“By making the best of everything, Fred!” “But everybody cannot do this,” was the reply. “Yes they can, my dear Frederic; I know they can. I used to be whimsical and capricious, myself--sometimes sweet and sometimes sour; but our good grandmother, who is now dead, used to talk to me, and she taught me better. She once told me a little story, which made a great impression on my mind, and I began to practise on the plan suggested by that story. At first I found it difficult, but after a while it came more easy; and now it is my custom to be cheerful: it is my habit to take pleasant views of things. When any disagreeable event occurs, I repeat the title of the story my grandmother told me--‘_Always make the best of it_;’ and this puts me in a right frame of mind, and so I do make the best of it. All this is easy to me now, for it is easy to do that which habit has rendered familiar. Our habits are of our own making; so, if a person wishes to render cheerfulness easy, he has only to cultivate the habit of being cheerful.” “It must be a good story that can do such wonderful things,” said Frederic; “pray tell it to me, Cherry.” “With all my heart,” said Cherry; and so she went on as follows:-- “ALWAYS MAKE THE BEST OF IT; “A FAIRY TALE. “In a far-off country a youth set out upon a long journey. One day, as he was travelling along a dusty road, he became very hot, and having proceeded a great distance, he grew fatigued, and at last angry and impatient. ‘Confound this dust and heat!’ said he; ‘I wonder why it must be so hot and dusty to-day, just as I am obliged to travel over this road. Why, it’s enough to melt an ox!’ “Thus complaining of the heat and dust, the youth worked himself up into a fury, so that he became hotter than ever, and it seemed as though he would choke from the influence of dust, heat and passion. Just at this moment, a lively little woman, with bright blue eyes and flaxen hair, stepped out from the road-side, and joining the youth unasked, walked along with him. The two soon fell into conversation, and the youth’s mind being diverted in some degree from his troubles, he forgot the evils which had disturbed him before. Taking counsel of his companion, he walked a little slower; avoided the deep sand in the path, and chose his way along the turf by the roadside; amused himself with thinking of something beside his toil; and thus he forgot his cares, and mitigated the labors of his journey.