“Oh mother,” said Frederic; “we have had such a funny time!”
“Oh! mamma, funny time!” said little Philip, determined to have his share in the glory.
“Oh yes,” said Frederic; “it rained big drops, and it blew a hurricane.”
“Yes,” said Philip, impatient to speak; “a hallycane, a great big hallycane, as big as a barn!”
“Yes, mother,” continued Frederic; “and the hurrycane took my hat, and it went whirling along just like a hoop, and then it went a great way up into the air, and then it went right down into the pond, and ’twould have drownded if Cherry had not gone into the pond, and got it out.”
“Yes, so ’twas,” said Philip; “Freddy’s hat went right into the pond, and was all drownded, and Cherry was all drownded, and the hallycane was all drownded, and the pond was all drownded, and everything was all drownded, and it was all so funny!”
This eloquent speech of little Philip’s caused a merry laugh in the party—the mother and Cherry and Frederic all joining in it—and Philip was so cheered by the applause, that, like an orator of the stump, he went on in the same strain, raising his voice, and throwing up his hands, until he was quite out of breath.
Thus the disagreeable adventure of the morning, instead of being a source of sorrow and vexation, was turned into a pleasant channel, and it was a long time remembered as the occasion of agreeable recollections.
Now it will be seen by the reader, that Cherry, through her cheerfulness, by making the best of it, drew pleasure and mirth out of circumstances, which, in most cases, would have been sources of trouble and sorrow. Nor was this all: for she taught her little brothers that even misfortunes, met by gaiety of heart and cheerfulness of mind, cease to be misfortunes, and are turned into blessings. And Cherry’s example may teach us all that cheerfulness has a power that can transform many of the evils, accidents, and adversities of life into sources of positive pleasure.
If this virtue of cheerfulness, then, have such a wonderful power, why should we not all cultivate it? It is certainly worth more than silver and gold, for these cannot insure happiness: we may still, though we possess riches, be ill-tempered, discontented, malicious, envious, and consequently miserable. But cheerfulness chases out these bad passions from the heart, and leaves it peaceful and happy. Cheerfulness is like sunshine: it clears away clouds and storms and tempests, and brings fair weather over the soul.