Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-12-20
Counting the Cost.

SountAAS Tie COSG.
Common sense dictates that in whatever
men undertake they ought first carefully to
count the cost. The strand of life is
strewn thick with the wrecks of thousands
who, # they lad but counted the cost,
might have reached prosperous haven in
safety
is young man about to choose a pro-
fession! Let him examine his capabilities
thoroughly, so as to ascertain exactly what
ne can do, and what he cannot, before he
commits himself irrevocably to any partic-
ular pursuit. Many a person has been
kept struggling his whole life through, be-
cause hechose trade, business or profes-
sion unsuited to him. Everybody has
natural qualification for some one thing.
This man is born mechanic, that born
orator, this merchant, that farmer, this
an engineer, that sailor, this physician,
that an author. Besides all this, there are
some pursuits which require capital, as
manufacturing, shipping, and importing ;
to embark IN these, without adequate
means, Is to invite insolvency. Or to en-
ter On an intellectual career without a suf-
hclent amount of brains or study, is 10 en-
sure failure. In word, in all conditions
and phases Of life, wise men, before they
make ventures, rigidly count the cost
SO IN the various relations Of social life,
let US, before we act, count the cost
Have we friends? Before we ALLEVIATE them
by our disregard of their feelings, it would
be prudent to calculate the cost. 1t is
easy to be unjust to father, mother, a
brother sister, wife; or even child,
but 1t Is less easy to recover the love we
have outraged, or still the voice ofremorse,
especially if the grave has since closed
over them. Even the conventialisms Of
lie, trlhing as they are in one point of view,
cannot be set at defiance With impunity, SO
that wise man, who has counted the cost,
never violates them unless duty imperative
y requires 1t. 10 WIN the esteem Of cur
fellows is the surest road 10 reif respect, TO
happiness, and, in the long run, to honor !;
while to practice rudeness, meanness, hard
heartedness, and other selfish vices, is to
create distrust towards US first, and finally
hatred or contempt
Before beginning a career Of extraVa-
g2AHes ScnSEaI ihuuiSSnce, vice VI ctlIneI
il would be we'll to count the cost To buy
ine furniture, sport fast horses, or give el-
egant entertainments, is all very pleasant
but when it leads to ruin, as it So often
does, the victim bitterly regrets that he had
not counted the cost To give ourselves
~ % Tie sway CT The appetites, is to hru-
talize cur natures, and not only this but to
sow harvest OF pain aud sickness ior old
age, # not to cut short our lives and
when death comes prematurcly, Or we
wri he OF bed of agony, be sure we will
lament that we had not counted the cost,
Vice aiten comes in an alluring garb, but
the adder is coiled under her Pnphian gar.
nlents, and if we yield TO her seduetions,
the day will come when we will wish We
had counted the cost. If, by nnbrldled
passion, or verse still, by deliberate caicu-
lation, we rush into crime, there viii be
time of retribution come, when we will
cry aloud. but NO one viii hear, and whon
our lament will be, Oh had | but count
ed the cost 7 Count the cost, count the
cost, now while it is time