Page:Over fen and wold; (IA overfenwold00hissiala).pdf/158

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  • stained condition. On one well-remembered occasion

during the shooting season, when trespassing afoot across some moors in search of a short cut, I came suddenly upon the owner of the land with his party lunching; the owner was inclined to be indignant with me at first, but an apology for my inexcusable trespass quietly expressed was followed by a few minutes' conversation, which ended in my being invited to join the lunching party, no refusal being permitted. "We insist upon your joining us as a penalty for your trespassing," was the jovial manner in which the invitation was enforced, and I accepted the inevitable without further demur!

After all the world is much as we make it; smile on it and it returns your smiles, frown and it frowns back again, greet it good-naturedly and it will return your greeting in kind. As Seneca says, "He that would make his travels delightful must first make himself delightful." And to do this he should cultivate a pleasant manner; it costs so little and returns so much, obtaining favours for which money would not avail, and generally smoothing wonderfully the way of the wanderer. Thus Emerson sings—

What boots it thy virtue?
What profit thy parts?
The one thing thou lackest,
The art of all arts.

The only credential,
Passport to success,
Opens castles and parlours,—
Address, man, address.

And Emerson knew!