The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-07

Of moral purity. and striving TO make
others happy is the most useful life that
man can possibly live.
HENSON B. HICKS.
The useful life doesn't bother much In
specializing about miracles: neither does
II wait For the formula worked out by
philosophers Indeed. there are those
living who tell US that the day Of an
swers and set philosophers and creeds is
waning. The useful life is the call OF
the whole" Blessed are they VINO.
though they comprehend not yet believe
and hope" God gives US the power TO
I'll the vessel OF life with fragrance
beauty. hope. sincerity. truth. and, best
OF all love, and what q man has lived
or seen on that alone II is worth while
10 build. Usefulness-to get the shoulder
10 the wheel OF our neighbOr. and. by
helping TO lift his load. get happiness by
forgetting self loads. Just one good
shove at a neighbor's wheel each day
will create a useful life; 20 learn how
frowns may hurt, and smiles give cOur-
age TO some faint heart in LIES great
field OF battle the little things we call
commonplace mold and make the useful
life; the struggling man who strives 10
reach a goal and fails. his soul pierced
and he feels the sting Of unjust crti-
clsm-tug az his wheel Show him what
loyal friendship means: roll his wheel
up hill. jolly il along. too; laugh and be
merry; it viii take the ache and pain
away and bring forgiveness for many
unkind words and deeds.
Oh. the philosophers can give US no
formulate is Gods love. And 70 know
how 20 love and suffer for others as well
as for ourselves; 20 get az the true
thoughts in the heart OF a friend 10 get
Joy from the birds song. as well as from
Beethoven; 20 catch the organ notes
In the wind I'm the pines; TO love the
stars. the sea. and the forests: the crack
ling wood on the home hearth and the
sparks Of Joy in the lovers eye, 10 be
, a-twinkle from the crib TO the grave with
optimism and JOY; to love the soft sum
mer breeze, and the tang Of frost in the
air. and never, never get commonplace"
but be IN tune with the stones under foot
and learn the meaning Of the stars in
the sky Oh, the art, the usefulness OF
life is our very own. II is being COM
passionate and tender and loving. and
tugging away at that wheel: it's owning
a soul and letting that soul wear the
garments Of beauty-and not hemming II
around with rectitUdes and creeds, but
letting IL grow and expand, and inviting
humanity in 10 sit at its hearthstone.
II Is marching on-after defeat-drums
beating. flags flying. swords clanking;
for II is only by defeat and tears that
the minor cadence Of life. which has its
utmost depths in pain and sorrow. that
We learn how to live the useful life.
ALLIE SHARPE BALCH.
| IN thinking OF to-days topic the subtle
: law Of association brings TO my mind the
I oft-repeated story Of the good St vaIen-
I tine. who longed 10 be useful and yet
! felt himself lacking in ability as we'll as
/ in opportunity. Every brother save him
I self seemed 10 have some special gift.
/ One was an artist; one had a wonderful
/ singing voice; one had the healing
I power. and knew the virtues Of roots
, and herbs; one was a teacher at whose
1 feet even eminent scholars were glad
! To sit and learn; one ruled the little
monastery with the guiding hand Of
; true master Of men; one illuminated the
I gospel stories and made them beautiful
/ to the eye as well as the heart. Valen-
/ tine. looking upon these eminent lives,
/ leplored his own apparent useIessness.
One day there came a voice, saying: DO
well the little things. Oh. Valentine, for
/ therein lies the blessing"
What are the little things?" asked
the perplexed brother but there was no
one to answer. and he went away 10
work in his garden plot, where his lilies
and violets grew as II for very love Of
/ him and appreciation OF his care and
watehfulness. AS the little children
passed the monastery gate Valentine
delighted to drop nosegays OF the sweet
flowers into their chubby hands. The
happy village brides wore his roses TO
the altar. Lilies ana violets filed the
hands OF the silent sleepers who were
carried to the village cemetery.
Valentine could mend a child's broken
toy and carve quaint faces on walnut
shells to delight childish hearts He
knew the birthday OF every child in the
village, ana some little gift his loving
hands had made was sure to he found
at the cottage door when these happy
days came around. These same tender
hands were ready to pick up a fallen
baby or carry a water bucket for some
tired mother. He made beautiful crosses
of silver-gray lichens for the old people,
and pressed mosSes from the Seashore
for little gifts for those who seemed to
need a special bit Of attention The
children chung TO his rough gray skirts,
and the babies crept close 70 his knees
and reached up for his kindly hands.
Even the cats and dogs rubbed against
him, and the birds futtered close 10 him.
unafraid. So, loving and beloved. valen-
tine grew old never dreaming that he
was living great and useful NE.
Indeed. the people Of the countryside
scarcely realized his great influence unti
they missed his tender ministrations.
Then they remembered his sympathy ana
kindness and al the myriads Of little
ways In which he had made himself
necessary 70 them. and they mourned
for him as they had never mourned for
any other
May We not take this old. old story
as real heart message for to-day? We
may not have what may seem to US