes has not character enough
20 make what he says worthy of consid-
Grafton
To Offset this one jarring note this
week. I wish could tell you Of the great
number Of beautiful and hopeful letters
the Optimist has received-letters which
tell Of the sunshine and hope which our
optimistic page has carried 20 many
homes. 7 am so convinced by these let
JeTs Of the wonderful usefulness Of the
work that We are doing that / am seri-
oUsly thinking OF letting the Sunday op-
tinist page grow into TWO pages. I think
we shall have 10 do that before long TO
give you al a chance 10 express your
selves I should be glad. too. 10 receive
any suggestions from members of the
club as 70 any method by which you
think the page may be made more useful
or may extend its sphere OF usefulness.
And now as 10 the Optlmist button.
regret exceedingly 20 say that there viii
be still q little delay before the buttons
are ready for delivery TO you I believe
that We should get them this week. and
as the week progressed sent a telegram
~ AAAc l-Ao-lL-AAtlt Us 2lSA4LE dDDlL Lile
delivery. i received the following letter:
Replying n your telegram of yesterday. b,z 70
advise the following vire from the house tls NON
in- II answer 70 yCurs. which forwarded last
night Cannot ship Washington Herald butt5Hs
until 55tL instant This is dUe % the SPECIAL
WOTk thc- Is Necessary 70 have YOUR button give
satisfaction ard 20 be made according % sketch
S7bmitrCd. We TETct the delay Fery much ard
Jrust II VIII not incoureuience you II any Nay.
And so you see. feIlow-Optimists. that
IN spite of my best endeayOrs cannot
set the buttons 10 you as early as had
hoped I am quite sure. however, that
you viii all be pleased with them when
You do get them. 7 an glad 10 say that
I have received numerous letters from
members OF the club commencing the de-
sign We have chosen. and I an quite sure
that you VIII Ike the reality much better
than the counterfeit presentment which I
showed you last Sunday
On. just one other thing Don't forget
that We have another contest on. and be
sure 10 get your contributions on 'Provi-
dence" in as early as possible. Il IS a big
subject and should offer an inviting field
10 oPtimsSts. The contest closes Wednes-
day. February o.
Now Is 10 our prizes this week II I
were asked 10 analyze the reasons which
imPel me to award first, second. OF third
I
should probably be at loss 10 do so As
you have seen. prizes have sometimes
gone 10 original contributions and some
times 20 apt quotations Literary style.
neatnesS in transcription whether the
contribution Is typeWritten or not. wheth-
eT II comes from far or near. does not
seem 20 matter az all Il must be.
think. largely a matter OF feeling, and I
think this week that the majority OF YOU
fellow-opumists viii agree with me that
7 nave done right in awarding the first
prize to J. ". Beal. box % Durbin. W
Va, for the following rather remarkable
human document Don't all Of you wish
with ne that the prize may help?
Several days ago ! visited boy OF six
teen whose foot had been crushed by ma
chineTy and afterwaTd amputated. His
smile gave cheer TO the room and the
couch where he lay.
He told me. pleasantly. OF how little Il
had hurt, how we'll il was healing. and
that ne had ordered his crutches. Next
day I saw him at his home, where he had
been carried by two men, His crutches
had not come. but a man was making
him q pair, he told me triUmphantly. The
next day the crutches were made. bat
were TOO long. He explained, with a
smile, how easily they could be short
ened, and then, after all, he would soon
get an artificial foot and would then not
need his crutches at all
The second prize. Of g goes to r. D.
Jones. Of Twenty-seccnd and Y streets
northwest, for the following verse:
You gave on the way a pleasant smile
And thought no more about it:
X cbeered a life that was sad the while
That might have been wrecked without il +:
And SO for the smile and its fruitage fair
You'll reap q palm some time. omewhere-