In Lighter Mood

NOTES. 473

It is the habitual thought that frames itself into our life. It affects us even more than our intimate social relations do. Our confidential friends have not so much to do in shaping our lives as thoughts have which we harbor.

If you wish to be miserable you must think about yourself, about what you want, what you like, what respect people ought to pay you, and then to you nothing will be pure. You will spoil everything you touch. You will be as wretched as you choose.

The most careful searcher after facts will not arrive at the whole truth about them without some play of the imaginatibn. Facts are isolated, and it is only when their mutual relations are discovered that their full meaning is revealed. Without the imagination science would bring us no new discoveries and reveal to us no new truths.

Fight your own battles. Hoe your own row. Ask no favors of any one, and you will succeed a thousand times better than one who is always beseeching some one's influence and patronage. No one will ever help you as you can help yourself, because no one will be so heartily interested in your affairs. The first step will be a long one perhaps; but, in carving your own way up the mountain, you make each one lead to another, and stand firm while you chop still another out. Men who have made fortunes are not always those who have had a fortune given them to start their business career with. .i>

IN LIGHTER MOOD.

"That youngest boy of yours does not seem to be a credit to you," said a white employer to uncle Mose. "No, sah," replied uncle Mose "he is the wustest chile I has! He is mighty bad! He's de white sheep ob de fam'ly, sah." * * *

Countryman, to dentist: "I won't pay nothing extra for gas. Just yank her out, if it does hurt." Dentist. "You are plucky, sir! Let me see the tooth." Countryman: "Oh, 'tain't me that's got the toothache, it's my wife! She'll be here in a minute." * * *

A witty Bostonian, going to dine with a lady, was met on his arrival by his hostess with an apology. "I could not get another man,"

474 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

she explained, "and we are four women, and you will have to take us all in to dinner." "Fore-warned is four-armed," said he with a bow. * * *

An English gentleman went to a little village for a week's fishing on Loch Tay. He was very unlucky, catching nothing for the first five days. Of course his hotel bill and his having a boatman to pay made the fishing rather expensive. On the last day however he killed a fine salmon. "Hamish," said the gentleman to the boatman, "do you know that fish cost me about twenty pounds?" "Aw eel sir," quoth Hamish, who took life very easily, "a' things be mixed wi' mercy. It's a blessing ye dina catch oriy mair." * * *

At one time when the late Phillips Brooks was recovering from an illness so severe that many of his friends were not allowed to see him>

Robert Ingersoll called upon the bishop, who came downstairs to see him. "Why," said Ingersoll, with surprise, "how is it that you honor me by seeing me when you have refused your friends?" "Well, you see," slowly replied the dear bishop, "I knew I should see my friends in the next world, but thought that this might be my last chance of seeing you.' Hi * *

A few days ago the principal of a well-known school in a western, city visited a class of little boys. She gave them a talk on Indians, and emphasized the fact that these were the first people here. A small boy at her elbow became very thoughtful, and finally said: "The Indians wus not the first people here. A lady and gentleman wus here before them." After awhile the teacher asked the boy what he knew about thi& first couple, and he informed her that they had lived in a beautiful place^ but one day they ate apples, and "then the Lord fired them out." * * *

A good many years ago I, with many others, was waiting in a certain postoffice for the mail to be distributed. One of the group spoke of the dreadful disease of small-pox in a certain family in Newport. "How do you know, John, that those people have it?" "Oh, I get letters from them; awful disease." "But do you know, John, that there is danger in getting letters from such sources? There is danger of contagion; you should be very careful." "Gad, man, I take good care of that; I never answer any of them."