National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-04
CHUNKS OF SENSE,

Desire inspires hope, hope breeds expectancy
expectancy too often results only in bitter disap
pointment.
1t Is not always safe to idly wait for an oppor.
tunity; better make one rather than delay the ac-
compllshment Of laudable purpose for want oft
Some politicians are like fire. crackers They
fzI, go off with bang and that Is the end of them.
Others are like bottle ofsoda'wnter. The cork
comes out with sharp report. but the contents
upon exposure rapidly grow stale and fat
There are fashions In religion us well as In dress
The cut, texture, and finish of sermon are scru-
tinzed as closely and critically are the gar
ments worn by him who breaches or those who
listen
Decision Is the rudder by means of which man
shapes his course In life, With it he may some-
times 20 wrong through errors In Judgment but
the chances of n successful voyage nre always in
Ills favor IT, on the contrary, he lacks decision
he is doomed 10 driit helplessly along, subject to
the bufleIings OF circumstances aud IL will be
Ouly through the greatest good fortune and the
most favorable conjunction Of events that he
reaches any safe harbOr, much less the one for
which he originally started.
Philanthropy does not consist SO much In build
ing costly edihces for public use, making generous
donations to art aud other institutions, or In con
tTibuting to the pleasure aud happiness Of those
| who can be comfortable without such gins, as II
| does In assisting the humble the downtrodden,
and otherwise unfortunate among men. A penny
! kindly given 10 u worthy beggar is more in the
sight of God than entire fortune devoted TO the
| founding Of a university or the erection of the
most elaborate monument, or place OF worship,
| even.
Some men never succeed In life for want rs they
| say, Of suitable opportunity They claim TO pos
sess the requisite personal elements OF success but
! insist that either time or certain condition OF
things outside Of themselves is essential 10 enable
| them 70 win renOwn, fortune, or whatever else
within the reach Of finite being they may have
| set their hearts upon. In majority of such eases
however, IL too oflen happens that the time never
serves aud that events do not come to pass they
should; and so many OF those who thus linger in
hope must continue 10 wait until ambition dies OF
desire pershes from inantion.
Heroes are not born, but are made by oircum-
stances. The humblest, the weakest, and most un-
| favored among men may exhibit n heroism ol
character, perform some heroic deed, under the
spur of events, sufficient to make him a subject Of
envy among his fellows, and yet he remain un-
conscious Of the fact that he has accomplished
anything out Of the ordinary course. IL interro-
gated us 10 the motives that prompted him he
would doubtless reply something after the manner
OF the soldier who, after his regiment had been
driven back, discovered the Gag lying upon the
field among the dead and wounded in Imminent
danger OF falling into the hands Gf the enemy and
returned alone amid y perfect shower Of bullet
and brought Il of In safety, what made you gt
back Tom p asked eomrade who had never en-,
tsTtained high opinion Of either the courage o
Intelligence OF the brave fellow "I o0ulda't hell
H." was the simple response.