The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-22

There are good people even who will
make great sacrifices for others, but whose
temper renders them enemies to comfort,
or what is the same thing, to any comfort
they have not hand in. The eye wanders
in search OF grievance or objection, an
rufies the general atmosphere. This is
the melancholy form. There is spright-
ly habit Of carping quite as irritating, and
producing a wider disturbance. A thor
oughly irritable temper is consistent with
self-control. The wise man afflicted with
it knows he cannot trust himself, and is on
his guard. But there is half. control
which rushes into the arena of dispute,
safe never to transgress conventional civ
ility, but keeping others on thorns, expec-
ting that the threatening storm will surely
burst upon them. Husbands and wives
sometimes treat their friends to scenes of
alteration which stop just short of q quar-
wish they hated each other little more
seriously. "If they would only be go dis
Greet as to hate from the very bottom of
their hearts, their aversion would be too
strong for jibes every moment" 1t is
wonder that affection can stand the wear of
two such tempers in collision. They think
it does; but that is questionable love which
likes the other to have the worst of things,
though but in an argument or question of
fact.
1t is not quite certain that habit of con-
tradiction, as such, comes under the de-
scription of i'll temper. 1t is ingrained in
some natures, and independent of provoca-
ton. We regard temper in its relation to
others-as we excite its outbursts and ex-
perience it's Inconvenience. But contra
diction, though it is prominent feature,
and INDUCED with smiling and in cold
blood, is akin to temper in the marked
feature of being blind to reason, and there
fore needing management and fineness in
those exposed to it.
People complain of the growing indepen-
dence of servants but however trying to
the housekeeper, it has lite moral use. Our
present relation with our domestics is a
training Of temper which the world has
wanted till the nineteenth century. Most
furious tempers are what they are from
| having had their sway unchecked from the
Tristan unresisting somebody to bully.
| Servants, to judge from books and records,
used to be the natural objects for such
amenities but now the most irritable of
| masters or mistresses, whomsoever else
they fly out upon, learn to keep a civil
! tongue in their head toward the " tolera-
BILE" cook they would be at their wits end
to replace.
Another training ia to be found in games
and social amusements, which are growing
more and more into a business life. We
give, many of US, preposterous amount
Of time to sport but being an occupation,
not simply a relaxation, it has to be made
business of and subjected to stringent
rules. To fail and lose with good grace,
is discipline people must learn, old or
Young, boys or girls, when they are playing
every day and all day long.
Few men have sweet tempers, or hold
| such as they possess under steady, invaria-
BILE control, though there are men who
without this sweetness of nature, however
much tried, never seem to lose their self
| nd No Y,Dh1ic 1np q
! who has not his temper we'll in hand, but
with the same amount OF intiammable par
ticles, men differ very much on the &C.
casions that set fire to them. Some people
who are all composure when we might rea-
sonably expect and justly excuse an ex-
posion, will break down into peevishness
| or passing frenzy on slight provocations.
| We have known men quite remarka-
| BILE for well-bred serenity be uureason-
| ably and childishly testy at some transient
annoyance of sort they are not used to.
| Highly sensitive organizations and intel
| BILE. Nor does the field in which temper
| exercises itself make much difference. A
divine defending his favorite views is as
peppery as any iayman, while he 1ushes
less consciousness of the spirit that rouses
the glare, than the disputant in secular
matters-the distinction between zeal and
temper being more easily drawn by his OPP
ponent or observer than by himself. How
often we read of meetings between reii-
gious or pbilanthropic leaders-looked for
ward to as great occasion by their follow
ers-ieaving only painful regrets, through
some accidental spark falling upon the
combustible element in the composition of
one or both.
emay discuss temper with illustrations
to advantage, if we do not look too near
home for these illustrations, or expend our
curiosity in vagrant mental Inquiries
among our neighbors. One thing is GER
tain those with whom we pass our lives
had best not be subjects of too curious an
alysis. Nature throws veil over our low
ing eyes. Until affection is too severely
provoked, it is inexact at definitions, and
calls i'll temper tedy-an accident for
which the owner is irresponsible-a physi
cal weakness by which he is the greatest
sufferer. When husbands and wives,
brothers and sisters, parents and children
call ill-tempers by their right name, the
charm of life is over. But questions we
we had better not set our judgment to solve