The Washington herald., 1910-01-30
nv THE OPTDuST.


philosophy as regards human effort $
the undivided attention to the task at
hand. The scattering OF ones attention
and ones efforts may imply capacity for
big things, providing you are big enough
20 carry out all the undertakings you
- embark upon: but for the ordinary. every
dav individuals. such as you and /, fel-
a. low-optimists. taking care OF one thing
al a time is a good rule to follow.
There is such a thing as being too busy.
YOU know. one may as easily overdo the
thing they imagine TO be right as they
may that which is wrong, so you cannot
afford to divide your efforts when you
want TO accomplish something important
We are all workers together in the
common cause of optimism, the spread OF
the wonderful doctrine which helps and
enlightens the world. The Washington
Herald Optimist Club is the focusing
noint of concentrated effort for self-im-
provement and the betterment OF hui
manity at large.
Can I emphasize too strongly the need
for concentration OF effort in our work?
We want to be perfect optimists ana we
want, by our efforts, to make other op-
timists. There is plenty Of optimistic ma
terial lying around We have but TO
glance about US 10 see some fellow-c-ea-
ture who is in need Of a little sympathy
OF cheer Perhaps at first such a person
will resent your interference, as he may
term it. but a little coaNing, little con-
centration on his case win work wonders
for you.
The worst pesslmlst in the world can
not hold out against the concentrated
rays of optimism when they beam down
upon him The fable OF old Aesop about
the sun. the wind. and the traveller might
apply to us as lesson in concentration
and serve as illustrating the power of
brightness and cheerfulness. The wind.
blow as he might. could not strip the
wayfarer Of his clothes, but when the
sun had a trial at the task 1t wasn't long
before he shed his garments in the
brightness and the warmth
The traveller is your neighbor and his
garments represent. perhaps, his pessi-
mistic views He cannot see any good In
the world: everything takes on the dis
torted and unnatural shape that his own
gloomy disposition gives it, and no
amount Of antagonism and harshness
can rob him Of these views. He only
gathers them tighter about him and
plunges along on his way, imagining as
ne breasts the storm of opposition that
he is putting up a good fight against the
rebukes and the trials Of life
Smile on him. Let the light Of opti-
mism shine and battle him in its warmth.
Presently he will not have rag Of pessi-
mism left He VIII drink in the light
and be happy Let him see what opti-
mism has done for you; let him feel the
benefits OF its glorious radiance. BY con-
centration Of all your optimistic traits
you can make him a convert TO your own
method of happiness.
Don't let your opportunities slip by.
Every day you have chance TO make
an Optimist out OF some one. It is only
by being resoluJe and concentrating your
efforts that you can accomplish anything
at all which is worth while. And making
optimists and living up to the best there
is IN you is surely worth while isn't il?
Concentration means the Capitalization
of power. You bring 10 bear upon
given task all the effort and the will that
you can summon, and the mighty power
that results is bound 10 be productive Of
good. take It for granted that none Of
nv. feUow-members concentrates his mind
on evil things, although sin IS the result
Of concentration, too. Every character
istic may be made to work both ways
from the center
Before leave the subject Of concentra-
ton I want to drive home the thought
that II is only by determination. by grit
ting your teeth and saying II will" that
you can become master Of your under
takings. Benefits do not come easily. It
is only by work, by concentration. that
we are able to fill the place that we were
set down here on earth to occupy.
Optimism Is concentration and concen-
tration Is success.
After this Sunday there will b. no more
first, second. and third prizes. It has
been very difficult TO choose who shall be
prize-winner, so uniformly excellent have
the contributions been. and have decid-
ed that It will be probably Just as at
one-dollar prizes and to have a better
chance to win one Of them than 70 take
the very small chance Of getting a big
major prize. If I find that ten prizes are
not sufficient, I shall probably add five
more at some future time. but for the
present we are going TO try the new idea
Of ten prizes of 81 each to be given 20 the
ten optimists who send In selections
which may be judged worthy of best
hOndTs.
I have already received expressions
from some of the optimists commencing
the new scheme, and trust you will all
like the idea. It gives everybody a fair
chance, and fairness is one Of the golden
rules of The Washington Herald Opti-
mist Club.
A distinct addition to the attractiveness
Of our page to-day is the excellent car
toon drawn for us by Optimist Lamborne.
one OF our consistent and Woodworking
optimists. You will see that "The Sunny
Side is the only agreeable spot. No op-
timist would want to be grubbing around
IN the dirt and shadow when he could be
enjoying the clear. pure sunshine Of right
living and happiness Optimist Lamborne
has our thanks for his effort It is an
object lesson that is far better than a
dozen sermons
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"Geniality" has been chosen as the top