The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-02-16
MISCELLANY.
WHAT PAYsf

Surely thousands of things do not. Yet we
are constantly investing time, talent treasure
Of some kind. Love or money It may BE-
sometimes houshtlcssly, often firmly believ-
Ing that it will prove q for valued received. -
Frequently the invesne 1t is experimental
wholly, and the worst of it is, the proof of
fatal failure comes too late. Wise it is to ask
the question, Does it pay before engaging in
any enterprise. Life is so short and strength
SO small that it were wanton to waste either.
What may pay for one may not for another.
Each must Judge wisely, or take the conse
quences. Some speculations bear upon their
face such uncertainty, such stupendous risk,
that the foolhardy venturer finds no sympathy
in his failure. The interminable nature of
other enterprises stamps them as Improbable.
Once committed to them, they will worry and
wear us in the finishing, or stand incomplete,
ignoble ruins Of resolution we failed to carry
out This principle may apply to all depart
ments of practical life, works of the hand head
and heart.
When we see young ladies punching holes
in cloth and carefully sewing them up again,
we look doubtfuly ON the process, albeit it is
dignited by the term I" embroidering." Nuns
will follow this employment, aud lace-makers
must live. Buy their handiwork or dispense
with the luxury, and save your precious eye
sight for work more worthy. Much of the
trimming and tucking and ruffiing and suffi-
ing of clothes-making generally we would
class in the category of non-paying invest
ments.
Many books do not pay either in publica-
tion or perusal, since neither writer nor reader
Is made rich by them If we have appropria-
ted nothing of value from what we have read,
we have lost something We are too lavish
of our time when we are content with no re-
turns. Passion ID poor investment. 81
had rather do days work than to get real
angry" said sensible woman. 1t takes
my strength away 1t does not pay" 1t
takes away our self=respect, and lessons the
confidence Of others in us. Revenge never
pays However sweet in prospect, it will
prove bitter in review when wrested from the
hand of Him who has said, Il will repay"
Patience is perhaps the most profitable invest
ment we can make. The unruly child, the
inefficient servant, the wrangling neighbor,
and the bad world generally demand it. And
In proportion as we, IRRITATING the divine ex-
ample, can exercise it, do we find ourselves re-
paid in the peace which possesses our souls.
But what of the many things we are com-
PEELED to do, pay or no pay the duties we
can get away from, however repulsive and
severe?
Well do we know that much of the ma
chinery of life moves ON unaided by the oil of
pladness At best it's motion may be monoto-
nous and distasteful, often SO wearing in its
friction that some are prone to question pro-
fitaLleness Of li.ing at all. This is not ours
to discuss or decide.
There are times when even the Christian
heart will cry out out of the depths Of depres-
sion, 6 Nothing pays" This is the language
OF Encouragement, of despair, perhaps Of
temptation and in the shadow of this dark
ness let us draw near to the heart of Him who
was tempted in all points like as we. Yet
after treading the wine-press alone He paid
! the most inconceivable sacrifice In all time to
purchase for us the joys of eternity. When
we review our little lives in the light of that
eternity, only those things which we have
| done heartily unto the Lord will seem worth