The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-05-18
THE SHADOW OF LUCK.
An Overdose of Philosophy Sometimes
Makes Coward of q Man.

ing few notes for his lecture on
How to Be Happy Though Miser-
able" when the resounding clang of
his front door bell went echoing
through the house.
"Humph" he muttered. who on
earth can this be at such an hour and
on such a night, 1 wonder? Who's
there?" he hallooed through the key
hole
Your brother Jim. Hurry up!"
why, Jim," cried the philosopher,
opening the door, what on earth are
you doing out such a night as this
Come in come in"
In a moment the two were sitting
before a cracking log fire in the phil
osopher's library.
'I've come over to get little ad-
vice. Bill" said the visitor. IT am in
all sorts of trouble"
"Oh, nonsense, JIM" said the 9TH
er. There needn't be any trouble
for anybody in this world. What if
1t is dark here? The sun is shining
in the east
Now, hold on a minute Bill" said
the visitor. II don't give a rap for
the state Of the weather out in Homo
lulu; I'm here and I'm worried to
death. First place, I have note
coming due for $500 tomorrow morn
ing, and 1 haven't 81 left in the bank.
Second place, Snipperton, the tailor,
has served a writ on me for my bill
that has been running since 1905, and
If I don't pay I've got to go to court
on supplementary proceedings and ex-
plain why. Third, I got notice from
headquarters this morning that after
the first Of next month
There's no use Of your going on,
Jim," said the sunshine philosopher.
You might keep on giving me a list
of your troubles from now until the
crack Of doom, but 1t wouldn't alter
the situation one atom. The prin-
ciple upon which I live is simply that
trouble can't exist while the world is
full of sunshine. If it doesn't hap
pen to be visible it doesn't make the
least difference. 1t is there, genial,
sweet, invigorating, just the same.
That marvellous orb from time i'm
memorial has been pouring out it's
great stores of mellow light upon this
earth incessantly, unremittingly. Not
once has it taken a day off from the
beginning Of recorded time"
YES" said Jim, land there have
been clouds, too, since'-
"They prove my points," said the
philosopher. "You don't mean to say
for an instant, do you, that because
there happens to be sky full of
clouds therefore the sun in all it's
glowing majesty has ceased shining?
Really, Jim, you know better than
that, and you know you know better.
The clouds pass away. No day Is so
dark and gloomy and dismal that
sooner or later the sun does not pierce
the clouds, dissipating them into thin,
filmy wells Of footless mist. Get your
mind in tune with this idea, my boy,
Does the night envelop you? Some
where the sun is shining. Are the
heavens black with clouds? Beyond
scars the orb Of day. Let this be
your philosophy, my boy, and all
these Affections of which you speak
will pass away, or even if their on
ward passage is slow you can at least
comfort yourself with the thought
that calm follows in the wake Of the
storm. and that on the trail of trouble
there will inevitably follow the fructi-
flying rays Of
"Do you mean to tel, me, Bill VIM
pletOn," cried the visitor, that there
is sunshine enough in this world to
handle such a case as mine-mine,
who must meet that note, who must
the
AN Of that I mean to tell you and
more, jim" said the philosopher.
There's enough to cover your troubles
raised to the nth power of infinity''--
AN right Bill" said the visitor,
rising and putting on his hat eff
that's the case TN go home and rest
my mind, It's after midnight, and !
judge that bed Is the place for me-
But before I 20 do mo just one little
favor, will you?"
"Anything ] can do, Jim" said the
philosopher kindly.
eco upstairs and ask your wife To
lcnd me hcr parasol to go home with.
will you?' he asked 81 done want
TO be sunstruck on my way back -
ITo"ror'c NVo~I-'--