The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-07-06
THE PHILOSOPHY OF WORK.

There is small likelihood of one becoming
dissatisfied with life and its general condi-
tons as long as we are able to work and
willing to work. Once we reach the shift
less age, as it were, and begin to desplse
those conditions Of our lives which make 1t
necessary for US to earn livelihood, the
chances are that nothing will please US.
We shall very likely be able to find a
crouch in everything and to place one
where none existed before. In other words,
occupation is the A of contentmen t,
because without the necessary incentive to
make Us keep pace with progress, and to
improve cur circumstances, we hnd 1ault
with life and grow dissatisfied. Even when
our individual fortunes are ample and there
is no occasion to provide the means for our
living, we are never wholly satisfied with
out an interest of some kind which forces
US to make certain efforts and keeps US
busy and our thoughts occupied. Idleness
is the first step toward discomfort, and the
man who is not ashamed to do anything
which is necessary to be done for his per-
sonal welfare and the natural development
Of the world need not be afraid of growing
dissatisfied. 1t is true, of course, that he
may not always work in such surroundings
his work becomes monotonous at times, but
in the long run, when life begins to grow
mellow and it's first crudeness passes, he
will find that work even under not the best
of conditions is far better than continued
idleness.
This is the day of the worker. He is
honored wherever he goes, perhaps not in
proportion to his merit, but he occupies an
ri,hl Of bn yrnpl1
in sharp contrast to that occupied by the
shirker, the man who runs away from his
opportunities because they do not suit his
tastes and who thinks it is more impressive
and more in keeping with his dignity to be
ornamental than useful. The latter class,
however, has but few recruits in the pres
ent day of high purpose and conscientious
endeavor. The gradual change in the
general conditions of living admit of few
unnecessary units in the great plan of life
Everything must count down to the smallest
detail if we would make a success, and the
man who is unnecessary in his particular
world gets in the way and clogs the en-
deavors of others. He is apart from every
thing else, in way, and lives only in the
present. and is speedily forgotten. The
worker lives in the present, it is true, but
he plans for the future as we'll. Indeed,
the future belongs to him; he becomes a
part Of it by gradual process Of assimila-
ton; his present efforts bear fruit little
later on, and he forthwith becomes an ac-
tive factor in the future. He does not work
only for to-day, content that its close will
find him with his hearts desire fulfilled
he thinks of to- morrow as we'll, and re-
doubles his efforts in his attempt to enlarge
and ennoble the fine purpose which con-
trolls him. He does not have time to Won
der whether he is satisfied or not with
those favors that life has brought him
he knows that he is getting out of life the
satisfaction at least of standing shoulder
to shoulder with some of the wisest and
strongest and bravest Of men, and be
knows that SO long as he shall be able tC
keep up the pace he has struck he will be
too busy to even think Of being discouraged
and unhappy. True, he may not do all that
he set out to do, but in the variety of his
interests and the multiplicity of his labors
he finds solace for his appointments, and
from their happy influence he draws fresh
inspiration and much solid comfort.
There is something in the very nature OIL
work which keeps a man young and bouy.
ant. So long as be is able to keep his placs
in the ranks, whatever his trade or profes
sion, whatever his life work or dear am bi
ton, he feels that he is accomplishing
something and that he is still useful to so.
ciety at large. Once he puts down his work
and sitting back in the pleasant shade
reviews the marching ranks of workers az
they pass steadily by, he realizes suddenly
and quite unexpectedly that he is no longel
necessary as factor in the never ending
probem which life continually presents
and the thought carries its sting of bitter.
ness. 1t may be that he is physically in
capacitated for work, and in that case there
is at least some shadow or consolation, bu
when, as is often the case, man volun.
tarily withdraws from the race because he
is tired Of working, it will not be long be.
fore he, toe, shall experience that feeling
of discomfort which is difficult and ever
Impossible to overcome. We can take oul
pleasures along with our work, but there i:
no circumstance which justi6es the com.
plete surrender Of the latter, no matter how
enticing our pleasure may be. Life with
out work is an unenviable condition, az
strange and unbelievable as such state.
ment may seem to many of us who grow
weary at times of the work we have to do
GA woman fainted''-and the banc
played on, and the men in khaki marched
away. Tne woman was carried into the