The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-05-15
FRET AND WORRY.
The Most Subtle Enemies of Sue
cess In This World

fretting. At the same time it is the
most plausible. Not the idle, i'll
tempered indulgence which we call
''scolding," but the vague worry that
finds n ready excuse in fatigue or Ill
health or in anxiety about the meat
which perisheth;" for not even the
genius is above substantial necessities
1t is not possible to do ones best work
while discomfort is sapping the vigor
of the mind. Preoccupation is fatal to
honest thinking. What sort of mental
work can we expect of a man who is
engaged in taking account of the
stock of his own grievances? And yet
there are plenty of men and women
who begin each days task under just
such conditions and wonder why they
fail Signing over things that have been
left undone and shrinking from the
host of duties advancing upon them
they stand in pause where they shall
first begin, and both neglect"
Untrammeled by worry, fretting.
borrowing trouble-whatever You
choose to call it-life would be re
lieved of half its friction. II Is like the
dust in the wheel or dust in the watch.
From whatever cause, however eN-
cusable, il is a wearincss and a snare.
SlillClGN2 Will CpAl siic tlC4l
The voice roughcned with weeping is
incapable of pleasant tones In either
case the remedy suggests itself. ! So
ciety woman noted for her kind and
charitable temper was asked how she
managed to be SO amiable under all
circumstances in this gossiping,
naughty world 1T is too much
trouble to find fault" she made
answer. II should always be unhappy
if thought i'll of my friends, and life
is too short for that" Another woman
who lived by the use of her facile pen
was heard to say that although she had
taken many lessons in poverty and dis
appointment, she could not afford TO
be ill-natured or despondent, because
she would be untitled to earn her own
living if she were unhappy.
The farmer puts in his crops come
wind or come weather" and he who
lives by the sweat of his brow must
inure himself to every variety of
change
a merry heart goes all the day,
Your sad tires in 4 mile
It takes sunshine to print a photo
graph. Cheeriness will bring out the
best that is IN man. More. 1t will
perneate his work. Did you ever notice
the difference in the sound of the same
message delivered by two persons?
The writings of the prophet jeremiah
have SO strong flavor of melancholy
that his very name is the synonym of
dependency. We find there no lack of
strength or symmetry or gentleness,
but the healthy mind would vastly
rather read the same message in the
prophecy of Isaiah There Is the ring
OF promise in it Isaiah seemed to take
for granted that his expostulation
would not be IN vain. Jeremiah, on
the other hand, scarcely appeared to
hope that his admonition would be
needed. 1t is simply the man that
shines out in his work.
Miss Alcott is one of the few women
who could so divcst herself of all irrita-
ton and discomfort as to be able to
write healthily and brightly under the
most trying circumstances Through
out her books-even in her pathetic
journal-there is a vein of cheery cour-
age which certainly was not the natur-
al result of her early life.
Borrowed trouble is as hard TO bear
in anticipation as real trouble. A little
girl was given a cart and pony and
taught to drive. The first time she
went ont by herself her eye ran down
the wide village street, busy with all
sorts of vehicles, and the sight overcane
her with alarm How could she ever
get safely through such a tangle? she
asked herself, and dropping the reins,
she screamed with fright 4 passing
neighbor went to her relief and sought
to quiet her fears Il am so afraid to
drive through the crowd" she answered
-
urged These wagons are a long way
OFF and they Will only come to meet you
u few at n time. Besides, some of them
are going the other way" Thus en-
couraged, the child drove on in
confidence unharmed. So we, see
ing all that lies before MS, fancy
It already here, and cowardlike,
refuse to be comforted- Much of this
may be endured, much can be cured.
Indeed, 1 am inclined to think that
after all our apprchensions are fictitious.
We gauge our obligations and response
bilities rather by our own estimate Of
our own value than by the positive, ex-
pressed demands which others make
upon our time and service. There is an
insidious qualification in the feeling
that on ones self depends the machinery
of an important undertaking. Suppose
1t were true Suppose we are necessary
to society to-day; it is humiliatinp
thought that were we to drop out to-
morrow another would speedily be
found just ss competent to fill the va
cant place In fretting over our cares
are we not Understanding the value
OF the life which places its commands
upon us? Fancy what that would be
were the necessity for ourselves but re-
movedl Did no one claim one kindly
ofice at our handsl Did no pressing
engagements vie with each other for
our timel