VOL. LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., DEC. 30.1899.
NO. 52
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What   Things   Have   Addei   Happiness,
Sweetness and Success to the past
Year of Your Life?
1st. Premium—The Greeks perhaps found
the best recipe for happiness. Theirs was
Brat, a healthy bod;; second, a modest income, and third, a well-stored mind.
To resort to details, a happy home, good
health, congenial associations, social recreation, good reading, pure thoughts and honorable, useful employment are the elements
that have contributed sweetness, happiness
and success to this last year, and the source
from which we hope to enjoy happiness ln
yearg to come.
Farmers and the entire rural population
have better opportunities to enjoy these pleasure than any other class of people, as they
live surrounded by nature, thus training their
minds to enjoy Intellectual pleasures.
The "things" to bo poeewsed that would
contribute happiness and success to ever
farmer's life, are a good, plain, comfortably
furnished home, good out buildings, implements and tools and good vehicles in which
to ride.
Ruskln'a Injunction ln regard to happiness
was "to ba always ready to enjoy the blessings
we struggle for when once we reach them."
Thia is another truth. Too many people postpone living life—that ls, they overlook ordinary pleasures of today, thinking Boine time
ln the future, when surrounded by wealth and
luiury, they will et j oy life.
Emerson sajs, "eccept tho place divine providence has found for you."
Too many people in their fruitless race for
fame, overlook the beauty, peace and satisfaction of a common place life and feel above
their occupation. Just as long as we think
our work not worthy our best efforts, just so
long will our lives be unhappy failures.
There are many men and women living miserable, discontented lives, who would be useful, successful and happy, were they not laboring under the delusion, that they were fitted
for a much higher station ln life than they
occupy.
It ls a great attainment to be able to bear
the petty trials and disappointments of life
with fortitude. Every one has these annoyances to endure, the bitter will always ba mingled with the swoet. As a friend wisely remarked * -no one ever went any where and had
an ideal time." None of our experiences will
be ideal, and to every life comes trials that
hare not been expected.
As with circumstances, so with people
There ls no one that ls perfect. Every one
haa his strong and weak points, his good qualities and faults, and we must not expect perfection of even our beat friends. Thero are
few perfect heroes in the world; few Ideal people; hence we can not afford to sare our love
and reverence for auch rarities.
Again; much of the human unrest and un-
happlneas arises from unfulfilled hopes, blasted
ambitions and longings unmet. However,
life ls checkered with sunshine and shadows.
We ehould forget tho trivial vexations, for
life to the most succetsful is not an idle
dream, for every day of our Uvea we will encounter trivial vexations and disappointments
and perhaps only a lew ot our cherished
dreams will etar be realized. But after all,
thla world la not a dreary place. So let us be
happy acd enjoy life, do all the gocd we can
and aa the poet says, "Gather the blossoms
while they bloom.
T.et na all trr to do all the good that we can,
Kverr day we live here below;
The «mall acta of each day are what make
up onr Uvea
Are what prove to tho world what we are.
Salem. Coba Wbigiit.
2d Premium.—There is nothing that can
add so much of happiness, success and sweetness to life as right thinking. We have been
taught that microbes Increase almost Infinitely, and lt is just as true tbat the germa of
thought will Increase quite as prolifically. We
know that yielding to one temptation makes
the second yielding easier, and so it goes. If
this ls true of wrong doing lt is just as true of
right. Every thought Is vital; it ls instinct
with life and will produce of its kind, whether
tbat kind be good or evil. Think of this.
Have we done all in our power the past year to
keep the trend of thought right? I do not
mean upon religious things so called, although
all right thinking is religious thinking because it ls right;   it  is  pure, it is jutt, it is
a change as cannot be dreamed of. Make
this one New Year's resolution and then keep
it, "I will think right thoughts for the coming year." It will elaborate Itself as time
goes, but don't try anything further ju«t now;
keep this one resolution and you will find
other things follow aB shoep follow a leader
You will find hlpplncs*, you will find success,
you will find sweetness added, not only to
your life, but to tho lives of all with whom
you come in contact. R. S, M.
I would say first health, as lt is ono of the
greatest blessings to mankind. How happy
the father feels on returning from hij daily
labor to his home, to find his family er j -jying
God's  best  blessing—health.   Although   the
Let us feel then that a failure following a
faithful effort Is a helpful part of the future
victory. Every failure associated with an
honest effort Is a partial success.
Let me mention one of the sweetest things
ln life. It ls employment at a congenial
thing. I meet people on the street of our
town standing listlessly, sometimes ttupidly
gazing about They are lonely. A rainy day
hangs heavy. Oiher days, bright and pleasant, pass slowly, Tney do not become enthused in an tffoit to make a living. Their
ever recurring expenses are an irksome burden. Others go rushing by, happy ln the
thought of something ahead to do, and that
now is an opportunity to do it.
I once cleaned and mounted a horse's skeleton. I became so Interested ln the work that
I really hated to see the noon hour come, still
worse night. I worked as long as I could,
and when I awoke ln the morning my heart
leaped for joy at the thought tbat I had a
whole day before me ta clean bones and study
them. ,
I would name th3se factors that make lite
happy. A congenial employment, appreciative friends, plenty of good literature and a
disinterested belpfulnees and regard for
others,
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kind. Now my friends, look to your own
thoughts, are you holding them ln leash only,
or are you sincerely thinking right thought*?
It la well to restrain evil thoughts, and by evil
I mean all that are not kindly, but lt is better
to so train the mind that lt shall not need to
be held in restraint. Sow good thoughts and
they will grow and bring forth a harvest that
will astonish even the most sanguine sower
There is nothing go devastating ae unkindly
thoughts and criticisms. We need not remark
upon Mrs B'e peculiar habits or on Mr, K's
"nearness;" we need not comment upon tho
immorality of some other person or the fool-
lihness of another. It is our place and duty
tJ take care of our thoughts and our lives.
There is nothing adds richness and bsauty,
sweetness and happiness to life that love does.
I do not mean a mawish sentiment but a genuine altruistic affection, that seeks not Its
own advancement but ths good of others. Wo
certainly may cultivate such an affection for
all, not only those who are really lovable, but
those who are not seemingly so. Think whenever you see anyone, this person is a part of
Qod Himself. There ls within this casket a
gem, of the first water, a aoul made by the
hand of tho Omnipotent and ag such it ls
priceless. Then, keeping this thought always
in view, treat that perron according to just
deserts, not to seemingly just deserts, but according to the rtght of a heaven-born and Divinely endowed soul. Be kindly, be loving,
avoid malicious thoughts, evil tempers, unkindly or even careless criticisms, as you
would the virus of the small pox or the venom
of the serpent. Keep your mind In right
channels end everything else must necessarily
follow. Try this for the coming year, make
a manful etand against all wrong, not aggressively aa far as others are concerned, but fight
lt to the death ln yourself.   We shall eee such
burden of labor may be heavy, yet when you
think of your loved ones at home, the labor is
made light and easy to bear. Fiowers are
one of the sweet:st things God ever made and
gavo no soul. They Bhould be admired and
cherished by every person, not for their
beaut? alone, but for their Influence in harmonizing tbe family circle.      J. D. Bekrn.
Shall I say a very busy life with the satisfaction of producing results. Hardly second
to this ls another source of happiness—that
ls, tht- consciousness of many kind-hearted
friends. Did you ever think of the adage,
"There is more friendship ln the world than
la ever realized." I tried to feod some rats ln
a wire trap; but tbey thought I was trying to
injure them and snapped at me viciously.
Then I thought of tho many people who seem
to feel that all the world la agalnet them, If
one offers them a kindness lt ls interpreted as
the result of your having an ax to grind,
Every little thing Is twisted Into an Insult or
slight. By this one always has a lot of people
on deck with whom hi ls hatefully watching
for a chance "to get even ,' Isn't this world
wide enough for all ot us? Are we not slow ln
learning that every one has an angel side?
Lot us for tbe coming year form the resolution that we will cot make discord In this
world by making unnecessary friction and
that we will cot mar and warp our Uvea by
euch needless distrust.
What would you give for life if shorn of its
friendships acd tha relish and Inspiration of
a struggle acd its victory? FleaBe remember
that wo would not know what victory Is if we
had not experienced defeat. We should not
know color if we had never eeen but one color.
It ls the trials and struggles and hardships of
life that add joyandrelleh to every succeie.
No. 200, Jan. 6th, 1900—The edujated
fanner, or the good and bad effects of education on the farm.
No. 201, Jan. 13-How do you break a colt?
How thould a harness fit a horse? Size of
collar; how low should the hame hook be?
No. 202, Jan. 20ih—Under what circumstances should cottonseed meal end linseed
meal be used as a food. Give lta bad and
good effects.
No. 203, Jan. 27—Boyf; their faults and
ideals.
No. 204, Feb. 31—How may consumption
and typhoid fever be prevented?
No. 205, Feb. 10th—Whatuhredders are mogt
dangerous? What can be done to make them
safe?
No, 20G, Feb 17th—Dj you break land ln
the fall or spring? How deep? Name a good
plow. What about the j ointer. How do you
know when too wet to plow?
No 207, Feb 24th—The farmer'a bird friends.
Premiums of $1, 75 centa and 50 cents will
be given to 1st, 2d and 3d best articles each
week. Let copy be as practical ag possible
and forwarded 10 days before publication to
Oarmel, Ind, E. H. Collins.
RURAL HOUTE NO. 1. nOPB, IND.
This cut la the oce used in the last report of
the first aisUtant postmaster-general, Hon.
Perry S. Heath, lt appears that some of the
farmerg on that route Bro utilizing their old
bee hives for mall boxes, lt will not bo long
until tho coming of the dally mall carrier,
will be welcomed ln all rural  neighborhoods.
POSTAL CARD   CORRESPONDENCE.
LaPobtb Co, Dae, 22.—Nice pleasant
weather; cold nights; warm dayi; enow all
gone; roads haid and good. Turkeys and
chickens slow sale, with market overstocked;
chickens lire G cents, butter 18 cents.
Mbs. B. A. Davis.
Howard Co , Doc. 20.—Wheat sella at GO
cents per buihel at this market. The flies are
doing a great deal of damage to the early
sown wheat, almost destroying some fields altogether. The late sowing looks nice yet.
Farmers that have bluerxass pasture have the
advantage this fall since they are Btill pasturing It Jho. N. Shbock.
Absalom Miller, of Splco Valley township
Lawrence county, shot an American eagle
measuring seven feet two Inches from tip to
tip.