The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-02-02
The Inventory.

1t is habit in the mercantile line.
whether manufacturing or trading, to
take an inventory to start the year.
| The business man must know lust where
he stands once in twelvemonth. 1t is
better, no doubt, to have carried on his
affairs so carefully and so thoroughly
that the inventory should be mere
convenient record of results; and that
is the case with the successful manager
of large interests, or in the quick move
ment of traffic he would lose his reck
oning and his place. Yet even with
the ablest of his class the yearly COM
parison, catalogue and balance shipper
alive. There rests, if his work be hon
est, the Hnassailable conclusion of a
year, and the unacceptable point of de-
parture for a new one. 1t is a work so
salutary that it must needs be as useful
for every man in his small individual
place, since each one of us is really do
ing business with the world at large,
however his position seems to limit him;
and in the event each one is sure to find
that he has been running more ac-
counts, credit and debit, than he had
any notion Of Therefore, with all his
memoranda of the hurrying day, he
will find it profitable at least once in
the twelyemonth to take account of
stock and prove those memoranda; he
may have left out important items. he
may have failed to realize deteriora-
tons, and he may have overestimated
his betterments
: Z" There are certain spiritual tests that
we are apt to lose sight of in everyday
pursuits, and these spring foremost
when the inventory comes. The easy
complacency we feel in our good-hu-
mored regard for the world Of our fell
lows, no matter what we are doing
meanwhile, is apt to get shaken when
the enduring quality comes into consid-
GRAFTON. We have been pleasing our
selves in some special way, and in the
light OF principle that particular indul-
gence shows like a very trap of the
devil, hurting others far more even than
ourselves, and sure to bankrupt our
own fortunes. The advantages we
have taken OF others misfortunes, all
in the ordinary way, are suddenly re-
colored for us and we do not like the
complexion of our shrewdness. The
slurs and gibes and innuendoes that we
have flung out in idle conversation re-
veal secret malignancy that we would
have scorned to harbor if we had seen
how great the loss was at bottom to our
own treasury Our little insincerities
pile up the debit side of four great stand
ing account with humanity. One thing
after another is added to that account
until we feel that it can never be liquid
ated. We have any number of notes of
hand out, and where is our capital to
meet them?
Then we rummage for assets, and
find poverty. A few casual kind deeds;
a service here for friend, heartily rem
dered; trouble taken for stranger,
because it was easier to take it than to
refuse it; q penny extra given to q
newsboy on Il bitter night; a pleasant
compliment, uttered to make its recip-
lent feel how good we are, or how iu-
dicious; an old coat handed over to a
tramp; any quantity of high aspirations
cherished in the mind and chiefly serv-
ing to nourish pride and conccit; so
much church-going, Sunday school
teaching and public praying; so many
cents or dimes in the contribution box;
and so the list might be extended for
deeds. That is the mere paper of
credit; at the bottom what have we of
stock? of truth, honor, love, labor, serv-
ice, devotion to eXalt orr fellows,
hope to lift ourselves, worship to offer
to the one great creditor, God? All these
are needed to make us solvent, and if
every year we shall fall behind in these
foundations for the business OF human
ity, we know we are going down to
irremediable bankruptcy. The wild
hope is that the great creditor is merci-
full and will make us advances for q
new start in the New Year. -Sprjng-
field (NaSS.) Republican.