One Secret of A Happy Life.
Were I to live my life over again, I should make it a point to do a kindness to a fellow-being whenever I had the opportunity. I regret very much that my habit has been so different. It has been my way too much to let others take care of themselves, while I took care of myself. If some little trespass was committed to my rights or if I suffered some slight inconvenience from the thoughtlessness or selfishness of others, I was greatly annoyed, and sometimes used harsh and reproachful language toward the offender. I am now satisfied that my own happiness was greatly impaired by this course, and that my conduct and example contributed to the irritation and unhappiness of others. It was but the other day that I was passing along the street, and a coachman was endeavoring to draw a light carriage into the coach-house. He tried once or twice without success, and, just as I came up, the carriage occupied the whole of the side-walk, and prevented my passing. The fellow looked as if it ought not to be so, and there was something like a faint apology in his smile. It was on my tongue to say, "in with your carriage, man, and do not let it stand here blocking up the passage;" but a better spirit prevailed. I went to the rear of the carriage and said: "Now try again, my good fellow!" while I gave a little push, and in the carriage went, and out came the pleasant "thank you, sir, much obliged." I would not have taken a twenty-dollar bank note for56the streak of sunshine that this one little act of kindness threw over the rest of my walk, to say nothing of the lighting up of the coachman's face. And when I look back upon my intercourse with my fellow-men all the way along, I can confidently say that I never did a kindness to any human being without being happier for it. So that, if I were governed by merely selfish motives, and wished to live the happiest life I could, I would just simply obey the Bible precepts, to do good unto all men as I had opportunity.