The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-31
says UNCLE CIV

PITY the man with the holiday
blues" His ironical ailment makes
him a skeleton at the feast, radiator
of gloom in the midst of merriment, a
stranger in a strange land. although he
has known the landmarks from in
fancy.
1t is a very real ailment, this black
melancholy that seizes some of US
along about Christmas time. Its fruits
are reckleSsnesS. spreeS and suicide.
If you doubt it's existence, watch the
will find that violence and woe SEEM
ingly multiply for the unfortunate
quite as rapidly as happiness multiplies
to those in kindlier circumstances
That's holiday blues getting in their
work.
Perhaps you don't care to take the
newspapers word for it. Ask the hotel
and the policeman. Ask any one who
comes into close contact with the pub
lie. You'll find that hard luck seems
naturally a good deal harder in the
midst of a season of joy, loneliness, a
good deal more poignant, homelessness
never quite so hopeless.
Even the comparatively fortunate arc
affected. Any one who is out of tune
with the gladstone spirit of the holt
days. anyone who has for the time lost
his keen sympathy with others, whether
that sympathy has been dried up by
greed or frozen up by misfortune, is a
likely victim for the prowling demons
of gloom who held high carnival be-
side the sprites of joy. Christmas and
New Years and the days in between
bring an extra freight of tragedy, be-
cause the contrast between unhappy
misfortune and happy good fortune are
too sharp for the weak and battered
hulks of hard luck to bear.
1t is not enough to argue that you
should have had the foresight and the
industry to avoid your condition. Pos
sfbly, you are only compelled to be
away from the home that you miss no
more than you are missed there. The
sad fact is that for one reason or an
other, you are up against the bluest
and most discouraging period of your
life. You're out of tune with all about
you, and among your clouds, the sun
light seems very far away.
You'll grope blindly for comfort and
you'll get one bit of brutal advice that
will be good for you. Right frequently
you'll be advised to forget it. You'd
better take the advice. You'll find lit
tie consolation and good deal of dan
ger in brooding over your real or
fancied misfortunes. The more you
scrutinize them, the blacker they'll
get There's one cure for what aiIs
ana only One-LnlHk ABOUT others
for awhile. The spirit of the holiday
season is generosity. and through gen.
erosity, good cheer. You may be
homeless hobo looking for a place
where you may lay your head without
freezing, but there is something that
you may do for others that will make
you Of the mad glad company of them
that rejoice. If you can't help your
self, reach the other fellow a hand
and be of the elect. Don't look for
gratitude. The beneficiary may be too
busy having a good time. Do him
good turn. anyhow.
If you have never been absolutely un-
selfish in your life, now is the time to
trv it. Loosen up your heartstrings,
stretched to the breaking point by your
own troubles, and pass a bit of cheer
to some other man in the dumps. The
feeting sense of kinship that comes to
the door of a kindly deed makes the
world brighter and does a lot toward
making life look really attractive.
The password, grip and countersign
of the free masonry of holiday hap
piness is Pass it on" You may not
have much to begin with, but it viii
grow with exercise. 1t may be only
smile, but smiles are eternal. 1t may