Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-10-04
ONCE IN A WHILE
Nv Ella Nrbaalar Willow

ONCE IN A WHILE
(By Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
1t is easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song,
Hut the man worth while is the one
who will smile
When everything goes wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble,
And it always comes with the years.
And the smile that is worth the praises
of earth
Is the smile that shines through
tears.
1t is easy enough to be prudent
When nothing tempts you to stray,
When without or within no voice of sin
Is Turing your soul away.
But it's only a negative virtue
Until it is tried by fire.
And the lige is worth the honor of
earth
Is the one that resists desire.
By the cynic, the sad. the fallen.
Who had no strength for the strife.
The worlds highway is numbered to-
day;
They make up the item of life.
But Ine virtue tIdl poSSioii'
And the sorrow that hides in a smile,
1t is these that are worth the homage
of earth,
For we find them but once in while.
Dear Aunt Madge and Mutuals:
More than a month has elapsed since
we met. and think it is quite time you
heard from your nieces. Law thus
far seems to be the only one that has
reported since that enjoyable day. l
suppose everyone is busy just now, and
if you have had as much to take up
your time and mind as | have. 1T isn't
to be wondered at that you have been
silent. But now l seem to- be without
excuse--not that l can't find enough to
do, but l do not feel obliged to hurry
about it.
Our family has gone, one by one. and
now we are left alone and it does seem
very quiet since baby Phyllis has left
us. She and her mamma We're the last
to go. Strange how we miss them.
isn't it?
Aunt Madge wanted us to send in
some new recipes for picking, but
am picking mine the same old way,
so have nothing new to send.
We had lovely day and a delight
full time at our seventeenth reunion.
1t hardly seems possible we have met
so many years. In fact, it has been
eighteen years since our first gather
ing, but one year it stormed and We
didn't meet That was before autos
were available. l have been at all of
them with one exception, and that was
when it was at Parker Point. Now,
can anyone beat that (Aunt Madge ex
cepted) for attendance? If So speak
up ! have looked forward to it each
year, and as | think it over. | feel l
should have lost great deal of pleas
ure from my life if I had never be-
the many good things from the
column. and we turn. very naturally
and quickly to that part of the paper
to see what it contains.
Now, the thought has occurred to
me, why couldn't we start something
special for the column through the
winter months when there is more
time? Narcissus, why can't you and
your John propose something that
would set the sisters at work? 1 think
it is too bad to put so much on Aunt
Madge's shoulders. for while all she
contributes is par excellent, yet it
makes greater care for her and it
hardly seems fair,
Am sorry to say, since our gathering,
Aunt Fanny has been quite i'll, but
am glad to hear she is improving
again, likewise Aunt Mary's John. Hope
thew both will recover enough so we
can hear from them personally through
the column before long.
miss Sadie's letters. Hope she will
be able to report again soon.
Best wishes to all.
S. j. Y.