Special thanks to my great Aunt Myra for posting this treasure on Facebook tonight. This was written my great great grandmother. Such a neat little insight in to the mind of someone I never got to meet...
THE NEW YEAR, by Ella Ramey, age 16, January 1, 1906, Mountain Rest, SC
The happy New Year is now here and we hope it will be a happy one! Of course we cannot foretell what it may bring forth. But we know this, if we would perform our duties as we should, we might be more successful in the future than we have been in the past. Each one of us young people should establish a new talent. And bear in mind that it should be permanent, not only lasting for one day, but for days to come.
Two of these talents should be kindness and courtesy. There isn’t anything better than kindness. We should form these habits immediately, without hesitation. I think this is advisable or I would not affirm it.
We know, or ought to know, that:
The best theology is a pure and beneficial life
The best philosophy, a contented mind
The best law, the golden rule
The best education, self-knowledge
The best statesmanship, self-government
The best medicine, cheerfulness and temperance
The best art, painting a smile upon the brow of childhood
The best science, extracting sunshine into a cloudy day
The best war, to war against one’s wickedness
The best journalism, printing only the true and the beautiful on memory’s tablet
The best telegraphing, flashing a ray of sunshine into a gloomy heart
The best biography, the life which writes charity in the largest letters
The best mathematics, that which doubles the most joys and divides the most sorrows
The best navigation, steering clear of the lacerating rock of personal contention
The best diplomacy, effecting a treaty of peace with one’s own conscience
The best engineering, building a bridge of faith over the river of death.
We should keep these unassuming innovations in our minds, not only for reference, but for definite use day after day. Our motto should be, “Do your best, your very best, and do it every day.”
Biding you farewell, I wish you a prosperous New Year, crowned with unlimited pleasure and success.
Very sincerely,
Ella Ramey
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