The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-09-13

to the first hasty impulse to scold
and growl and find fault, until they
make everybody about them un-
easy. As far as renedying the de-
fects of which it is complained is
concerned, this constant growing
is a complete failure, for every one
soon finds out that it is habit, and
after a while pays no attention to
it and is in no way affected by it
except that it embarrasses him
when criticised or scolded before
others. In the end it really tends
to make him more careless and in
different. The effect of the growl-
ing habit on those who indulge in
it is much more disastrous. 1t has
ruined many a naturally good dis
position. 1t is fatal leak in ones
mental reservoir by which a great
deal of his vitality is drained off.
1t never did and never will accom-
plish anything but harm. 1t is
as impossible for growing or
scolding or perpetual fault. finding
to do good as it is for harmony to
come from discord, and no good
can come from discord of any kind
any more than it can come from
hatred. revenge or jealousy.
A growler does little else in this
world except to fling dark shad-
ows into some ones sky, to cut off
his sunlight, to thrust ugliness be-
fore his eyes, to mar his harmony,
and to destroy his own peace of
mind. He does not believe in say
ing kind things, or in praising, or
encouraging anyone. He thinks
that when things 60 wrong the only
way to set them right is to scold
and criticise and find fault. 1t is
as foolish to expect to set wrong
right in this way as it would be for
US to expect to put out fire by
pumping kerosene upon it.
Most of the cruelty of this world
is thoughtless cruelty. Very few
people would intentionally add to
another's load or make his burden
in life heavier or his path rougher.
Most of our great heart wounds
are inflicted by thoughtless thrusts,
flung often in a moment of anger,
when, perhaps we were too proud
to apologize or try to heal the
grievous wounds we had made.
Can anything be more cruel than
to discourage a soul who is strug-
Cling to do the best he can, tu
throw stumbling blocks in the path
of one who is trying to get on the
world against great odds! No life
is just the same after you have
once touched it; you will leave a
ray of hope or one of despair. No
one knows this any better than we
who are here, or those who have
paid the price of their folly. A
fash of light or somber cloud
across some dark life each day, will
deepen the shadow or brighten our
lives. No matter how we feel or
what is disturbing our peace of
mind, we should never allow our
selves to send out a discouraging,
a cruel, or an unkind word or
thought.
The gloom caster, the shadow
thrower, the fault finder, the sar-
castle man, the man who is always
giving you a thrust somewhere,
does vast amount of harm in a
community. Some men throw
gloomy shadows wherever they 60,
who depress everybody, who are
always looking on the dark side of
everything. They see little good
or beauty in life and are poor
neighbors to anybody. They are
unpopular and little mourned when
they die.
1t is the inspirer, the man who
cheers and gives you hope and en-.
couragement. the sunshine bearer
is one who is loved during life,>and