The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-08
GOOD RESOLUTIONS.
PEAIRICR REGARDS THEN A SNARE AND A

Resolutions are q delusion and a snare, q
vanity and vexation OF spirit" Not those
dolorous resolutions prepared aad adopted
by lodges and literary societies upon
the decsase OF fellow member, which are
mere forms, like Grape and bombazine; nor
those pompous, high-sounding resolutions
offered at conventions, political, temperance
reform and otherwise, which are bat SO
many safety valves for buncombe, but those
resolutions, usually prehxed by the adjec-
tive good, which youths and maidens, all the
way from ten to twenty-five years OF age
vaguely longing, like some poor David Null
Ter, after something better than they have
known, make and break. The necessity OF
these youths and msidens reforming their
habits, manners, language and disposition
usually dawns upon their understand
ing about New Years Day, or
ON their respective birthdays. OF
course, the first method OF reformation
that presents itself to their inexperienced
minds is to make long series of good reso-'
| buttons. That is the most popular and sue
cessful method, according 70 those goody-
goo6y sort of fctions which are the moral
psbulum OF the rising generation. Besides,
these Youngsters remember that Washing
ton. Jefferson and Franklin, those truly
good and great men, had each set OF rules
for the government OF their conduct, and
deduce therefrom that those rules had
most powerful influence in making them
good and great. So, my aspiring
lads and lssses. kindliDg and throb-
bling with mighty resolves, seek
| HAYS
against intruders, set about the momentous
prelininsriss OF turning over new leaf.
After long mental travail they decide upon
the points and language, the former
purely personal, the latter digui-
fed. Then these resolutions are written
out with such painstakiDg as to hourishes
and heavily shaded capitals, are read and
re-read, numbered, underscored and signed
with the full name. After profound medi-
talon, the paper is folded and carefully
HIDDEN FROM ALL FRYING COMRADES.
The thing is done, think the young
sters; it is settled now that they
are to be different beings than
heretofore. And so they would be,
didtbey keep those mighty resolutions, so
different that human buds would develop
into angel blossoms, fit TO be translated
month these resolutions which were to
work such great changes, are as q Tale that
is told and forgotten. The orgasm OF CON-
science that produced them has passed of
and with it the desire and determination 10
keep them Moreover, it is not within the
range of human possibility to keep
dozen resolutions. Did these self-reformers
only make one or two, there might be more
hope of their keeping. But meLhinks writ
ten resolutions are weaker than unwritten.
There Is too much nerve force expended in
| writing them. Men and women, II aroused
to the necessity of making resolutions, do
not waste time In writing them, they know
the folly thereof by experience, that Is,
ordinarily; there may be exceptions, gush-
} ing anomalies, who delight in spelling
clean paper with diluted rose water sentl-
, ment, creatures who are constantly sim
, ming and repeuting, resolving and re-resolv-
ing, and like the fool OF YOung's Midnight
Meditations, dying the same. Ordinarily,
> when struggling. striving men and women
], make a resolution, they do so without pen
= or paper. and with set teeth and determined
, souls endeavor to keep it, succeeding or
failing according to their strength, but
never forgetting. Or If they must make
: some visible record it Is after tho fashion OF
| he who bored a large anger hole in log OF
g bis cabin, and vowed to "touch not, taste
n not. handle not.n until the hole grew up.
There Is another class of good resolutions.
g The spirit of selfimprovement takes pos
want to become as wise as Solomon in bis
prime. So they write out series of resolu-
lions again to the effect that every day they
will read so many pages OF history, and SO
! many of science, and commit so many stanzas
Il from the best poets, and practice so long at
drawing or music; and these daily fragments
!, will make grand aggregate. If they master
: ten pages of solid reading, history, science
etc. every day, emitting Sundays, that will
amount to over three thousand pages
+ yearly; and in ten years will amount te
n over thirty thousand pages, or more
: than seventy volumes OF four hundred
. pages each. And anybody can read ter
n pages each day. What glorious anticips
ton to sit with pencil in hand at 20 ant
calculate with mathematical accuracy how
" much knowledge one shall have gained
W when 80! Figures won't lie; nevertheless,
~ women will dream, and men will build,
~ And each Will have prophesies unfulhlled."
And almost invariably these pencil snC
Il paper estimates of what we shall accom-
q plish will be among the prophesies unful
filled. There are thousand and one mat
o tiers to interrupt the most energetic and In
n dustrious pursuer OF plan OF general cul
u Lure. There are days when the aching brazil
can scarcely comprehend that two and tw'
is make four; and as the years pass on, an
lis cares and burdens increase, there are time
:. when business worries and troubles driv
% the mind nearly crazy-times when a sue
ne cession Of visitors consume every momen
or OF leisure, and tunes when un
m looked for duties or a pressure o
work keeps one on continual go. Cor
to sequently the regular, solid column OF ad
dillon SO magnificent to contemplate, be
s)mes irregular and broken, an
has more minus signs than plui
Pericles, IT., with brain teeming wit
brilliant fancies and aspirations, was exps
: tiating in sophomore tones the other day
to Scrlblerus, concerning the vast stores {
~ wisdom he had resolved to gather in dali
,er portions, during his leisure hours; and, q
is. he detailed bis plan, 80 much of this and 8
II. much OF that, Scriblerus, whose bushes
W is amid books and lore, listened patientl
no and smiled benignly upon the hopefu
youth. But away down deep in his sou
there was mingled laugh and sigh as b