Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-27

THURSDAY last was celebrated as Thanks
giving day. The fatted poultry in the
rooster" and the inflated "pigskin," on
the "gridiron," were the indications of
feasting and foot ball. There were prob
ably more people interested in these events
than in the Thanksgiving services at the
churches Others again spent parts of the
day in a "holey" manner, at the beautiful
and sun-lit temples OF Saint DOGGY, the
Pattern" Saint Of the devoted golfer.
There are so very many things to be
thankful for, that one knows not where TO
begin, f>he would try to enumerate his
enjoyments.
How thankful we are. that we are able
to see the beauties OF music, and to know
that, after ALL there is lots more harmony
than there is discord.
How thankful we should be to know that
we are criticised now and then, because it
shows that we are worth while
How grateful we should be that once in
while people say harsh things Of us. for
it shows that they are thinking about us,
And how thankful we should be that we
get discouraged, and that we lose heart
sometimes, because it shows that we are
swimming up stream, getting, however,
slowly, nearer and nearer to the source Of
things Drifting down stream is g sheer
joy-no discouragement-but swimming up
stream, we meet with discourag sing OBJ
stacles And the swimmer grows strong by
swimming, but not by drifting.
And how thankful we ought to be- when
we make mistakes and see them. Some
body has to make them, why not you, why
not [? Who are we anyhow, that we should
make no mistakes? Did Wagner make
none? Did Beethoven make none? Did
Mozart, or Bach, or Handel or Haydn. or
Mendelssohn? Are we greater than they?
Let us be very thankful that we make mis-
takes and see them, for IL IS a sign that we
are going on.
OF course, if we are going on all the time
making mistakes. and never seeing Them
and never admitting them, and never car
ing counterfeit copper whether we are or
not, that is a different matter.
So are Quadrumana in the jungle different
from Intelligent Human Beings.
, And it is Of the latter we are writing, my
lords and gentlewomen!
Thankful indeed should we be for friends.
those true, tried friends, who know us
pretty thoroughly, and yet in spite Of all
continue TO extend that most valuable Of
their gifts, warm and lasting friendship
II Is quite true that friend in need is
friend indeed. But when we are not in
actual want, not what the world calls
NEEDY" then, sometimes we value the
true friend still more. Sometimes our
friends in need desert us when we prosper
a bit: sometimes ones friends cannot stand
ones success. The friend who sticks through
prosperity as well as adversely is the friend
that counts We all have them. Let US
think OF them and be thankful
Thankful again should we be, and most
thankful, that we have a sphere OF use
fulness, and that we are given the faculty
to exert that usefulness. It matters not
what the sphere. nor how restricted. The
greatest pictures are not all on the huge
canvases The prizering is bigger and
more public than the operating-room of
the shful surgeon, but is II 70 be spoken
OF in comparison? The faithful motor.man
running his car on the straight and mar
row way, is as necessary and as honora-
bic as the aviator who must circle the
Statue OF Liberty. sail over seas and
compete with the eagle, who is, so far
more successful for he seldom, II ever
falls
After ALL your sphere is your sphere
wherever il is. In the large city you be-
long 10 your little sphere, just the same.
You do not know the thousands OF others
who are in their little spheres. Even at
the top notch in the big city, you are IN
your little sphere For in reality the big
city Is Just a large collection Of little
spheres How similar we are.
Last summer | talked to a leading must
clan Of Edinburgh, Scotland. I was with
him a great deal. our conversations be-
came more and more intimate. Had
not known otherwise ! should have sup
posed he was talking Of Omaha, but Civ
ing other names TO the Omaha people,
An the various types he described as be
ing in Edinburgh, are here, every one Of
them
Some months ago I talked with a
music teacher from town Of a few thou
sand population IN a state not far from
Nebraska. Had i not known, ! might
nave thought that IL was Of Omaha the
person was speaking, for the problems all
were there that confront as In Omaha
only In a different way.
Last spring ] had an hours chat With
Archer Gibson-a heart-to-heart falkland
ne opened up his store OF experiences
about his life ana work ia the great New