Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-09
Little Talks by
Bedtr FdUfdG


dicitis. 1t seems as if 1 couldn't
get way from it. 1 didn't know
there were as many sick folks in
the world as there are just suffering
from my trouble"
Did you notice the prevalence
of the troublesome appendix among
humans before you were one of the
afflicted" l asked with a mental
twinkle / just managed to keep out
of my eye.
NO, 1 didn't. That's the mean
part of it," replied my young
friend.
Not the mean part. The nat
ural part" said I, trying not to
seem too superior. Haven't you
noticed that when you come out
of a sunshiny day feeling that life
is a mass of clouds, you seem to
pass dozens of grouchy people? And
when you have a little colorature
ripple of warmth and joy running
through your soul like a bright red
thread in a dull pattern, you can
march out in the rain and see
nothing but happy, smiling folks"
That isn't my LACK" protested
Maize. When I'm blue, the whole
world seems happy-pitiless. No
BODY cares what becomes of poor
me because everybody's so gay over
their own selfish personal concerns.
And when I'm happy l see lot OF
lame folks and poor ones ana all
sorts of people who seem TO re-
proach me for having an air or
we'll being"
"Wha would you say if I told
you that you'd just hnlshed prov
ing my point?" 1 asked.
II haven't, you old fraud, now
don't saw ! have" replied Maize,
lacing her arms through mine and
smuggling up in a manner that took
the sting out of her words.
Yes, YOU have, dear" / insisted.
And proceeded to prove it. It's like
this:
Maize, gay in spite of the rain.
stands off and looks at herself ana
says:
IT'S wonderful that I should rise
above unpleasant weather condi-
tions and the cruelty of life and be
happy. 1t won't last And I'll see
a lot of unhappy people and un-
pleasant things to make 1t end the
sooner"
Or Maize, miserable groans to
herself:
ITS an unfair world. In the
midst of happiness, I'm sad and no.
body cares"
You see, Maize, thinking about
her appendicitis or her frame of
mind. travels about in a tiny plot
of existence where only the things
on which she is centering her mind
can break into that mind.
If she was honestly happy, in
stead of posturing and posing as
happy, she might notice misery
hut to pity it and wish to alleviate
it by sharing some of her JOY.
And Maize, deep in the tolls OF
a real trouble, wouldn't have any
artificial emotions to diffuse about
in envy of the happy. If she were
a reasonable and logical person,
she might say:
"Of course I'm sad enough now,
hut in a world where there seems
to be so much joy and sunshine,
I'm bound to get my share soon.
Things are bound to come right
Even when reading about a long
and startling list of appendicitis
cases, Maize, thinking sanely, would
notice that most of 'em get well.
But she's posing as an afflicted be-
ing and a martyr to pain and
marked out creature about to travel
down into the valley of the shadow.
So not only does she md the world
suddenly full of appendicitis, but
also and moreover and alas, she
finds it full of appendix operations
with fatal endings.
Test yourself. You're interested
in bee culture. Everywhere you go
you notice signs telling what flow
ers produce the sweetest honey.
You're taking up basket weaving.
Bulletins about raffia and tints are
just everywhere. It's astonishing.
Really it isn't astonishing at all
It's just the funny kinky contrari-
ness of life. When your boys di-
vision was in action Somewhere In
France" last year, and you ached to
know of his fortunes, you could
find full information about a di-
vision you recognized as being
Freddy Smiths or Wally Browns
but nary word that told you
aught of our lad. And when he
was in hospital with shell shock,
you never looked at a magazine or
went to a dinner but what people
were telling of the horrors of shell
shock.
And in both cases you got what
you were looking for! Think II
over and see if you don't agree
with me. Then think 1t over some
more and tell me If you don't think
the kinky contrariness of life ID
pretty good thing to laugh at.
SMALL BOY is SCALDED
Lewistown, Pa, Oct. 9.-While