"
"That," she said, "includes the whole gospel of R. L. S." These
lines are certainly a concise statement of the spirit in which her
son undertook to expound the benefits to be derived from "performing
our petty round of irritating concerns and duties with laughter and
kind faces." Before he could walk steadily, it had been discovered
he was heavily handicapped by the burden of ill-health. Still the
good fairy who came to his christening endowed him with "sweet
content," a gift which carried him triumphantly through all
hampering difficulties. He never faltered in the task he set
himself--the task of happiness. He began to preach his gospel as a
child. He would not have his tawdry toy sword disparaged even by his
father. "I tell you," he said, "the sword is of gold, the sheath of
silver, and the boy who has it is quite contented." In the same
manner he transformed a coddling shawl into a wrap fit for a soldier
on a night march. To the end of his days he was eager to be happy.
We are told
"Two men looked out from prison bars;
One saw mud, the other stars.
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