Life — December 3, 1898 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Qty Oars The Christmas Appetite. Fe is a good thing in its way ; and even drink, though it is such o vulnerable indulgence, is etill tolerated on occasion by reputable persons, but for the readers of Lire, who are not as a rule at loss for the means of nourish- ment, the main thing, after all, is appetite. To have appetite and no victuals is a sad plight, but it is easier dealt with, especially at Christmas time, than the fix of persons who have victuals galore and no appetite. Lire wishes for all its friends that keen and joyous apprecia- tion of their Christmas food which comes from a sound physical condition; from stomachs replenished at proper in- tervals but not crowded ; from livers whose efficiency is maintained by due moderation and proper exercise. May their Christmas dinners blend cheerfully with their systems, and give them pleas- ant sentiments and peace of mind! The cares of life and its worries, all qualms of conscience, all misgivings, fears, re- grets and remorses—Ict us drive them all away from the Christmus board, and take our dinners, from oysters to plum pudding, with timely obliviousness to everything but the lawful satisfactions of the hour. More than that, Lire wishes its friends a good appetite for life, and the fullest enjoyments of all there is in it. That is a serious and comprehensive wish, As we don’t get an appetite for dinner by sitting still and taking stimulant or nourishment between meals, so we don’t get an appetite for life by dodging its In the Basement. ITTLE WILLIE: I wish we lived on the top floor. Motuer: Why do you wish that? “T'm afraid Santa Claus will give away all the best presents before he gets down to us.” reasonable responsibilities and trying to subsist on pleasures alone, We must do our share of serious work if we expect to have our share of fun, We must play our share of golf, pay a fair proportion of our bills, marry betimes if possible, raise and educate our just proportion of posterity, do our share of govern- ing, administer our surplus income so that it may do the most possible good, or, if we have no surplus, distribute our deficit so that it may cause the least possible inconvenience to our fellows. Oh, brethren and fellow sinners, let us all give up trying to shirk! There is no such thing as success in shirking. Existence is inexorable. If you don’t go through the motions of it of your own volition, the earth gets hot beneath your feet, and either withers you or makes you dance to keep from broiling. Come on, brethren! Wrestle with life. and squeeze its substance out of it! Take the bull by the teeth, or the tail, or any sure handle, and swing him. Don’t liedown and let him trample on you. It is of no vital consequence what you start to work atif only you work it out. It is of the greatest consequence that you strive honestly at something. What you have done, that you are. What you will be, depends on what you do next. What you learn, you will learn by striving, for there is no other way, Good appetite to you, brethren! and good dinners, and good and remunera- tive lives! E. 8. Martin. Disappointed. NCLE BOB: I suppose you got lots of nice Christmas presents? Littie Jimmy: Naw, I didn’t get nuthin’ but a lot of useful things EVER look a gift automobile in the motor, comicbooks.com