Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-02-27
a WISE SELFISHNESS,
Why We Have a Right to Defend Gu
selves i gainst Rores.

''Ay VIC nave a Detend our
selves Against Bores.
The genial ''Autocrat of the Break
fast-table," whose kindly heart pleads
Tor 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
am going to say, for it is as good as
working professional mans advice. and
costs nothing. 1t is better to lose pint
OF blood from your veins than to have a
nerve trapped. Nobody measures your
nervous force as it runs away. nor
bandaGeS your brain and marrow after
the operation" Is there any 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-thev
come empty and go away empty, and if
you should meet them the next hour YOU
would find that you could carry on the
same conversation on the same phi
IosOphy, declare the same theories, and
they would be new Should any sensible
person allow himself to be used as a
social jumping-iack, the clown for an
IDLE hour? Some people will demand
sympathy, feedin: their morbid desires
by drawing on the very life-blood of an
other.
There comes to mind a woman to whom
heavy sorrow had come, who day after
day called on nervous. high-strung
neighbor, because she was so svmpa-
thetic," she explained, until the little
nPIUh hnr foil ,-i.+
tratlon. Il knew" said the sick woman,
dld her no good, because every day
she came back in just the same state of
mind do not know which wore on me
most, the being compelled to listen to
the same story, or the constant dread of
h'r appearance, and disgust at my own
lack OF courage The SOrrowing one
was not comforted unto strength. and
she brought down her victim rs surely
as II pistol or poison had been the
medium she used. The state does not
recognize this method of killing as a
crime, but society does, though it has
no. yet found a measure for protection
beyond individual effect You heard
that Mrs. - had a fortune left her,
large enough TO keep her comfortably?'
safe one friend to another. speaking of
common acquaintance. Yes" was
the response. given with animation and
I'm quite as glad for her friends as for
her. You know we never heard from her
when she was comfOrta OIe-only when
She was in trouble. ! dreaded to have
her call land yet liked her much). for
knew | was doomed to q tale of woe.
never heard her say cheerful word,
and if you tried to make her cheerful,
she only looked at you reproachfully.
A call from her meant day of exhaus.
ton or depression. Yes, this money is
great comfort to her friends" was the
close of the conversation.
Why should we allow nerve to be
tapped when there is no gain Dy the
operation? We must stand the opera
ton many times in life to accomplish
purpose. We siust smilingly submit
to the operatio again and again. pub
1icly and privately: but are we bound to
endure it when we have no purpose,
and know that the result is loss, and
loss of that which is most precious and
valuable? Sure it is that, sooner
or later, we must grow hardened if we
throw away the divine attribute of sym
pathy, if we waste the forces given for
use. We can not protect ourselves from
the feeling, What is the usc?" And
that which sparkled in the light of di-
vine approval becomes turbid, because
that which troubles it is internal. not
external; the outlet is choked.
We are bound to help each other. but
We are not bound to play the part OF
Atlas and carry world. We can only
help where there is receptivity; we can
only help, in the true sense, where
there is capacity and a desire for self,
help; and this is as true in the social
world as in the philanthropic world.
We rob not only ourselves. but those
who need Us, when we lavishly spend
that which was meant for investment
Christian Union