The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-03-20
THE TEMPER.

"A cneerIul, sunny temper is not
always attalnable by mere effort of
the will. There are some prelimina-
RES to be attended to-there is a
foundation to be laid. Before we
berate ourselves or any one else too
severely for being petulant, morose,
and disagreeable generally, we
should search about for the causes
which produce such conditions. 1t
may be the natural disposition
which is at fault, and it may not.
You see little children sometimes
with sweet, bright faces, and win
ming baby ways, into whose making
up nature seems to have thrown a
great wealth of sunshine, But the
same pleasant pets become men and
women, and the brightness seems
all faded out Of them. The playful
ness is all gone; the mature brow
is hung with clouds; detected gloom
looks out from the same eyes where
mlrth ONCE danced and played, and
from the darkness often come flashes
of sulen fire
Whence the change? There was
surely good material in the begin
ming. What blunder has so spoiled
1t In the making up? These unfor-
tunate people are often well-meaning
at heart, and thoroughly conscien-
tious. They may even know their
weaknesses. and bewaiI them, and
struggle against them. This de-
plorabje condition arises from wrong
feelings, not deliberate wlckedness
The nerves are out of tune; the
blood flows wrong, and the Internal
tide IS too strong for resistance.
There IS an abnormal stare of the
physical machinery. The wheels
are clogged; the axles are rusty, and
the whole complicated clockwork
CRATES and grinds and wears, till
every nerve bristles into a protest.
stands baligerently one end,
Here we have the immediate cause
of i'll temper, and that general IN,
con3f0rtabIeneS8 which extends to
every one within its influence, and
produces an atmosphere of discon-
tent. But the cause underlying
this-the cause of causes-what is
that? Look closely, and it will
usually be found to lie in the person.
al habits. Anything which affects
the physical organism, affects the
disposition one way or another.
Here Matter is King, and we bow
Perforce to its absolute royalty.
We must propitiate the sovereign.
90, if we would enjoy immunity
from punishment. 1t may seem
hetrodox to call bad temper a pun
ishment, but so it often is. 1t may
be the penalty of incompetence in
living, of clogging, indigestible
food, of nervous stimulants, of un-
reasonable hours. Ill these set
the machinery ajar, and harmony
cannot spring from discord. 1t may
be overwork- The nervous force
will bear only about so much rain
without showing signs of irritated
resistance. Keep it up, notwith-
standing' and faccid exhaustion
follows. The elacticity is gone,
and death Is not far from the door.
Many Of our tired mothers'' thus
fret and wear their lives away.
They are noted for tretful impotence
for peevish scoIding-so lorg as
they keep at work, and they sink
at last under their burdens, and lie
down exhausted, crushed in body
and spirit, never to get up again.
| believe overwork is a sin, which
is to be laid at somebody's door,
even if the victim is So compelled
as not to be responsible. 1t is a
sin, because it is something that
produces other sins. If a man has
become intoxicated and killed his
neighbor, he is held responsible,
even though in his frenzy, he knew
not what he did. So, if do any
thing, which, in its effect upon me
destroys my selt-control, l am re-
sponsible before God and man for
that thing which [ do.--EZlen II.
ALeyton.