Wichita eagle., 1888-03-23
SSNlllAN
Daily Eagle
SELF CONTROL.
EVERY DAY UTILITY OF THE ART
OF STOPPING.

VT tOfFlNC.
A Difference in Street Car Drivers--he
Deacon's Failing-A Lecturer Who
Couldn't Let Go-President LincoIn's
Particular GIT.
''Did you ever notice the difference in the
way that different drivers stop the horse
cars? One starts his horses on a jump, gives
q jump himself TO avoid the jar, tumbles all
his passengers half over toward the rear end
of the car, and when the signal to stop is
given he gives the brake sudden jerk,
whirls around to see if his passenger is off,
whirls again while his human load is tumbled
toward the front of the car, is off before they
come to an equilibrium, stops again in the
same way, jams short gentleman's head
into lady's bonnet, jams ladies' hats into
gentlemen's faces, and, all in all, keeps up
continuous strain on peoples politeness; I'M
corks an occasional immoral invective; has
every corn in the car trod on: elegant dresses
plunged into by the soiled hands of tumbling
unfortunates, all for not knowing how to
stop.
John Excel is my ideal When he sees a
signal he gently touches the brake draws in
his horses calculates to nicely how much
force will bring his car to halt just at the
crossing. When passenger wishes to alight,
John stops his car in the same level headed
way; rarely turns around; knows when tho
man is off, by delicate sense of feeling;
starts easys and the car glides off with pic
mic smoothness. Nobody is tllnbled into no.
body, and everybody is really enjoying the
ride When the car is not overfulgentlemen
read their papers, put OH their spectacles with
ease, discuss the news, make nice bows to lady
friends; and, when they alight, are never
tumbled in the street. All from having the
art of stopping.
TEE DEACoN'S FAILING.
Father D. was a piouS old deacon In an
Ohio church. lie was relied on by his pastor
rs a right hand man. Hs was anxious to do
his duty, and if called on to testify" in
meeting had it not in conscience to refuse.
But, alas poor Deacon D., how he should
stop be never knew He tried to Speak his
closing words, but every sentence, in spite OF
him, would close itself with an land" or with
a. hut" This pledged him to another SEN
ta.sse, which also fatally closed with another
''and.n Dear brother" hear him patiently
say, ~ am an unworthy disciple, and have
netaing to say that is worthy of your con-
sideration-but, But | know that I ought
always to be ready to testify Of the Lords
goodness-and And now L viii close what
have to say-and. And | beg of you always
to be instant in season and out of season,
doing what your hands find to do-and. And,
as | was saying, | know my own unworthi-
ness to speak Of what the Lord is doing in
Zion-but But don't want to stand in the
light of others who would do their duty
and" "And"-and SO the poor fellow stepped
on the trap every time, in spite of himself.
At last perspiring and scared, the ands and
butts rolled into confused ball Of words, and
the deacon fell back exhausted. His testi-
mony was terrible 'cross," not only to him
SELF but TO all the brethren and sisters"
When Rev. DR.. NJ. was invited to lecture
before the lyceum of A, he began at 8
O'Clock. His lecture was from one Of those
topics that open at both ends. He lectured
from each end alternately; now a bit of
theory, and then bit of application. He
lectured for one hour. The audience was
chen somewhat overfull. They We're getting
uneasy He lectured one hour and a quarter,
and was just beginning to enjoy himself.
The audience began to be markedly impa-
tent One hour and a half! Two-thirds Of
his Audience left. One hour and three-quar-
tiers! He evidently wanted to stop, but could
not get to an end The audience that re-
manned from respect to his character was
excessively angry. Two hours! The affair
grew ludicrous. People looked in each others
faces and laughed. Assuring them that no
must not detain them any longer, the doctor
broke off his thread All for lack of the art
OF stopping.
THE GIFT OF LINCOLN.
In politics tho art of stopping is pre-emi-
nent. 1t was the particular gift of Lincoln.
How terribly impatient we ell got with him
after the battle Of Bull RUM But was DO
ever driven by clamor to one basty step?
What terrible burden that man bore foy
those months when Chase said, ''If he livrs
he will wreck us" and honest men wished
he would die 1t is wonder he did not die
Lincoln had the marvellous power to lead,
but never to be more than one step ahead of
the people. Henry Clay had somewhat OF
this popular leadership, and so did Webster;
but ncither of them could be sure to stop
both lost the presidency for that reason.
Douglas had the art, but he committed him
self to one great error, and could never be
allowed to stop. 1t is the doom of political
blunder that it leads on and on to perpetual
complications But you cannot read the life
of Lincoln, and not admire his art of self
control.
am peculiarly pleased with the training
we are getting in these days by science in the
art of stopping. If you study the life of OAR
win YOU will admire nothing so much as his
stopping short of mere speculation. do not
think he has been found ever to have gone
ono step beyond the direct and positive war
rant of data. You may imagine what the
evolution idea born into some brains would
have led to. Indeed, we have seen some very
eminent men compelled to back out of some
very ludiSrous places, because they did not
stop in time. Scientific training is having a
wonderful influence in compelling us to test
and prove rs we eo.-'E. P. p" in Globe
Democrat
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