The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-22
WISE SELFISHSESS.
Why We Have a Blight to Defend Our
selves Against Bores.
TChristian Union. I

IChrlStlan CnlOn.
The genial "Autocrat of the Break
fast table," whose kindly heart pleads
for human weakness always, justifies
US in protecting ourselves against bores,
against people who rob US of vitality
as well as time, for he lays down this
as professional advice: "Mark this
which I am going to say, for it is as
good as working professional mans
advice, and costs nothing. 1t is better
to lose a pint of blood from your veins
than to have a nelve tapped. Nobody
measures your nervous force as It runs
away, nor bandages your brain and
marrow after the operation" Is there
anv moral law that demands we shall
waste our life forces? that We should
allow the drones to sap the strength
needed to fulfill our legitimate duties?
Some people are like sieves-they
come empty and go away empty, and
if YOU should meet them the next hour
yon would find that you could carry on
the same conversation on the same
philosophy, declare the same theories
and they would be new. Should any
sensible person allow himself to be
used as social jumping-jack, the
clown for an idle hour? Some people
will demand sympathy, feeding their
morbid desires by drawing On the
very life-blood Of another.
There comes to mind woman to
whom heavy sorrow had come, who
day after day called on nervous, high
strung neighbor, ''because she was so
sympathetic" she explained until the
little neighbor fell victim to nervous
prostration. II knew" said the sick
woman, II did her no good, because
every day she came back in just the
same state of mind. I do not know
which wore on me most, the being
compelled to listen to the same story.
! or the constant dread of her appear
ance, and disgust at my own lack OF
courage" The sorrowing one was not
comforted unto strength, and she
brought down her victim as surely as
if pistol or poison had been the medium
she used. The State does not recog-
nize this method of killing as a crime,
but society does, though it has not yet
found a measure for protection bsyond
Individual effect. "You heard that
Mrs. had fortune left her, large
enough to keep her comfortably ,"
said one friend to another, speaking OF
common acquaintance. eyes," was
the response, given with animation,
land I'm quite as glad for her friends
as for her. You know we never heard
from her when she was comfortable
only when she was in trouble. l
dreaded to have her call land yet l
liked her much), for [ knew was
doomed to {; .ale of woe. l never
heard her say cheerful word, and II
YOU tried to make her cheerful, she
only looked at you reproachfully. A
call from her meant day of exhaustion
or depression. Yes, this money is
great comfort to her friends" Il" was the
close of the conversation.
Why should we allow nerve to be
tapped when there is no gain by the
operatlon We must stand the opera
ton many times in life to accomplish a
purpose. We must snilingly submitto
the operation again and again, publicly
and privately; but are we bound to en-
dure it when we have no purpose, and
know that the result is loss, and loss of
that which is most precious and valu-
able? Sure it is that sooner or later,
we must grow hardened if we throw
away the divine attribute ofsympathy,
if we waste the forces given for use. We
can net protect ourselves from the feel
ing, "What is the use??" And that
which sparkled in the light of divine
approval becomes turbid, because that
which troubles it is internal, not eX-
ternal; the outlet is choked.
We are bound to help each other, but
we are not bound to play the part of
Atlas and carry a world. We can only
help where there is receptivity; we can
only help, in the true sense, where
there is capacity and desire for self
help; and this is as true in the social
world as III the philanthropic world.
We rob not only ourselves, but those
who need US, when we lavishly spend
that which was meant for investment.