The Washington times., 1915-10-30
Spirit Must
Wage Fight
p INCREASINGLY
Life of Usefulness Means
Constant Battling Even In
Face of Protest by Physical
Nature.
By WINIFRED BLACK.

copyright. 1918, Newspaper Feature serviceJ
. FTER dinner, an evening or two
z ~ ago. We were amusing ourselves
! ~ by telling stories about. aud
trying to define optimism and
pessimism. Somebody said that every
{. thing we heard would apply as we'll
10 the raging of discussion on war and
peace.
Nome time in the ages to come 1t may
be that the Angel OF Peace will brood.
all undisturbed over the world, but. as
things are. anyone who lives a life of
healthfulness and usefulness has 10
wage an unceasing fight--one In which
the spirit, the conscience. the sense OF
right and wrong all lead. no matter
now much the physical nature protests.
One OF the stories told was new To
me. although the man who told 1t said
1t was old. Anyway. here 1t Is:
Two frogs found themselves engulfed
IN the reccsses OF a milk can into which
the frugal farmer had mingled the
white and the dark fluid.
Here We are, our heads covered with
water; well have to 81 &. to the bot
tom Of this deep cavern and die" said
the pessimistic frog.
Not me- said the optimistic frog.
and made for tho top of the can.
In the morning. when the cover was
taken of OF the can. the optimist was
: found placidly reclining on a pat OF
butter at the top. while in the bottom
lay the inert form of the pessimist.
The optimist had thrashed around and
. churned out his raft.
There is a great deal in the three
word proverb, Never say die"
Virtue of Courage.
Courage In nine-tenths of this mortal
coil which we call life. Jess willard
has no patience with anybody. young
or old. who plays the baby act" He
tells everybody to watch out against
the habit of feeling sorry for ,hem-
selves and says that self-pity is as bad
su arss1s shys Self p} whst s HsAas IS sns
Use OF trying? Just sit down and wait
until people realize how fine you are
and then they'll he sorry they treated
you So All no, that will never do.
whatever that point may be-rise up
and square yourself for fight. Do your
best-and then. whether you are beaten
or whether you win. you viii have
nothing to be sorry for.
OF course, | assume that first you
know you are right before you 80
ahead; but. as things are now. theirs
n only one way 10 win-if you res,
quietly and let the water go over you
head It will be the end of you.
u The brsvest soul ever knew was 2
children. At her husbands death she
found herself without any means OF
support and In health far from perfect
She was advised to parcel out her
and aunts and to so, herself WIN hef
hshy, TO live with well-to-do relations.
She wrestled nightly over the idea
Of breaking up her home s ana aeGnsu aep
her family to2ether. She sold her house
hold furniture, which was all she pos
sessed. retaining only few necessary
pieces. and, in two rented rooms. De,
"a
ncuuiesccnce. but a stern, uncompromis'
ing fight with the situation.
In her little Kitchen, this woman BE-
gan to bake bread aud cakes and p'c'
such as the old fashioned woman know
how TO make. Her oldest chilGrei
helped her when they Were OUT %
school. but the mother, did her "ork
for the most part. alone. she soit
the product of her hands to ne.rpN
hotel and soon she was toiling irnn
early morning until late into the night
Crown of Triumph.
She kept her children looking fairly
well. doing every bit of her own house
work while her business venture grew
Sometimes. when her strength failed
her spirit almost was quenched. but
ever her courage rose and she SAID,
must win for my chldren's sake: AM
she did win her brave fight. After
time her work became fairly prohtao
and the crown of her triumph was tina
hcr children grew to be useful men am
women.
This woman was not checGed on h,
any crowd ~ enthusiastic sdmirers
Most Of her friensd and all or her rem
tions protested continually against he
plan But against these protests sh
made no answer except to go on work
ing.
No, no. It will never do to rest u7de
the blows Of anv great misfortune. WIt
heart almost any E'In1
tion NAV be redeemed. II will not d
for our race to give UP the fighting IN
stinct.