Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-07-14
CheerfulnesS.

even the poorest may enjoy. Iti is
thing for which to be more pro-
foundly grateful than all that gen.
ius even inspired or talentFs Fever
accomplished. In the search for
it, how many would turn to the
sceptered prince ruling over vast
empires, to the great financier
whose Golfers are filled with gold
to the poet, the artist, or the mas
ter musician by whose magic str.ins
the hearts of multitudes are - "h-
ed and swayed. But il il .,rt
found among these aloLr. Murc
often is found in the lrw, ru..ird
cottage, in the dingy ofIc -" ,ng
the toiling mechanics, the = =
| ploughmen in the field, or even tue
grimy miners as they toll day after
day in the damp and darksome cav
erns of the earth.
An overflowing gladness is found
in him who does his task in life with
brave heart, no matter how hum
BILE that task may be. 1t arises,
from sence of duty done, and en-
ables one. to do his duty to his God
as we'll as to his fellowman
The man who sings at ~ work
will do more in the same = g
will do it better, he will y"
longer than one who is b.
with load of cares and an
One is scarcely sensible off.
whilst he marches to music, So y
cheerful man by the music of his
heart is inspired to press on nleaving
far in his rear Others who have not
this sustaining power. The man
who has his eyes open only to the
dark and unpleasant things of life
pleads that there is always enough
wrong in the world to make one
miserable. He is right. But is
there not enough that is good and
just to make one enjoyable? Wrong
is ever being righted, and for every
evil there is an alleviating good.
When we look around us, We
find that JOY is the rule of life. The
brook leaps over the prespice and
ripples among the pebbles down the
mountain side; the air is full of the
music of rejoicing birds as they fit
among the trees; lambs run and
skip in the meadow and the babe
laughs and plays at its mothers
knee.
Wondorous is the strength of
cheerfulness. Altogether past cal
culations are its powers of endur-
ance. Efforts, to be permantly
useful, must be uniformly joyous,
put forth by spirit all sunshine,
graceful from very gladness, beau
tiful because bright.
The spirit of cheerfulness is
within everybody's reach. Per-
haps it does not come naturally,
but it is to be studied and learned
as any other lesson. When one
has learned it then, indeed, is his
life blessing. The glow of cheer
fulnees in him is a refining fire,
before whose steady flame the dross
of hate, sorrow, doubt, envy, and
despair melt away, leaving thepura
ingots of nobleness, knowledge, pc
tience, and courage. Wherever
such a person goes, he carries glad
ness and sunshine. The cheerful
man carries with him a freshness
and vigor that acts upon others as
the warm spring brezes on the bud
ding trees and sprouting plants. 1t
wakes up and calls out the best
that is in them. His cheerful words
and bright face lead many from
darkness into the life and Joy of
life.
Cheerful people live long in our
memory. We remember joy more
readily than sorrow, and always
look back with tenderness on the
brave and cheerful. The impress
| ion, which they make in our hearts
we impart to others, thus stamping
their lives indelibly on the memory
of time.
In nature, we find this exemplif-
ed. The fragile leayes and plants
are imbedded in the coal; the tiny
mountain stream makes its channel