The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-04
IF WISHES
 WERE AUTOMOBILES

gro purchase heaven has go1e the
 power?
 Can gold remove the mortal hour? In life can love be bought with gold! Are friendships pleasures to be sold? No! All that's worth wish, a
 thought
 Fair virtue gives unbrib'd, unbought. Cease. then, on trash thy hopes to
 bind.
 Let nobler views engage thy mind.''
 If wishes were automobiles the poor could ride as fast and as far as the rich. Unfortunately, it takes more than idle wishing to secure the luxu- ries we often wrongfully crave. It IS intended that each one of us should fill a certain groove at a particular time in our lives.- We should make the best of it, but redouble our efforts to effect a change if we feel that we can grasp that elusive prize-success.
 To lament bitterly over present sur roundings is a loss of energy needed elsewhere. The woman who wishes her husband was a millionaire instead of an honest workman-aye, might ac- tually change places with one-night have cause to hug a real sorrow to her bosom if her wish could be grant ed. She would quickly have to bid adieu to love and happiness, signing in vain for the love which was once hers and was now scattered among the yachts, stocks, everywhere, any where save where it belonged.
 If she wishes her plain young daugh- ter were as beautiful as the girl of the rich man across the way, she might have cause to regret that, too, if her longings were fulfilled and the beauty eloped with a logus nob1eman, a scamp who sent her son home again, a sadder, but wiser girl.
  son could change places in life with the smart young chap who so cleverly forged ahead of him in the business world might be thankful enough that her boy was just his own, plain, hon. est self when the over ambitious youth was sent to prison for embedding.
 Somehow it is the nature of many women to feed on foolish wishes. They spend the best years of their lives nursing and coddling hem. They will call it ambition, but their Judgment of the difference between ambition and wishing often flies far af1eld. Ambi- ton is stimulus to make the present better; wishes are the hope of getting something without the effort of striv- ing to obtain it through strenuous ef- fort. If every one could have just what he wished for low many lives would be wrecked, cruelty sacrificed.
 What young girl would not wish for a nice young husband? In conse- quence no girl would be husbandless Wives would never encounter trouble or be put to the torture of inventfng new schemes every week to secure the needfu1 amount from his weeks wage to eke out the household expenses. If wishes could be the fairy wand, every woman would have a. home of her Eowns her husband a successful money maker, as well as being devoted to her and blind to the attractions of other women. Her children would be the cleverest, and no cloud of grief should ever overshadows her or hers.
 If widows could have their, wish, there wouldn't be widower left with in a twe1vemonth. They wou1dn't wish that he might be a good provider, much as they might depend upon wishes; they would see to his capabili- ties beforehand, making assurance doub1y sure.
 Yes, if wishes were automobiles. there wouldn't be any hitch in land ing us where we wanted to go We would all take the, easy road, whirling airiIy into happiness
 But, to be honest now, aren't the majority of us happier just as we are? No life is so dark but a little sunshine creeps into it, tho the hour be long delayed