THE SECEET OF HAPPINESS 251 



going in two or more directions at once, not to get 

 rich, but to make both ends meet. And yet he 

 was so happy ! (Therefore he was so happy, say I.) 

 Troubles and trials, he says, are few and soon over 

 with, while the pleasures are past aU enumeration. 

 "There is so much to be enjoyed, one never gets to 

 the end of it." 



This man was too busy to be unhappy ; he had no 

 time for ennui or the blues. You see he did not 

 overindulge in the luxury of leisure. He was com- 

 pelled to take it sparingly, hence it always tasted 

 good to him. The fruit of the tree of life of which 

 we must eat very sparingly is leisure. Too much 

 of it, and it turns to gall on our tongue. A little 

 too much of those things which we think will make 

 us happy, and we are cloyed, and miserable indeed. 

 The boy would like to dine entirely upon pie or 

 sweetmeats, and we all need the lesson that the des- 

 sert of life is to be taken sparingly. Because money 

 is good, do not, therefore, think that riches are an 

 unmixed blessing ; because leisure is sweet to you, 

 do not, therefore, imagine you would be happy with 

 nothing to do. My correspondent was too busy and 

 too poor to be cloyed or sated, too much the victim 

 of circumstances to be self-accusing and repining. 

 He had no choice but to go on and make the most 

 of things. 



I overheard an old man and a young man talking 

 at the station. The young man was telling of an 

 old uncle of his who had sold his farm and retired 

 to the village. He had enjoyed going to the vil- 



