Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-15
REDUCE YOUR oeNoMlNAToa.
There Are Two Ways of Eauaiizins Yoor
Attachments and Desires


Attachments and Desires
To most earnest people life Is hard and
fast, and growing continually harder and
faster, and to many il is becoming mora
and more . burning question how they
shall meet like men and women the de
mands of each day without falling under
the condemnation OF tina. law. 1t would
be comparatively easy for the society foi-
lowers, If they had any desire 50 10 do. 10
settle their problem b. following Carlyle's
plan and reducing their denomirators. He
makes it very clear to all those VINO have
passed beyond the stage OF childhood, ana
consequently do comprehend this nature OF
q fraction-an impossible thing for chili
to do, because it lies in the region OF re!a-
tiyity-that our wishes and desires stani
TO our abilities, either pecunisry or mrn
tai, in the same relation as the denoni
nator of fraction 10 its uumerator, AMI
that the value OF the fraction of each Jus
of Us expresses in terms easily written
down the total amount OK OR solid happi-
ness or coptertment.
In this view it follows that there are al
ways two possible ways OF increasing tha
amount Of the iatter-snd this - no doUet
the main object toward which are directed
most of the efforts OF most men-aspely,
to increase our numerator by Increasing
our possessions, or TO diminish our demon
inator by decreasing the total amount Of
our desires The first of these WAYS is the
only one generally perceived By the ma o.-
ity of people, and the one to which the.
bend sil their efforts, cut it is often ts
impossible way, while the other path lies
always open TO most people, with absolute.
ly sure result.
Since that resuit-that alteration in the
value of the fraction-is what we are many
of US after, it may be surprising that the
always available and sure method is not
more generally selected. But, as has beeu
said, 10 many of us there is no liberty cs
choice left open. Forced by the demand Of
the working world TO which we belong, we
have already reduced our denomination TO :
surprisingly low figure. We find posi-
tive pleasure, rs we walk in the city, in
seeing shops loaded with inuunerab!s
things that we do not want, and would not
have even if we could.
Even in the matter of books the number
which we care TO own grows smaller dsy
by day instead of larger. We have learned
the great lesson that 1t is easier 10 climb at
once TO the high hills, and drink from the
springs which run there, than to accept
the diluted stuff which is delivered to US Ia
conduits often not of the cleanest. This
lesson, once acquired. frees one from many
perplexities, and confers d not inconsidera-
bic amount of liberty, besides giving us u
feeling of buoyant hellth which the dwell
ers in the lowlands, who depend upon
aqueducts and are subject to all the incon-
veniences resulting from negligent or in
competent contractors and engineers, never
can know.
With regard to sttiety, too, the number
of houses into which we do not desire 10
enter is infinitely larger than that Of those
to which we aspire. And it confers almost
feeling of royalty to see SO many people
around US who do not hesitate at any sac
rifce or any effort TO obtain au introduc-
ton into certain circles of society to which
no entreaties OF our best meaning friends
would be able to drag us for a single even
ing-Anna c. Bracket in Harper's.