Norwich bulletin., 1912-12-14
THE MAN WHO TALKS

There is a proverb: Man is twice child" when in fact to get the most out of life there is in it for him he must be always a child. A French proverb declares man is always a child; and child is always man." You may, as I have, heard some speaker say: When I was a child l acted as child, but when became a man I put away childish things" You and I may have done even this. doi not know what you may have put away, but I do not think wise man ever abandons play, altho' mans play and child's play are unlike. They both represent self entertain ment, and self entertainment may be both educational and exalting. Play includes both physical and mental ac- tion-play of the right kind is good balance for the heart-it cheers Men have diversions on the side to bright en life--these are the plays of maturi- ty. He who has abandoned play has put aside solace, has set a com forter at naught. All play and no work may make Jack a dull boy, but all work and no play makes man un- companionable and discontent.
 Blessed are the crippIes who are wreathed in smiles and eXhale cheer fitness. l saw one meet an old friend the other day radiant with joy; and when asked: How are you?" replied heartily: I'm first rate!' If she had said: "Oh, I'm about the same" or No worse" or Not very we'll" we should not have been surprised, but in spirit she was not repining It is stimulating to notice what some peo- pie bear up under without a mur- mer-how heriocally they ignore handicaps-how valorously they bear themselves in misfortune. l felt like shouting "Bravo!" when that sweet spirit gave forth cheer from a se- riously maimed body. She didn't look it, but it was not false pretence. The head and heart and mind were there complete, acting in perfect accord. She felt what she said. We know of people who seem to have perfect bodies and health but their hearts and minds are crippled-they are alweys dole fully whining.
 While all men are not free to con fess it, experience brings to us about the same environment that it did to Emerson. He said: "In the morning awake and find the old world, wife, babies and smother, Concord and Bos ton, the dear old spiritual world, and even the dear old Devil not far off" The creator never meant that life should be all sugar plums for any of us. Emerson was all right when he said the equator of life lies half way between pure geometry and lifeless science, and physical sensations. A great many manage to live in lifes temperate zone and their shrinkage and expansion is about even. No one wholly escapes the aff1ictions and trials of existence. Nature knows no dead heads, we all pay for what we get, all though we sometimes think we get much we do not pay for.
 What is a first class man in the 1 labor world? He must be a man who knows what honor and honesty is-a l high standard man. Having these standards he cannot be slack or neg ligent but must give honest service and do things on honor. He seldom 1 gets to be a dollar a. day man-It is l the dollar day men who makes the tirst-class man distinctive. Careless work and watching the clock is taxed | to pay the boss who sees things are i done better. The man who cannot be | trusted to serve the interests if his employer as if they were his own is | the man who realizes no increase of pay and no promotions. The way up
 in the world calls for faithfulness, per
 sistence and skill but the way down
 is easy, shirk, slight your work snarl
 lend yourself to breeding disturbance
 and it is toboggan slide. The first
 class man is always on the way up
 His ideals are high, his conduct
 honorable, his work acceptable and. his pay satisfactory.