Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-02-14
LOOK AHEAD.
And Think How Bitter Words May
Come Back TO You.

Come Back to You.
turn over these leaves of an old note
book, the pages of which ! filled half a
score of years ago. On one page l find
this note:
"My books are all wrinkled and filled
with crumbs of maple and sumac leaves,
with here and there a forgotten forest
leaf clinging to the printed one. All!
well, some time ! may kiss the wrinkled
pages of my choicest book while l think
of the dear, white hands that laid thc
maple leaves in history or in lexicon,
and thank God that the page is wrinlIled
and the engravings discolored."
And now, whenever l turn to that
page in the note book, do you know, my
boy, how glad am that | wrote about
the leaves as Ibid? There was no shad-
ow of fear or dread over my little home
then. There was no reason why i
should feel so tenderly toward the leaves
ard stems that stained and wrinkled NY
books, and ever kept me from using
them for week at time, was there Z?
All, indeed, there was. Indeed, there
was. Because love is better than books,
my boy. Because your books, my son,
though you crowd the literary treasures
Of the world upon your shelves, can new
er creep into your heart as your wife
will, some day, when you find the girl
whom the gods have decreed shall
crown your home. Because we should
always hold the hearts that love US
nearer to us than the petty annoyances
and little ills of this life. Because the
quick, hasty word you speak in i'll temp
er or ungen;lenessto-day, my boy, leaves
a sting in your heart to rankle half a
century away. Because today. if l could,
| would burn up every book there is in
all this world Just to feel The little hands
that laid those leaves in the page where
said they must not 20 clasp themselves
about my neck for one hour. Hold your
tongue and your pen, my boy. Every
time YOU are tempted to say an uDgentle
word. or write an unkind line, or say a
mean, ungracious thing about anybody
Just stop look ahead twenty five years
aud think how it may come back to you
then.
Let me tell you how write mean let
tiers and bitter editorials. my boy. Some
time, when a man has pitched into me
and "cut me up rough" and / want to
pulverize him and wear his CORY scalp
at my girdle and hang his hide on my
fence, write the letter or editorial that
is to do the business. | write something
that will drive sleep from his eyes and
peace from his soul for six weeks. Oh, j
do hold him over slow fire and roast
him. Gall and aquafortis drip from my
blistering pen. Then. | doa't mail the
letter and / don't print the editorial
There's always plenty Of time to cruelty
a man. The viiest criminal is entitled
to little reprieve. put the manuscript
away in drawer. Next day l look att
The ink is cold, i read it over and say
81 don't know about this. There's a
good deal of bludgeon and bowie knife
journalism in that. I'll hold it over a day
longer" The next day read it again
1 laugh and say "Pshaw?" and feel my
cheeks getting a little hot. The fact is
am ashamed that ever wrote it, and
hope that nobody has seen it, and have
half forgotten the article or letter that
filed my soul with rage. l haven't
been hurt. haven't hurt anybody, and
the world goes right along making TWEEN
ty-four hours day as usual, and am al
the happier. Try it, my boy! Put of
your bitter remarks until tomorrow
Then when you try to sab them delib
erately, you'll find that you have forgot
ten them, and ten wears later, ah! how
glad you will be that you did. Be good
natured. my boy. Be loving and gentle
with the world, and you'll be amazed K
see how dearly and tenderly the worried
tried, vexed, harassed old world owe
you. Burdette in Brooklyn Eagle.