THE DAILY ROUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 55

THE DAILY ROUND.

It is not always an inspiriting thing, this daily treadmill that we all know so well, and we count ourselves lucky if at the end of the day we find a" few grains of the gold of kindly actions, and generous impulses mixed with the dross of the self-seeking and indifference which ore common enough in the people whom we encounter in the day's march.

Then there is the monotony of it all, so intolerable to many, especially to the young and impatient, who, with eager, straining eyes striving to pierce the future, and reading into it many proud hopes and ambitions, find the inaction which is the lot of many very terrible, and to whom the truth that "they also serve who only stand and wait is so difficult of realisation. This same monotony seems very dreary to us all at times, and yet when the inevitable change comes, as it does sooner or later to each of us, we look back yearningly, with wistful eyes, to those days when life flowed on. smoothly, with no violent emotions ruffling its placid surface. Ah ! would not some sorrowing women in far-away England, tc whom we send our thoughts and sympathies across the sea, give much to have again the old peaceful days before their brave, bright-faced boys waved farewell to all the dear ties of home and friends and kindred — alas ! that for so many of them there will be no reunion on this side of the grave.

"Happy the nation that has no history," and perhaps the same is true of individuals ; yet we cannot help finding the daily round, with its many claims, its constant effort, and irksome round of small duties, very wearisome nt times. True, thei-e are days in the lives of most of us when everything appears rose-coloured, and perfect happiness seems within our grasp, when all the world seems instinct with light and colour and beauty, and we can echo Swinburne's words : — Life holds not an hour that is better to live in, The past is a tale that is told ; The future a sun-flecked shadow, alive anc! aslesp, "With a blessing in store. But the»e times of ecstasy are usually elusive, and the days that come afterwards often fail to realise our dreams, and the memory of them is rather apt to .render more unlovely the prevailing somewhat drab tint that spreads itself over the days and weeks and months. It is well for us to have some congenial occupation to which to turn in moments when the world seems to move heavily, and living to be but ? colourless affair. We all need a safety valve of some description, and the following up of a so-called fad keeps manj' of us bright and sa eet and free from that cynicism and ennui that usually haunt the women of no pursuits. And it you have a daughter, find out her bent and encourage her in it to the utmost of your power and means, be it music, or dnuving, or perhaps one of the numberless forms of collecting, even if it bo of plum stones, like the small boy in Ethel Turner's; charming story. No matter if it appear uninteresting or even ridiculous to other people it ■will help to bring sunshine into her life, and keep he* healthy and happy and free from morbid and petty thoughts. Anything that conduces to cheerfulness is surely worth much in this age of pessimism, when we are all too ready to note the flaws and seams and rugged corners of life, which, however, in spite of its drawbacks, we all must accept .and in it play our allotted parts, and is it not well to do so to the best of our ability and with as good a gi'ace as possible? I came across a passage in a book I was reading the other day which ran something like this : " Life is not so gay a thing that we I can pass the growlers by unheard. We j have, most of us, a crov to pluck with I fate; but the merry ones are the plucky | ones after all, for no mortal ever yel forgot that tragedy begins, surrounds, and ends the path of their life."

Yes. the merry ones are the plucks ones, and we owe a 'debt of gr.ititude to those cheery souls whose presence radiates sunshine, and also lo the funny man of our acquaintance, whom perhaps we are inclined to view with good-humoured tolerance mixed with a very comfortable feeling of superiontv, as we tell ourselves that he is very pleasant and amusing, but he does not realise the seriousness of life. As if any of us aftei our Leens have gone by are likely to make the mistake of imagining that life is all rose leaves : Fate's slings and arrows visit us all too impartially for that ; but h it not better to belong to the Mark Tapleys of the world than to the Mrs Gummidges? It is not given to us all to possess a very keen sense of humour — indeed, if we are to believe certain wise men whom we have known, all women are destitute of its saving grace — but we can cultivate amiability and cheerfulness and charity of thought and actior towards our fellowcreatures, which are better than all the humour ir> the world, though it too is one of the good gifts of the gods.

And if existence has become o more commonplace affair than once you thought possible, do not forget that you may still weave into it a bright thread of beauty by helping to crown the lives of other people witl( joy, and the opportunities for that always, lie close to our hand. So will we be lifting our lives towards Kingsley's beautiful"

ideal, and if Aye do not altogether attain ' to the " grand SAreet s>ong," yet by striA--ing towards it we shall ennoble our lives, and raise ihem above the Wcl of the com- j monplace, and in forgetfulne,<s of self find j our truest happiness. Elizabeth Browning embodies this idea in sympathetic, beautiful words : — A child-Ins* Set on thy sighing lips shall make thee glad; A poor man served by thee shall make Ihee rich ; I A sicl: man helped by thee shall make thee i strong ; ' Thou slialt be served thyself by every &en&e j Of service which thou renderesl. ' And in &o helping to brighten the wc-nry hours of others you Avill forget to iind } our . own days weary or long, and by quiet abnegation of self you Avill unconsciously j exert yoiu influence for good upon the ! world, 'which Ruskm 1 ells us is ever ready j to boAV itself "before the myrtle crown md the fcvainless sceptre oi' womanhood.''