The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-07-11

Ol ITO ldctS Will WHICH 1e WdS uudCQtldlllteu
when he passed Judgment the first time.
But he does know that at that time he did
not consider the matter carefully; did hot
weigh each fact and give to it It's due in
tluence. 1t is the knowledge of his care
lessness, of his imperfect consideration
that causes his feeling OF doubt and change
of opinion. After sailing IN the direction
of island number two for forty eight hours
he is again seized with spirit of doubt,
the principle reason for which is. that he
at one time decided the opposite direction
was the proper one to take and h.d acted
on that decision for twenty four hours. He
again considers the question and again
spreads his sails for island number one.
Food and water have been consumed while
the captain pursued his undecided and
multiplying course of conduct. The guam
tity remaining will not now sustain life
while reaching either place of safety. We
will leave captain and crew at this point,
facing certain death unless some charitably
disposed whale gives them all tirst-class
cabin passage to San Francisco.
If he had. when first considering which
one of the islands to sail for, gathered all
of the facts involved, the latitude and lon
gitude of the place where the ship went
down and that of each of the islands, the
then prevailing direction OF the wind, the
course and strength OF the ocean currents
he would meet with, and given. after the
most careful judgment of which he was ca
pable, to each of these facts its due influ
ence, he would have had confidence in his
decision. Having this confidence he would
have pursued resOlute, unwavering
course. Different lines of conduct are often
equally etficaciOus in the attainment of the
same end; but it is necessary to adopt. and
- II, c-Il
line.
An irresolute man (there is not a single
exception; is always weak man. He con-
Siders a matter before it is ripe for consider
atiOn-before he has gathered the facts
which are necessary. for its intelligent con-
sideratiOn. Therefore. the discovery of
new facts tends to unSettle his previous
judgment. This causes him to lose conf
dence, not only in that one particular
judgment, but in himself How can
it have any other possible result?
If the proper time has arrived for consider
ing and deciding question. he does not
consider it in the only way possible to give
him subsequent confidence in his decision.
Unfinished. undecided questions come
trOOping into his mind when all of his
thoughts should be concentrated upon other
work. AS consequence that work is neg
lCCGCu. 11IS CHCI SiCS dIC WILL
out accomplishing any definite result. He
is always an unsatisfactory person with
whom to enter into business or social rela-
tions. He holds one opinion one day and
changes it for another equally unstable the
next day. Consequently no reliance can be
placed in him. 1t he holds an opinion
proper in the circumstances. people
seek to change it for him, when something
is to be gained thereby. They attempt to
do this because they are quite certain of
success. When people know that a man is
fixed in his opinions they seek to change
them only when they are acquainted with
some fact, unknown to the man when his
opinion was formed. A resolute person
escapes many annoyances to which weak
minded man falls victim. A reliable
bunkO man can distinguish them very read
lily. A person who properly considers and
decides the questions which arise in every
day life: who changes his decisions only
when facts are discovered that warrant
change, possesses an element of character
which will materially aid him in the bust.
ness and social relations of life.
T. B. F.
Major NewsOn i'm States Prison.