The Ouachita telegraph., 1870-11-12
&be ffttIe 8olhs.
The Quick Temper.

where her mother was reading, and
said, with quivering lips:
"I get angry SO quickly, mamma, and !
when Pm angry I always say some |
thing Pm sorry for. Oh dear! wouldn't |
grow up and be like Aunt Jane for the
world. She's always firing up, as Har
ry says, and keeping herself and every
body else in hot water most of the time.
And he said this morning that if I
didn't take care I'd be just as bad as
Aunt Jane. Oh, mamma! l do wish
I know how to keep cool, as Harry
calls it.''
And dear little, generous, kind-hcart-
cd, but quick-tempered Clara looked
really sorrowful as she crowded into the
great easy-chair beside her mother and
leaned agrinSt her.
Harry says I'm fire and tow"
added the child. "And he calls words
matches, and says he can touch me Off
into blaze at any time. And SO he
can. Oh, mamma! isn't it dreadful
And Pm SO sorry and ashamed after
ward. What can I do 20 help it,
mamma?'
And you really want to overcome
this hasty temper ?' said Clara's mother.
eOh, yes, mama? I'dgivc tho world
if I could do it,"
Self-control cannot be bought with
Il CnOuS;tllu "OrlUS.
"Oh, mamma !" And Ciara'S face had
Il sOrrOwftll look.
tAnd yet even Il child may gain it,
How, namma?"
"GOd has given to every one of us
the power of sclf-control, if we will use
it. It is because people will not use
this power, that they arc h;tsty and pas
sionatc. 1t is harder for some to use it
than it is for others, because they have
quicker temper, like you and me, and
Aunt Jane. But then they must try
the harder; that is all-and to get pow
or over; !, hasty temper is worth Il great
deal of trying"
Like you, mamma exclaimed
Clara, in astonishncnt. Why, you
haven't hot temper! You are not
fire and tow ike me and Aunt Jane.'
81 don't let it rule me quite so mucI,
as you do; but my feelings arc quick
and strong; and when 1 was your age
they often blazcd out suddenly. I've
been called fire and tow many Il timc.'
uWhy, mamma! it can't hc!' said
Clara.
cit is all so, darling. But 1 was able
to subdue this hot temper, and keep it
under control; and so may you if you
will.''
uTell me how, mamma. oh do,
please! If 1 could be just like you, I'd
be as happy as the day is long"
Everything depends on beginning
right" said Clara's mother.
elbow shall I begin right, mammaH'
Yesterday I heard you say, in eX-
cuse for hasty words that ought not to
have been spoken, and for saying which
you were ashamed, ooh! 1 didn't
Think Now, just here lies the trouble.
In the old saying, Think twice before
you speak once, will be found the cure
for hot temper. Passionate people arc
too apt to speak without thinking. IF
they would only stop to think before
speaking, they would, in most cases,
keep silence or choose their words more
carefully. In another old saying, lIab
it is second nature, we are taught one Of
the most important OF lessons. If one
has Il hasty temper, the habit of think
ing before slscailing--of rcsOlutcly keep |
ing silence when passion prompts to
angry wortls-wili gradually grow
stronger and stronger, until the old fiery
temper Will give place to habituul self
cOntrOl.''
"Oh, mamma! exclaimed Clara,
almost catching her breath with eager
ness, g. sec it just as plain rs day; and
it is so eaSy.'
"Not SO easy as it may at first seem.
my dear. And yet not SO very hard.
Make the beginning; and do not be dis /
couraged :if the hot word sometimes '
leaps by the opposing thought. Try l
always, when you are angry, to think '
before you speak, and to keep silence ,
until your feelings grow calmcr; and it '
will not be long before my Clara IS hasty '
temper will be Il thing of the past 8
Alittle fellow some four or five years f
old, and who had never seen Il negro, ,
was greatly perplexcd one day when
one came where he and his father were. +
The youngster eyed the stranger s,lspi- {
ciouly till he had passed, and then t
asked his father: "Pa, who painted
that man all black so?'' Good did,
my son." replied his father. "wcll,"
said the little one, still looking after
the negro, al shouldn't "a thought hc'd
held still.''
AN urchin being rebukcd for wearing I
out his stockings at the toes, replied 1
that it couldn't be heiped-ss toes wrig- {
gled and heels didn't" 8