joy. It is an emotive
manifestation that stirs one's whole nature and vitalizes every part of
the body. There is a sound, physiological basis for amusements that make
us laugh. Taking the world over, incalculable sums of money are spent
for amusements that make us laugh, and it is money well spent. It is a
sound and healthy instinct that leads the tired business man or the
tired laborer to seek for mirth-provoking recreations. Professional
"funny men" like John Bunny and Charles Chaplin undoubtedly add to
the health of the human race, and they add to the vitality of those
in whom they stimulate laughter. I feel sorry for anyone who has lost
the power to laugh freely and heartily. When a man has brooded so much
over the sorrows and miseries of life that he can no longer laugh,
his condition is indeed serious.

"Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone," is one
of the truest things that Ella Wheeler Wilcox ever said. For a laugh
that is spontaneous and heartfelt is truly contagious, and in your
little world, the circle of your friends, laughing brings a rich
reward in increasing your own happiness as well as theirs.

The bodily expression and mechanical efforts that go with happiness will
often induce the feelings and emotions associated therewith. To prove
the accuracy of this statement, some morning when you are feeling
especially gloomy and unpleasant, look into your mirror and go
through the process of trying to make yourself smile. Screw up your
features in such a manner as to force the required contractions of the
facial muscles. If you continue your efforts long enough you will
surely be rewarded by a real smile, and with the sense of good cheer
that a smile will bring. You will make the surprising discovery at it
is no longer an effort, for you will smile spontaneously.

To go even further try the laugh cure in the following manner. First of
all assume a laughing position, in order to laugh properly and to secure
the best results. Stand with feet far apart, and with the knees slightly
bent. Now bring the palms of both hands down and "slap" them vigorously
on the legs just above the knees, and then swing your bent arms
overhead, making a noise as nearly as possible like laughing. Yes, you
are quite right, it will sound very much like a cold stage laugh at
first, and you will have to force it, but as you go on with the
experiment it will gradually become