The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-09-02
Temper.

Temper In q man answers 10 temper
In edge tools. A man destitute Of that
heavcn-born principle would be as In
sufficient in the hnnd-to-hnnd difficulties
that must be encountered Is rock-drill
without the correct temper. An axe
may be made OF the choice.t quality Of
steel. ground to an edge, and polished 80
beautifully that chopper can sec the
color of. his eyes In the polished surface.
Let him sink such tool into o stick Of
green basswood up TO the eye and the
bright edge will seem adequate to any re-
quirement; but strike n hemlock knot,
and the beautiful edge writhes and turns
this way and that way, into doubled
and twisted corrugation. All! the cor
rect temper Is lacking. But thrust tho
FURNISHED steel into the fire and give the
edge proper temper, and Il will walk
straight through the gnarly oak, and the
knotty hemlock. as a warm knife will
pass through n roll Of frozen butter.
But the instrument Is tho Same In both
instances. Nothing Of an appreciable
nature has been added to or taken from
the steel. So 1t Is with man or woman.
Correct temper gives efficiency to every
worl or action. Were 1t not for the uni
form temper of an engineer, tho Hoo
sac Mountains could never be tunneled,
nor could the Niagara ever have been
bridged. A boy without "grit," with
out "spunk," destitute Of temper, might
grow up into feminine imbecile,
capable Of feeding the chickens, and al
ways requiring guardian or supcrin-
tendent. -... .........,,
No man or woman, boy or girl, ever
inherited too much temper or grit. The
great trouble has always beon the con-
trolling of 1t. A noble horse that has
not sufficient temper to tear his harness
and rend every rein. making kindling-
wood of tho vehicle that he Is drawing,
when things about him become unstrung
and out of order. would be an animal Of
little value. A horse never possessed too
much fire and temper. Wherever there
Is difficulty, 1t may be attributed to lack
of control Of that temper by means OF
correct education. So with children
and so with adults. In every noble ma
ture, whether animal or human, tho all
wise Creator has implanted this wonder
full power of resistance, thus rendering
each posscssor Of II Misunderstanding
him to battle successfully with the asper-
tiles and obstacles of life. A young man
or boy, In these perverso days Of seduc-
lion, Intrigue, and corruption, needs the
grit of emery and the untiinching firm.
ness of tho diam ond to enable him to meet
with unrufllcd temper tho persuasive in
centivcs TO dishonesty, crime, and popu-
lar corruption. The temper must be con-
trolled and educated in childhood, In boy
hood. through the critical period of youth,
up through the years Of riper manhood,
and down to hoary age. Temper, firm
ness, decision. pluck, grit, or spunk, by
whatever euphonio appellation VIC may
be pleased to name tho quality, Is ono Of
the most praiseworthy qualities Of n no
BILE manhood. Without such gHnitic
foundation, the entire superstructure OF
character will resemble the soft and yield
ing edge of the tool destitute Of temper.
Without this persistent quality. every.
thing would be rs unstable rs water on
an inclined surface. But this faculty
must be ontrol!ed.-Tcchnologia.