Evening Round Up | Page 9

pools,
establishing starvation prices, and ruining agriculture. Yet, as I write
these lines, fat beef cattle sell for $10.00 a hundred on the hoof, wheat
is way over $1.00 a bushel, and good farms in Missouri even are selling
at from $100.00 to $150.00 per acre.
Good farm mortgages are hard to get. The farmers have money in the
banks, honey in the house, and automobiles in the garage.
Our taxes in the United States are lower than anywhere on the face of
the earth. Our wages are higher than anywhere in the world. Our
schools better, our opportunities greater.
And in the midst of better conditions and brighter prospects the
shameless, brainless, fameless bipeds pollute the atmosphere, poison
hearts and plant discontent.
If these howlers are any better than foot-pads, thieves, grave robbers, or
child beaters, I can't see it.
And it is up to you and to me to denounce these peace destroyers,

ridicule them, show our contempt for them; they have no hearts, no
souls, they are only decay spots that spread rottenness, disease, despair,
discouragement, contamination and anarchy, and we do not want such
guests at our quilting parties or husking bees.

GLOOM CONTAGION
A Little Study of Faces in a Street Car
This evening I rode home in a crowded street car. What an interesting
study to watch the faces in that car.
Discontent, discomfort, worry, gloominess on nearly every face. Tired
faces, tired bodies from a hard day's work, mouth corners drooped.
Hopelessness stamped on the countenances.
As the people came in the car some of them had smiles or at least
passable expressions, but when they got crowded together and saw the
gloomy faces the gloom spread to their faces, too.
At a picnic all are smiling and laughing. In the street car at six o'clock
the long procession of workers is a stream of solemn faces. Contagion,
example, surrounding, yes, that's it--contagion and example.
At six o'clock in the cars all is gloom, blueness and sorrow faces. At
eight o'clock many of these faces will be changed; there will be joy,
smiles, rosiness, singing and dancing. Yet the actual conditions of
finance, health, hope or prospects haven't changed since these people
were in the car at six o'clock.
Why then such a change in two hours?
It is this: at seven o'clock these workers sat down to supper, they were
out of that gloom-reflected street car atmosphere. Now they are talking,
they are rounding-up the day's activities; they are HOME with mother,
sister, brother and the kiddies. The home ones greet them with smiles,
the appetizing supper pleases the palate, good cheer permeates, and all

is smiles and joy.
Gloom spreads gloom. Joy spreads joy. Gloom is black; joy is white.
One darkens, the other brightens.
Well, then, where's the moral? What's the benefit from this little study
of the street car passengers?
The lesson is plain: it is that you and I are ferments of joy or acids of
gloom. We are influences to help or to hurt. To hurt others by our
example hurts us. To help others by our example helps us. We become
happier than ever.
In the street car life was not worth living if you judged by the pained
faces. In two hours by changed thought the example of life was worth
while.
What changes the mental attitude makes.
"When a man has spent His very last cent-- The world looks blue, you
bet; But give him a dollar And loud he will holler There's life in the old
world yet."
Next time we get on the street car let's plant some smiles. Let's give
that lady a seat and smile when we do it.
We can spread cheer by merely wearing a cheery face. Costs little, pays
big. Let's do it.

HAPPINESS
Hovers Near Us If We Do Not Chase It
Some of our richest blessings are gained by not striving for them
directly. This is so true that we accept the blessings without thinking
about how we came to get them.

Particularly true is this in the matter of happiness. Everyone wants to
be happy, but few know how to secure this blessing.
Most people have the idea that the possession of material things is
necessary to happiness and that idea is what keeps architects,
automobile makers, jewelers, tailors, hotels, railroads, steamships and
golf courses busy.
Do your duty well, have a worth-while ambition, be a dreamer, have an
ideal. Keep your duty in mind, be occupied sincerely with your work,
keep on the road to your ideal and happiness will cross your path all the
while.
Happiness is an elusive prize; it's wary, timid, alert and cannot be
caught. Chase it and it escapes your grasp.
I read today of a friend who walked