The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-25
THE VIRTUE OF GRATITUDE.

THE NlklOE Of uhhlIiSbh'
If there is one virtue that we, as
Americans, ought to cultivate, it is
the virtue of gratitude. We are so de-
ficient as a nation i'm the practice OF
Thanksgiving, that our attention
must annually be called to it by
proclamations issued by the President
of these United States and by the
Chief Executives of the various Com
monwealths. 1t is stern arraign-
ment of our careless and slipshod
mode of living, that the chief magis-
trates are compelled to use the great
weight and dignity of their official
positions to compel us to pause, and
pay to the Giver of every good and
perfect gift the need of gratitude
which is His due. Thanksgiv-
ing is the only national holiday
which we as a people possess. Christ
mas is for the Christian; New Year
is dedicated to the forming of new
resolutions by those who have fallen
into the slough of despond, and are
desirous of mending their ways;
Fourth of July is set aside for the
creation and Strengthening of the
patriotic spirit, but il remains for
Thanksgiving alone to invite all, for
eign or native born, high or low,
rich or poor, healthy or sick, be they
Hebrew, Italian, German, Swedish,
Dutch, English, Scotch, Irish, Greek,
American or whatever their nation
aIity may be, to cease from their aV-
ocations, TO mediate upon their
blessings, to gather about the cheer
full fireside, to assemble i'll the con-
gregation of the faithful, and offer
to the Almighty thanks for the in-
Vulnerable benefits which He has
conferred upon them.
What if turkey is twenty-eight
cents "a pound-let us be glad it
isn't Observation-Disclosures ii the to-
bacCo crop is light, which il isn't,
let us rejoice that we can still get
"a good cigar for nickel! what if
the crops did not measure up to our
expectations, and we all know this
has been banner year for the
farmer, let us be glad that buck
wheat cakes and sausage still grace
the breakfast table! what if the
country went Democratic, let us hope
and pray and work that at the next
election the people will return their
best friend to power! what If the
work we are doing does not bring
us the returns we think it should,
let us not forget the fact that we
are i'm the possession of health, that
we are getting living wages, that we
are able to lay aside for a rainy day,
and that we have been blessed with
many friends, without which life is
not worth the living.
Think oh your marcies, chillen,"
said old Aunt Chloe, and dear old
"Aunty'' was just right when she
made that sage observation. Con-
slider how much better the year has
turned out TO be than you expected
on January 1. Take out your old
diary, and spend an hour in going
over its pages, and count your
blessings of the past twelve months.
Oh yes, you were sick, we know.
But then, you had loving parents,
affectiOnate children, thoughtful
friends, and skilled physicians to pull
you through. Oh, yes, the fellow
that borrowed Ten Dollars of you
last summer hasn't paid it back yet,
but he wiIl-if you give him time
enough. Oh, yes, the little flyer"
you took in stocks, didn't perhaps
pan out as well as you expected, but
then-better luck next time!. Oh,
yes, your dearest friend went back
on yOu-but there are more good
people 10 be met, and more fast
friendship to be formed. Oh, yes,
you can't sleep as well as you could,
and your appendix isn't working as
il ought to, but then thank the Lord
that you can sleep at all, and bless
His name that you haven't been
obliged 10 have some Scranton or
New York surgeon remove that ex-
ira organ for you!
Yes, there's lots TO be thankful
for. You couldn't begin TO count up