Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-05-25
Bad TempeFs.


of family, not to say It's tyrant, you
need not in inquire what member OF 1t
possesses the most knowledge, or the
best intellect, or the warmest heart.
Inquire simply who has the worst tenn
per. No one of the household opposes
the person who has an unbridled tenn
per. Even the little children learn al
most by instict to shun him, and young
and old are alike Incompatible in his
presence.
The mercst trife serves an i'll temper
ed person with an excuse for rantllng
fit of sulks. Has al involuntary mis-
take been made ? So far rs he Is con
cerned YOU might as wei! have commit
ted a crime. Is breakfast too late? has
a servant blundered a child misunder-
stood a command? The whole house
is il 4 turmoil, everybody is unhappy,
and one by one they retire and get out
of sight and hearing Of this predomi-
nant temper The little ones, who
soon discover when there is anything
wrong. sit in mute wonderment rs TO
what the trouble in all about. Under
such headship as this no bright mem
orieS gild the backward time Of youth.
Children will always resemble the IA
Tiers morose temper, his di>agrecable
WAYS, his fits of passion and injustice.
his rough speech and roughcr act. The
fathers good qualities and virtues are
covered up by the superabundance Of
his evil temper. Neither his generosity
or kindness to the poor, nor his loyalty
10 lis kindred or friends, nor hislnd'l en-
dent spirit toward his superiors, nor,
indeed, any virtue that he may possess,
can take the sting out OF that one over
shadowing tault-his selfish temper
When under its influence, he Is, for the
time being, 4 maniac, or, at least, the
most unreasoning of mortalS No one
can estimate properly the amount OF
sorrow and mischief which such indulg
ences bring into a household.
If bad temper and habitual Indulgence
made the Posscssor happy, it mi ghtthen
be endured by the victims with some
degree of patience; but to intlict and
suffer by the intliction is such durlica
ton of curses as is not at all pleasant to
think of. still less to endure.
If man or woman cares only Tor
power and not at all for love, the thing
to cultivate is a bad temper, because the
largest amount of suhScryiencc is paid
through fear and not affection. You
have only to establish reputation for
ungoyernable temper to have rs many
slaves as there are housemateS and de
pendants. Never mind the silent tears
that are shed when YOU are not by, the
groans that are uttered in silent, the
evil words that are said in a whisper,
and the still more evil thoughts otrcta!-
iation that are cherished by all with
whom YOU have to do. lou must bc
satisfied with your account with power,
and leave love, like whipped school
boy shiyering and crying by the road
side
This is a sad story of the terrible et-
feet of an evil temper, yet true one.
( Your friends allow yonr virtues-virtuc
mostly of a theoretic kind-but lament
Your temper; and even in a mans last
hours troubled kind of feeling will
annoy his watchers-a feeling made NJ
of pity, sorrow and relief. Your tyran
ny of temper has worn out love, and
perhaps respect, 50 that there are none
who do not breathe more freely when
you are gone Probably there wouIJ
be more patience in the sufferers If II
were not true there is no temper 50 bad
that it cannot be restrained, and even
entirely controlled.-Phiiude'Phia Rec
ord.