Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-27

quarters of an
hour was really a good deal en-.
couraged, until Betsey Blinkerbee gave
me look that said, -''Too good to last ~
| knew 1t was, myself, bat 1t wasn't till
sne hau nodded twice towards Mrs. Ami
aoeiias new calendar on the wall and
wen stopped as she went past it, to make
sure that 1t was really the third, that
began to see what was bshind it all.
New Years resolutions? Well, so far.
so good' said l, when Betsey came over
10 the corner of the room where | was.
TO see II her gussets We're like mine
ID IN we'll, yes, said she, obviously.
suppose the momentum OF it will last
while, even after the real thing has run
out. And 1t doesn't take long on an
average"
betsey Blinkerbee,'' said l, "you
needn't tell me you don't believe in good
resolutions, whether they're made on the
ilrst OF January or any other day. Any
one might as well lose faith in human
nature at once" said l.
didn't say so, and it dcesn t follow, +"
said she. The fact is, think human
nature, taking it as it comes, is a good
ways ahead of its professions. Of course
there are exceptions, but among the gen
crafty of people, you're good deal less
likely to find the man who says, 4 go,
and doesn't go at all, than the one other
one who said | will not, and then
went You can't Judge folks by the
promises they make even to themselves :;
and especially by the ones they break"
Mrs. Wasp had said something lust
chen, and | heard Della giggle. And
then she blushed, and giggled again, and
saw her take out her porte -monnaie.
and little pocket diary, and set down
something, and l was quite sure she was
keeping tally, rs it were, and had fined
herself. And of course Betsey nudged
me-
There What did 1 tell youY' she
said
Mrs. Hotella came in just then.
. m so sorry to be late, the first time
this year. too, =" she said II did mean to
break myself OF that habit" and she
sighed as If she was never going to have
another chance.
Nobody spoke for minute, and then
Mrs. Amiabella said she thought New
Year S was good time to break off any
bad habit, One did feel as if tho past
was behind one, for a time, at least.
Mrs. Wasp said she didn know about
that. 1T always was, for that matter.
She didn't know as one day was any
better than another. Anyone could turn
over n new leaf of break off foolish or
wrong habit, any day in the year, if
they had the mind to. She broke off
abruptly, right there, as IL she had some
how slammed herself; and I wondered If
she lniGhtn BE trying 10 "ut rid OF some
Waspish ways of hers, and mi2htnt be
finding it quite as hard work as the rest
OF us did.
Mrs Peppersqueezer didn't say any
thing and that told her part cf the story.
But the ball had been set rolling, and al
most everyone there was ready to give
it push. Everyone was sure her neigh
Dor was in the same box with herself, aud
we had real cxperieDce-mecting
l wish you could have been there to
hear. A good many folks find it as easy
to talk about such things as that as 10
remark about the weather, and good
deal more interesting. There Were two CT
three who didn' t say anything, and they
were folks that | had an idea might be
having a real tussle, and that would be
likely to get the best of it, too. But the
most Of them spoke out pretty freely.
Ono woman said she'd left off irettiug.
thought she'd found it cut pretty quick.
Several had resolved to be prompt, and to
have "a system, whatever that may
mean Two or three bad left off tea
drinking; I wished it had been the one
that fretted, ] should have had more hope
of her On that score. There was quite
q number had settled it with themselves
shat they wouldn't complain OF their
aches or ailments, or their circumstances,
and would be cheerful in their speech and
WAYS. Some of them told, too, Of the
resolutions their husbands had made, and
their c1f1dren. And they were as different
as human nature is, and AS curious. One
couldn't help remembering, too, that
there were probably something like
twenty or thirty million others. in this
country of ours, alone, making just such
resolutions, and some that you'd never
think of. IL a huniredth part of them
were kept what a world this would be to
live in
believe in good resolutions; but it
does depend ON what goes along With
them and what sort they are.
| believe in the power of the human
will. 1t has accomplished amazing
things, and is good for just as much as 1t
ever was. But do believe it can be over
worked. 1t is made thu servant many
times when it ought to be master. There
il n difference between the calm, inteill-
gent determination, and the desperate and
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