The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-12-10
and cheerfulness, and press on to
his goal.

When we are struggling conscl-
entiously and with all our might to
improve our condition, to keep our
heads above the water, when failure
and poverty and Affections and sor-
rows confront us, and we see the
years slip by without any improve
ment or better prospects. it takes
stout heart to keep plodding Oh
with the same courage and enthusi-
asm as though we were advancing
rapidly.
This is the very time that tests
our stamina and grit and courage.
What we do then shows the stuff we
are made Of. What we do when
defeat stares us in the face is the
real test of character
Watch man when he is down,
when everything has been swept
away from him. See what he will
do after his failure. This will give
you the measure of the man,
1t is a rare character that per-
sists when others give up.
Then in a supreme hour of real
grief, when the heart seems broken
in it's helplessness, we find that Ma
ture has been reserving, as in a
bank, all our payments of courage,
strength, loyalty, faith, and sterling
character, and returns 1t all to us
with interest. There are times in
lives when lonely, body weary. and
heart tired, when we have taught
hard battle, when we have paid a
high price for what we most hunger
for and find again denied, we doubt
whether good, square, honest living
really does pay. We wonder why
those who lead selfish, trivial, care
less, and unprincipaled lives seem
the most prosperous and happy.
We are facing the most subtle of
all tenn ptations, the seeming pros
perity of the weak and the wicked.
We see, perhaps, seeming success,
but not the price they are paying.
We never can be told, nor can we
ever know, the terrific price some
one has paid for wealth wrongly
acquired, for some foul act of trea-
cherry that for a time seemed sue
cessful, some seeming happiness.
love, power, position, possession, or
prosperity. But they pay, and Ma
ture, as a collector of the store of
Life on such bills, never loses sight
of the customer.
The store of Life deals with indi-
viduals-humanity is only intinity
of individuals. He who inherits a
vast fortune may think it has come
free. The philosophy of paying on
Inherited wealth is equally true of
all phases Ct heredity. No. it must
be paid for again bv him. The tes-
tator paid, perhaps in terms of en-
ergy, struggle, shrewdness, business
sagacity. consecration to this one
object. The beneficiary pays in
new cares mid responsibilities,
against the relaxing hazard of great
wealth on character. The first ray-
ed to win it, the second pays to
keep it, to spend it wisely.
Payment of price does not mean
an absolute equivalent at the store
of Life any more than it does on
some of those little shops on the
avenue; we may pay much more or
less than the article is really worth.
1t is ever the simple, true real things
that are the finest wares. They are
honor, truth. justice, love, loyalty,
sympathy, and those sterling char
acteristics that give sunshine, opti-
mism, joy, and simplicity to count
less thousands. They can never be
bought with money. they are bought
by vanquished temptation, by cour-
ageous bearing. by passing with
head erect along the road of sorrow,
suffering, isolation. They come
from the conquered self.
These great, Interchangeable simple
things of lite cost many an hour of
bitter sorrow, a tightening Of the
heart strings, a moan in the silence,
the courage to be misunderstood.
Then the Angel of Love may send
some one dear and true and kind
and tender, wistfully solicitous of
our every thot, and with new inspi-
ration and joy we begin a new life
two paying the price instead of one.
We need then fear naught from the
store of Life. for no price we could
pay could be too high. We may
have taught for fine character and
won it; we may have hungered for
great love and. it came. Life has
given it's best. We have won the