The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-05-25
Communicated
Force Of Habit.

liable to err, and don't wish to claim
any great degree Of perfection in any
department Of life. We We try to get
up something Of interest when we write.
If we fail once we should not be discour-
aged, but try, try again. SO we have
determined to venture another article.
How natural it is for persons to fall
into habit, especially if the habit isevil.
The greater part Of what we do and say
is habitual. We have habit Of talk
ing at random, and this habit has not
always existed. In antc-bcllum times
people were more sedatc, and, if they
had anything to communicate to Others,
it was done in quiet, straightforward,
truthful manner; if duty was to be
performed, it was done quietly, without
ostcntaton. But during the war people
were continually under excitement, and
looking and listening for something
wonderful. The Imagination was in II
strain, and it came to be customary, or
habituaI, for each and every one to
search diligently for something strange,
to tell and VIXEN II narrative was once
ahoat it grew to enormous proportions,
because every one tried to cmbclllsh On
add something to the narrative. Hence
living became habitual, and that, too,
unconscionsy, because every man, wo-
man and child wished to sustain the
reputation Of being truthful, but, undcl
the force Of habit, every one added some
new phase, or proportion, to every
transaction. Then the scarcity Of luxu
ries, such as sugar coffee and tea, wa'
50 great that people generally could no
obtain a supply, and were forced to re
. sort to substitutes. Then there arose
/ contcst-cach claiming to have the best
5 People would meet and discusSthc hes
. manner Of doing work, or the b9st sub
stitutc for cdibcs and clothing. They
} talked of these things until the habit be
t came 50 fixed that we still see traces o
it with many people. In discussing
those things people became so cxcitcc
that neither party ever learned the opln
ion of others each thinking his idea!
the best, would not listen to others. II
fact, the habit became 50 prevalent tina
most people forgot everything OF rca
importance, and discourscd upon nothing
but substitutes for cdibcs and clothing
Each female We'd with her ncighb0r ii
making dresses, bonncts, &c, until the
habit became 50 fixed that many contin
ne il still, to the exclusion Of matters OF
more importance, In those times it was
Il hard matter to get people to take an
interest in education or religion, or any
thing else Of importance. Many Of the
soldiers formed bad habits during the
war, such rs swearing, drinking drains,
smoking and chewing tobacco, Nc.
These all are excuses. The Bible
teaches us to avoid excuses Of every
kind, even in our talk. "Lct your
communications be yea, yea, nay, nay.
Avoid excess in language, as well rs IN
everything else. An oath, or by-word,
is an excess in language, and shows
either II bad habit or Il want of sense.
remember reading IN opinion Of an
eminent logician, who said that San
oath from any one showed II want Of
sense, that he needed language, and
had to supply an oath to complete a
sentence. Swearing is habitual with
some men, and shows not mercl y Il want
of sense, but it shows disregard for the
feelings and opinions Of others.
But another habit | will mention {;
That Of loaiing. Many men who are
respectable, high-toncd, moral, and
even pious, get into the habit Of loafiDg
about town, or depot, which is not only
detrimental to themselves, or their in
tcrcsts, but very detrimental to the com
munty. The example set before 9TH
crs does vast amount Of damage to the
coming man-thc rising generation.
Through force Of habit we exert an in
Hucncc all around us. Because one man
INDUCES in the loaing business, Others
think that they can as well afford the
same luxury, GU and therefore neglect
business TO be ike their ncighbor, until
it becomes habtual with them; and
when reaping time comes they find, to
their chagrn, that they have made Il
bad speculation. W. \. LAnHiN.
The Superintendent Of the Census has
appointed Prof. Henry f. Colon, of
Nashville, special agent for collecting
information in regard to slate, marble,
and building stones in the Southern