To take things as they be—­
    Thet’s my philosophy. 
  No use to holler, mope, or cuss—­
  If they was changed they might be wuss.

    If rain is pourin’ down,
    An’ lightnin’ buzzin’ roun’,
  I ain’t a-fearin’ we’ll be hit,
  But grin thet I ain’t out in it.

    If I got deep in debt—­
    It hasn’t happened yet—­
  And owed a man two dollars, Gee! 
  Why I’d be glad it wasn’t three.

    If some one come along,
    And tried to do me wrong,
  Why I should sort of take a whim
  To thank the Lord I wasn’t him.

    I never seen a night
    So dark there wasn’t light
  Somewheres about if I took care
  To strike a match and find out where.

John Kendrick Bangs.

From “Songs of Cheer.”

THE LIFE WITHOUT PASSION

A person may feel deeply without shouting his emotion to the skies, or be strong without seizing occasions to exhibit his strength.  In truth we distrust the power which makes too much a display of itself.  Let it exert itself only to the point of securing the ends that are really necessary.  Restraint, self-control are in truth more mighty than might unshackled, just as a self-possessed opponent is more dangerous than a frenzied one.  Moreover, there is a moral side to the question.  A good quality, if abused or allowed free sway, becomes a force for evil and does its owner more harm than if he had not possessed it in the first place.

  They that have power to hurt, and will do none,
  That do not do the thing they most do show,
  Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,
  Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow,—­

  They rightly do inherit heaven’s graces,
  And husband nature’s riches from expense;
  They are the lords and owners of their faces,
  Others, but stewards of their excellence.

  The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet,
  Though to itself it only live and die;
  But if that flower with base infection meet,
  The basest weed outbraves his dignity: 

  For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
  Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.

William Shakespeare.

CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE

“I’d rather be right than President,” said Henry Clay.  It is to men who are animated by this spirit that the greatest satisfaction in life comes.  For true blessedness does not lie far off and above us.  It is close at hand.  Booker T. Washington once told a story of a ship that had exhausted its supply of fresh water and signaled its need to a passing vessel.  The reply was, “Send down your buckets where you are.”  Thinking there was some misunderstanding, the captain repeated his signal, only to be answered as before.  This time he did as he was bidden and secured an abundance of fresh water.  His ship was opposite the mouth of a mighty river which still kept its current unmingled with the waters of the ocean.