“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. This subject is so important, that I propose to tell my young reader something more about Cheerful Cherry; thus hoping to impress her example on the mind, and render the lesson I would teach enduring and effectual. Cherry’s father, whose name was Larkin, removed from his home in the country, and lived in Boston, where he pursued the business of a merchant. Now, when spring comes, we all know that it is a delightful thing for city people to get out into the country, where they can see the green fields, gather wild flowers, and hear the birds sing. Well, two or three years after the storm I have described, once when spring had come, Mr. Larkin told his children, on a Friday evening, that it was his intention to take the whole family in a carryall, the next day, to Chelsea Beach, about five miles from Boston. This promise delighted the children very much, for they wanted to go into the country, and above all they wished to go to Chelsea Beach. Frederic was in ecstasies, and Philip, as usual, echoed his older brother’s thoughts, words and feelings.