The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-02-27
Trials.
BY MRS. T.

This is very small word to repre-
sent all the tests of character, all the
temptations of life, and the perplexi-
ties and vexations of our existence.
Every life is invested with trials; some
times they come in the form of respon-
sibihties, sometimes in the form of
temptation, and again in the form of
affections. And oftentimes they are 80
imperceptible as 10 have no form at all.
The latter might be classed under the
head of home endorsements and an
nOyances. Every home is infested
with these trials. In some they may
be overlook, d, in others scarcely nc
ticed, but generally they make them
selves very prominent. We may start
on q journey fully prepared for crossing
mountain. We e it in the distance
and know it is there, therefore we
make its ascent without difficulty. 1t
is the mole-hill unperceived in our path
over which we stumble and fall. Thus
we see, aud meet with will and deter
mination, aud so master them. But the
lesser trials come unperceived and mas
ter US.
Each one is apt to think his trials the
the hardest. Man often returns home
from labor tired and perplexed, and
finds his wife equally embarrassed; out,
instead of sympathizing with her, he
says: "You ought to see my cornfeld,
and then you would have something
worth worrying about. 1t is the tough
est piece l ever had to plant or hoe, and
the crows have pulled half of it,"
When his wife tells him she is sorry
and that she can see just how bad it is,
for the hens have dug up all her young
plants and flower seed, and that the
children have upset the comfortable
and broken her best china vase and
lamp, and the old cat has eaten the con-
It nts from the center of custard pie
she was cooling, he informs her that
her troubles are insignificant, she might
have scared the hens away, watched
the children, "and as for the feline,
she only got the start of me-" Such
tt fling affairs as those could be avoided.
How consoling such sympathy! l
wonder if it is not just as absurd to be
put out at the missing of boot OK,
or to be vexed at cold biscuit. 1t seems
that the very ones who call thes tr ais
Insignificant are the ones who most eX-
aggerate them.
There is great lack of sympathy in
the world. We see it not only in the
home relations but in societies and
business affairs. Yet, if we could only
ste how much that annoys and vexes
c. uld be lessened by little sympa by
We would be more prompt in bestowing
it. If the "lord of creation" happens
to find his little wife just ready to cry
because the hens have dug up all her
tender plants, would it seem any less
lordly TO say: "My love, do not feel
badly over this loss. am very sorry,
and will try to keep the hens away
from Your flower beds hereafter, even
if have to shut them up" This SYM
patty would lessen the loss by half
aud if his pocket book was not long
enough to make up for the other half
may be his wife would consider that hi.
love was.
o let us be more lavish with SYM
patty. 1t will heal 80 many woun d.
keep back many bitter tears, and, if il
does not prolong life, it will certainly
help to make il brighter, and, like the
leaven that leaveneth the loaf, it will
make the burdens of life lighter
There will always be chance to be
Stow it, for this is world of trials
They come in our youth, keep pace
with us in our manhood and depart no
from US in old age. They come in 6
thousand forms, and approach us by
az manv ways; each serving its pui
pose. For these trials are the soul,
discipline, and if overcome serve tt
make us better.
1.-THE good are better made by i'll,
AS odors crushed are sweeter still"
So let us accept our trials as bless
ings, and blessings they will prove
Though we receive no sympathy, WI
can lessen our own trials by overlook
ing the faults of others.
Let bygOnes be bygones and good be OK
tracted
From i'll over which IL is folly to fret.
The wisest OF mortals have foolishly acted
The kindest are those who forgive ant
forget"