Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-08-09
Ideals In Life.

HAMMOND, Agricultural Editor Oxford Dem
ocrat, Paris, Ne.
Ideals In Life.
paper read by Ger;rude 1. Burrows, written
for Pomona Grange at East Raymond)
We are always discussing in Grange
meeting our work the different methods
in farming or the utility of certain prod
ucts and inventions.
"Work for the night is coming" seems
to be the keynote of all our talk, and
have wondered why We did not some.
times change the tune to "Play for the
night is comiugw and discuss how and
when our recreations, our so-called idle
moments-our ideals in life-for We all
have in our dim way, ideals other than
earning our daily bread, or covering our
backs with clothes.
We have all been in the habit of think
ing such topics as milch cows, sweet
corn, sitting hens, and muck beds of so
supreme information that one can see on
what very delicate ground he treads,
who as much as hints that these are not
after all the chief things in life.
But these occupy all of our time, you
A ",
ciple things OF life? Because we our
best titled farms, the handsomest timber
lot, or the sunniest investment.
You do not believe this perhaps; if
YOU never have believed it or tried, you
pro obably are not.
Ii is important that farmers should
meet together and discuss matters and
improvements in agriculture or that
merchants and brokers should discuss
methods of business and outlooks OF the
market, but after all these things which
they seek To learn or teach are only
secondary value. They are but means
to an end.
All, too many of US do not find the
true value of living. We think it is
something to be toiled for, to be pur-
chased at some distant day when we can
save enough ahead,
Work and save make splendid span
to drive but when they take the bits in
their teeth and run with a man through
life be will reach old age and still never
arrive at the desired haven, happiness.
We should work and save for pur-
pose, not for a passion and should love
our chosen work. II our work is Of
great importance then our recreation
should be equally as important and
needful. If we hope to accomplish any
thing we must be systematic, we should
also be systematic ip our recreations.
How mistaken is the person whose
sole idea of the value of living is to
think he or she must all of the time be
what they call busy al something like
the old man who sat and twirled his
thumbs all day, first one way, then an
other.
| still remember of being told my
duty by frank relation of this belief.
But | can see how threadbare, how
fretful and narrow are the lives OF some
of those so-called busy ones, and how
little sunshine they have ever let come
into their lives or hearts, how little they
have known or cared, except for gain,
for the great mother nature so bountiful
of her restfulness, her strength, her
soul lifting power.
A summer or two ago | remember OF
taking some women, who were past the
prime of life, into the shady woods
where the brook ran among green mossy
stones, and here We ate our lunch,
listening to the soft babble of the little
stream and to the voices of unseen song
sters or watched the dragon-iy fit here
and there above the water.
These women all said: "This brings
me back to when l was child and used
TO play in just such brook as this"
Why not be brought back more often
then to our childhood days, when living
was play, when worries were unknown
and life was always fresh?
Why not make life larger, sweeter and
more elastic and seek other knowledge
than the knowledge of gain?
Perhaps We are dreaming and waiting
for some distant day when We will be
more at leisure aud happier, or richer.
can truly predict that We will never
be younger than now and probably not
more at leisure or richer.
We will never have leisure unless We
take leisure, and We will never go any
where unless We start.
Shall we have to have some one from
a distant city come and tell us OF the
beauty and rest that can be found on our
hills, by our streams and lakes? Will We
wait till the stranger crowds our shores
with his summer cottages? The popular
definition of success in life shifts with
succeeding generations, but never have
the requisites of good health and hap
piuess and "healthy mindedness" enter
ed into to such an extent as today.
Health and happiness are fast becoming
necessary and are no longer considered
merely accidents in life.
Do you want more strength? Then use
the'strength you already possess and ii
will increase. Do you wish to be talent
ed? Then use continually what talent
YOU already have. Do you desire riches?
Have contentment and you are richer
than Rockefeller. Ii you want friends
be friendly.
The dream of heaven in some remote
day is being abandoned TO make a
heaven now. "As thou intendest so
live when thou art gone out, so is 1t In
thy power to live now," said the Roman
Emperor, Antonius.
Has our dream of heaven been place
of hurrying, worrying, and lamenting?
Obi no, we plan to be very, very good
and happy when we 60 to heaven.
How dreadfully green at the business
we shall be when We get there!
As thou intended to live when thou
are gone out, so it Is in thy power to
live here!"
The greatest wealth is within our very
reach. Our success is already in our
hands. There will never be a better
time to be happy than in this world, nor
greater things for our hands to do.
There will never be better time to be
kind to those around US.
Matching Farm Horses.
Horses on farms are so frequently
worked in pairs that it is very necessary
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