The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-06-23

troubles, sufferings, pa in and dis
ease?" Quite so! But we must not
forget that man alone is the author
of sin and consequently we must reap
where we have sown. Nevertheless,
we CAN be happy even if our environ
ment is not such as we would like it
to be. 1t is not difficult to be hap
py, neither is it expensive and what's
more it's most healthy. Then why
should we be unhappy if happiness
is neither expensive nor difficult to
be? Why not try to be happy wher-
ever you may be, whatever the cir
cumstances in which you may be sit
uated? Where is the manor wo-
man who would not be happy?
AS [ have just said, happiness is
not expensive, though gayety, often
is. You cannot purchase happiness,
h hough ON men and women
think SO and they sigh for life of
pampered ease and perfumed luxury
in silken nest. Then, after a | l.,
what is happiness? Webster says:
Felicity" blessedness," bliss, T"
but we want more definite descrip-
ton so that we can fully understand
what it is and how it exists. Happi-
ness is state of being which we are
apt to confuse with gayety, mirth,
pleasure and the like. We must not
confuse it with any of the above
mentioned words, but rather link it
with that supreme quality which is
our highest word, Love, which signi-
fies God. Yon cannot truly be un-
happy if you love; it is more likely
you will be unhappy if you hate. To
be happy is to be good. If you are
good you will have happiness. To be
happy is our sole aim in life, (at least
mine) and unless we get some hap
piness every day now, we will never
be able to find it on any tomorrow
1t is that celestial state of being, thai
rapture which is heaven-made and
/ falls upon us most abundantly in
youth. 1t is also state Of bein G
which seems to overpower all anal
ysis, although we can all through life
receive our full measure. The more
exalted our life the purer our happi
ness, which at its height is bliss.
| Yet the remembrance of our vi
sions of past happiness outlasts al
other remembrances and as Emerson
says, is a wreath Of flowers on thu
oldest brows.' Nevertheless, it is
strange fact when we revise our eX
periences we find that in our lif'
book there is no fairer page than tha
of the delicious memory of pure ant
innocent happiness. But whateve
, our experience may be, none OF II
| ever forgets the visitations OF that ce
lestial rapture to our hearts, whicl
| seemed to make all things so new an'
| fresh, which presented Nature in. he
most radiant form.
: Happiness remakes the world fo
t the youth. 1t makes all things alive
i. significant. 1t expands sentiment
r It's existence makes the world rich
, 1t is the full bloom of the flower Q
e pure thoughts, kind deeds and broth
erly love. What do we mean whe
n we say: We are SO happy?" Is it nc
e because we feel so? For it is not S
y much IN our will as above it. 1t
T not you, but the RADIANCE OF Yot
: True happiness enlarges its circle
S like pigeons ascending for fligh
! There are times when ones happ
a ness is dependent on person c
! persons. The effect of indulging
O this celestial state of being, this h,
+, man affection, is a certain cordial e,
i hilaration. In music, poet try an
/ healthy and friendly conversation
l. the emotionsof benevolence and con
: placency which we feel tow ards othel
r and these fine inward irradiations
II happiness, are more active, MOI
n cheering.
N In any house where virtue al
e selfrespect abide, there surely wi
,e you also find happiness. There ca
t, be no happiness in any home whel
, selfishness, quarrelsomeness. decei
e. fulness and malice abide. These sin
st ply destroy happiness and hence NAL
ID life miserable and unworthy of Il
rs name of life which our Creator i
re tended should be happy. The chi
reason why there is SO little hapI
t? ness in busy communities, compare
D. with what might be, is because of th
"a prevalence of malice, ayarice, seliis
u, ness and deceitfulness. Few peopl
ps in busy centres particularly, obser'
p the Golden Rule many degree-the
,y seems to be another rule more gene