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Show The Splendid Optimist. Scott Bond, a rich Arkansas planter, plant-er, said, at the recent convention of the National Negro Business league, in New York: "The open places are the places for you, the farm lands. You won't be sick out there, and the ground will love you like a brother. "I am an optimist for my farm brother. I know he must succeed. And any argument you bring against his success I can answer optimistically. optimistical-ly. In fact, I'm like Calhoun Washington, Wash-ington, who said bravely, no matter what misfortune happened, 'Well, it might have been worse.' "But the deacon thought he'd get the best of the optimist, Calhoun, and so he said to him one day: " 'I had a dreadful dream last night. I thought I saw the bad place. There was a great lake of boiling, blazing pitch, and we all were swimming swim-ming in it you and I, and all our friends. And when we'd get near the shore and try to climb out, imps with horns and tails would jab redhot pitchforks into our faces.' " 'Well, well,' said Calhoun. He thought a moment, then he added: But it might have been worse, eh.'' " 'How might it have been worse, you fool?' shouted the deacon angrily. " 'Why,' said Calhoun, 'it might have been true.' " Louisville Times. |