The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-27
THE VIEW
 OF LIFE
BY LUCILLE DAUDET.

kH7l HAT are your views of life? Is eNY it only something to be en- G dured? Do your surroundings
 seem dull and disagreeable? Are the people that you meet unat- tractive and unfriendly? Or do you enjoy every moment of life, the hours of work as well as play? Is there something agreeable always happen ing to you and do friends spring up like mushrooms wherever you go?
 The first class almost boasts that 1t does not belong to tHe type which is born with lucky temperament, who draw people by the force of their su- perior natural attractions. They do not seem to think that they can ever be different, but that they must all ways remain in the ranks of the less favored.
 It is true that many people are born with happy hearts and sweet dispo- sitions. On the other hand, there are many who have never enjoyed good health, and have had besides hard road to travel; yet they always have staunch friends to call upon. Why is this? Ralph Waldo Emerson has per haps expressed most cleverly the les son. He says, We find in life exactly what we put in it"i
 It seems pretty stiff truth. but lock about you and see If it is not true. There is the woman in your block who seems to be entirely with out friends. Occasionally some gos- sip will visit her; but she as surely comes out again with some tidbit about her hostess There is no real friendship there, no give and take of useful ideas, no mr-ual uplift, yet the woman has everything that would lead you to suppose that she could have many, friends.
 Then there is that poor invalid. At first glance 1t seems as if the people in your town were especially charita- ble. because they never neglect her. Every time you have been there-and you are . frequent visitor-you find others there before you. You think hard for a moment and you realize that 1t is not all unselfishness that brings about your visits. It Is be- cause she gives you something that you can get no other place. She fair 1y radiates cheer and an indefinable comfort, and you go away humbled, with a knowledge that you can never give her enough jellies and desserts to equal the spiritual gifts she has showered upon you.
 This is why the appreciative wife has an affectionate husband. It is the reason why children are willing to try tasks that are hard or uncongen- 1al. because the helping hand of praise and encouragement is there. A word of encouragement will go more than twice as far as discouragement. g''. But you will say, that though you were agreeable to an acquaintance the other day, ,, she did not reciprocate. It may have been because of some trouble worrying her, or else she may not have felt very we'll This may not absolutely excuse her; but it explains. We are finite ourselves and we can not expect others to be infinite. We have moods-so have they In mo- ments of sorrow or physical pain, we also are apt to make a bad impress sion. So. then, we cannot expect more of others than of ourselves. And kindness is never wasted, for after ward the recipient of our attentions will think of us as gracious, and be grateful that we did not seem to mo- tice her impoliteness.
 Friendship is huge game of give and take. Do not think that you may fnd fault with your friends at every turn, picking out their defects and dwelling upon their imperfeetions, unless you are willing to be constant ly censured in return.
 A good plan to which many people hold is the setting aside every day of some time. no matter how small, in which they can go over the past day, and mediate upon their actions, and the rights and wrongs. At such a time one will see most clearly just where she failed a friend. or hurt some one perhaps even more dear.
 Life may be compared to mirror as q glass will catch the suns rays SO. our cheerful dispositions will be received by the world with open arms and not only be credited to us, but sent out again in all directions; for joy. like sorrow, always doubles triples and continues to multiply un- til 1t seems to fill at least one cor ner of the globe, though who may say how far it really spreads? Which would you prefer to send forth. rays