The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-11
NUMBER 81.
LUCK.
BY HENRI WARD BEECHER

lhe word VII: K IS too freely bedded III
our language, and belief in the fact express
ed by it is too strong to justify an expecta-
lion that will soon become obsolete. Luck
is an event, good or bad, which befalls a
man independently of his own volition. If a
man works all day for five dollars, his wa
ges is not considered luck. But he finds
five dollars in the road, that is luck.
If a man aims at an accommodation train,
but hits an express train, which has been
delayed a little, he is in luck.
He has secured what he did not plan for
If the last boat of the season leaves Albany
tor New York a day sooner than the ship
per had calculated, and he loses an oppor-
tunity of sending his freight, he exclaims,
"That is just my luck
OF the fact itself there can be no doubt
Many disappointments befall men which
seem to have no relation to their own agen-
cy. Many pieces of good fortune occur
which the recipient did not plan or look for.
But the cause of luck, thus defined, is an
other thing. If we could look into mem 5
minds and render clear those obscure and
nebulous thoughts that hover there, it would
be found, probably, that very different no
tons are entertained about it. Some be-
lieve that there are spirits, or sprites, whose
power intercales these events upon the cal
endar of Nature Others seem to believe
that in the vast realm of Nature events are
floating about like notes iu sunbeams, and
that men accidentally stumble upon them
Some people believe it to be Il crook in the
Of tbIprc hai hor, !
destined to fulfil some mischievous DEGREES.
''Do what they will, they can never escape
ill-luck." Were some mems notions anal
yzed, should not wonder if it were found
that they still believe luck to be personal
being, as Puck, or Ariel, who spent their
time in playing tricks upon men, good or
bad, according to their peculiar fancy.
But dismissing all these notions, there
are several pieces Of general good or i'll luck
which have much to do with special luck
that befall5 men. count it piece of prime
and admirable luck to be born of parents
who had sound physical constitutions, ample
brains, well proportioned and balanced
living in moderately prosperous circumstan-
ces. Next to this, is to be brought up in
simplicity, among people kind and just, and
under circumstances which require one to
exert himself actively, SO that he shall new
er expect to have anything which he does
not himself earn. Lastly, aud as q conse-
quence Of these, it is supreme good luck to
have q patient nature, too proud to do evil,
and not proud enough to take offense at the
common experiences of life; as contented
as is consistent with enterprise, and above
all, with unwasting good nature.
haps the most desirable Of all, in 50 far as
happiness is concerned. Every one knows
that it is the sugar il fruit that gives it its
palatableness, and that converts its Juices
into wine. Good nature is to human dis
positions what sugar is to grapes.
A robust and cheerful nature hardly
knows the difference between good and bad
luck Some things, which extort piteous
complaints of bad luck from his neighbors
befall him without exciting more than a
moments attention-just as healthy man
does not feel a chilly gust which sets an IN
valid into shiveIs.
Ill luck in petty affairs IS only another
name for want of foresight, uaskilltulness,
poor judgment, clumsy handedness, lack Of
spring and enterprise. Few men are will
ing to say that their own olunder5, negative
or positive, return upou their own heads,
Luck is to them fortunate word, Luck
is word that LiIes mans ineficiency
from himself, aud saves his pride.
Every one Of US has lucky and unlucky
days. Too much excitement, late hours
late eating, poor sleep, and too little Of it,
bring on mornings full of depression-blue
days, in which everybody aud everything
seems wrong. This is a simple case in
in which respectable dissipation has put
the whole instrument by which man works
his brain and nervous system out Of adjust
ment. His mistakes are no more surpris-
ing than wonld be mechanics who worked
by false rule, or a chemists who measur-
ed by incorrect standards.
By and by, rest, diet, and good habits
restore the equilibrium, and then comes a
sparkling day of good luck. Halt the la
bor produces twice the ordinary results.
We meet the very person we desire to see.
Everything goes on rightly. The world is
propitious
Judge Goddard, Of the Superior Court OF
Cumberland County, has recovered a heavy
verdict against railroad company for
brutal treatment by one of its servants
The Argus gives the following account Of
the Natter
Judge Goddard purchased a ticket to
Danville Junction and started to visit hi
family, then residing in Auburn. The af-
ternoon train was very long and, as usual,
one jackson was detailed to take the tickets
of passengers leaving the train before the
regular conductor came through. Judg
Goddard, having some business at Fal-
mouth, stepped out, and upon the requesl
of jackson handed him his ticket. Upon
his return jackson again approached where
he was sitting and demanded his ticket, and,
upon Judge GoddardS replying that he
gave it to him when he left the car, told the
Judge that he lied, and falling into an un-
governable passion, committed an assault
upon him, shaking his fists in his face,
threatening to beat his brains out, and us
ing the most profane language. He con-
tinued this for some twenty minutes, when
the train annroa chad CumharI and no