Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-08-16
HABITS OF ORDER.

HABITS OF ORDER.
How Widely They InAasaes the Welfare
Of Society.
The habit Of order is much more far.
reaching than is generally supposed.
1t governs all arrangements. those of
time as well as of place; it influences
thought as well as action; character a.
well as conduct. It is the constant pre-
venter of waste in every direction. No
disorderly person can ever be truly
economical. He may work hard and
spend little, but economy demands the
best results that can be obtained from
any given source. and these can only
come through orderly and systematic
arrangements. The man who has &C
quired orderly habits will 80 manage
his time that it shall be fruitful. He
will neither idly procrastinate nor hur-
riedly scramble through his work. He
Will neither put off to-day's duty till
tomorrow nor force to-m0rrow's into
to-day. He will provide for leisure as
well as for action, for recreation as
well as for labor. He will respect the
time of others as well as his own,
neither breaking engagements nor fore
ing people to spend time with him
against their will.
So in the matter of neatness. which is
only one form of order, he will recOg-
niZe its intrinsic fitness. That which
is kept in its own place and preserved
for its own uses lasts longer and is OF
far more value while it lasts than that
which has no settled abiding place.
In every mandatory Or other large
working institution the economy of this
kind of order is fully recognized. and
it is equally valuable in its proportion
wherever any labor is carried on. In
the home it has even a deeper signifi-
canoe. Here also it is the foundation
of economy. but it is likewise the
foundation of beauty and delight. No
home that is disorderly can ever be at
tractive. 1t may be costly and luxuri-
VuSs UuV IL Cu1 AVSCI C11oA III tAC yC VI
gladden. the heart. A presiding sense
of order which provides for the needs
of eye and ear, which secures harmony
of arrangement and consistency of de-
tail, which ministers to that restful-
ness of spirit which toll and care
so greatly need, is a necessary element
in the good home keeper. On that she
may build whatever decoration and
ornament she can command, sure that
each will fit into Its appropriate place
and fill its appropriate functions, while
without it they would but add to the
general confusion.
Also in money matters, the orderly
habit is Invaluable. 1t not only avoids
loss of time and trial of temper, 1t pre-
vents that ignorance and confusion
which so often lead to extravaganza and
unwarrantable expenditure, and some
times even to deceit and fraud. Doubt
less many of the embellishments and
broken trusts that bring ruin and grief
to thousands, could they be traced
back, would be found to have their
origin in careless and disorderly use
of money, long before any idea of dis
honest dealing was entertained. The
duty of keeping careful accounts. of al
ways facing and knowing ones finan-
cial condition. and of regulating ex-
penses accordingly. can not be too
early or too forcibly impressed upon
our youth, for order in this matter
means peace of mind. freedom from
care and name beyond reproach.
The habit of order, thus regulating
the outward life, will react upon the
thoughts, the character and the happi-
ness of its fortunate possessor. He
will not be satisfied to have his ideas
lying in confused heap, but will be-
come master of them, and will know
where to find and how to use them.
He will be better able to control his
desires, to govern his impulses. to
avoid extremes. to fulfill his Obliga-
tions, for the fitness and order of all
these things will be apparent to him.
And this self-mastery always brings a
sense Of freedom and happiness, and
multiplies the power of spreading hap
piness abroad. We can not. then,
afford to count a habit of order as tri-
fling or insignificant element in the
character and life. Ii "order is Heav-
ems first law" it certainly should &C.
cupy high rank among the virtues of
humanity. Let US, then, endeavOr to
be-
Not chaoslike, together crushed and bruised,
But IS the world, tremendously confused,
Where order in variety We see,
And where, though all things differ. all agree.
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