Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-10-08
WORRY.

There Is much unavoidable sorrow
and anxiety in our lives, but it would
De safe 20 say that at least one-half of
our troubles are uuuecessary-are caus-
ed by needless worry. We find this
Idea well expressed by Paul SiegvoIk
IN the Home Journal. He says
It Is common observation that no
ordinary bad habit of mind is more un-
wise and useless than self-worrviug.
The matters usually causing this kind
OF mental disquietude, if they be at all
practical, Will concern either others or
ones self. If they do concern others
man can only do his duty as he COM
prehends it. This being found aud
done, one should be content and accept
the result as inevitable, without regrets,
longings or self rcprDach. If,however,
the matters concern ones self there IL
stIll less cause for this fruitless discon-
tent. Besides, one should reflect of
how little Importance such matters are.
for the most part, IN the economy of
the unIvcrse-wL whether they be done
well OF i'll, or not done at all-and how
insignificant IN u large view and to
every one else is anything that pertains
only to ones self, and how wasteful
even OF power Is all idle fretting about
them.
AN.A'ttt.Af tAtA ntN4tl oA lLlN uhhlI, SO
persistent IN spite of its being so con-
trary to reason, Is that the things wor-
red about are seen in such undue pro-
portions, because they are too near the
mind Like any small objects very
close to the eye, they obscure other
things a little distant and take on q
consequence they do not deserve When
time, or the occurrence OF some other
matter OF greater interest, has adapted
US 10 the trouble before us-so that il
more nearly assume its true significance
our anxiety dUIuISheS or ceases alto
gether. But NJ Se act, while under such
vicious eNcItems mt. we are liable to
act foull~hly. Indeed worry Is the
vice of "a shallow nature and implies
poverty III the possession of patience.
One ayuUluH L. method of putting down
this tendency to unreasonable fretting
over personal disappointment or appre-
heudcd evil may I've 10 recall how many
of our dearest friends have more real
cause 10 worry than ourselves. While
thus discovering that we are compara-
lively happy, We may be stirred To act
sOmewhut m relieving their troubles;
aud as nearly uil worry comes from ex-
cessIve Evisu we shall sometimes find
Its best cure Iu active ultrulsm. l once
knew man of tins latter teudenry, who
by his friends was said To- be continual
" looking uu the dark side of things.
His present enjoyment was usually
c.oudet 10y fear ui coming evil. When
misiortlur overlook him ur his friends,
he WIS liable 10 the rcurouch of insen-
sibIlty. but he had really gone through
with all tine AGONY of suffering from the
mischief incurred many times before 1t
b al ACTUALLY lIpVeuedl Instead Of
hanging ''brtv en- "a smile and "a tear, "
he wis always on the side of the tear,
but So ace. stoned TO the element that
he was ~e. ...rH m danger OF being over
VIII lmei hyr-. Ia fact 10y continually
keeping tie tome Dt his mud and heart
In one luguurlou- struIu, he had lost all
spoutuue ty-eyeu Of grief, and had ap-
pareutly become either devoid of, or
c.llUu- to, all uuural feeling!
This maG s. wife WIS his opposite IN
all these things. She wus not however
frivolous or even Ight-hearted. In
deed, although she appeared ike a
stream Of sunshine. dItfusiug sweetn ess
wherever she Went, yet one who knew
her thoroughly might have found no
lack of innate sadness IN her nature.
Nevertlele-s, perhaps from the very
breadth and IrrIounduess of her char
acter, she never anticipated misfortune,
nor dwelt upon past calamity, but reso-
lutely accepted tLI-ys as they happen
ed. The result was that she was always
natural and spoutau. Gus, fresh IN her
impulses. genuine and hearty In her
sympathies she wept with those who
wept, and laughed with those who
laughed-ever appearing bright and
happy, or otherwise, as the pESsI2g
hour permitted.
Every act OF the mini, we are taught,
Ia. N
"a loss OF So much power--to be supplied
by rgtaXiug the recuperutive sources OF
our nature. 1t is doubtless a draft
upon a capital far from ineXhaustible,
and of ea.Ily detinable limits. In this
view il is painful TO reflect how prOdi-
gal we are of our vital Inheritance, and
how much of it we waste by sheer bad
s-lf-manugemeut
While one constant drain upon our
reservoir Is the most common habit OF
fretting over the Irreparnble or the In
evitable, another like foolish extrava'
gance, IN this way of dissipating brain
or spirit power, lies in that lmpertlnent
curiosity whIch-through imaginative
speculatIous or by silly consultations
with preposterous ruountehanks and or.
acles of many different forms-strlves
to penetrate the supposItIous mysteries
more absurd than this inquest itself-s
helpless habit of deploring uncertain,
though possible evils, which morbid
fancy, so stimulated, Will sometimes
suggest.
Indeed It has not unfrequently seem
ell to some as II even religion itself
designed as 10 is 20 be the great consot
er Of the bruised spirit in is most try
ing atiiictious-had been often pervert'
ed INTO an engine of immense proper
tious for mI-cuIef-throuCh this very
waste of the power To- act, and to sutfel
IN the real business of ie-hy occupy
ing so much of our thoughts and tImt
with reference 20 that future state o.
which ucceSsuriIy-from our limited
powers and tine scauiIuCSs otEevelatloI
we know so little, in comparison Will
its lntiniteucss. as to count for almos
absolutely nothing. 1t would perhaps
not be irrational TO believe that TIN
world might be happier, and its wori
better done. n some Of ITS temporary
residents would ponder more the abso
lutte gain Of making profitable use o
the present, with only a Iudlcious, an'
n far less anxious, forecast OF the re
mote and uuscurchnblc future
THE moment we come TO understand