The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-02-16

IN youth they are tender a. q sDido
webb, bat as the youth natures the,
become as cords. cables and chains
Then with the links entwined about q
man, who can break them? Tn,
man himself? No. Hence the i'm
porisnce of proper influences and the
formation Of good habits. Man may.
he in darkness and securely bound by
the chain Of habit and hardly realize
1t, for II Is stronger than life itself
Coiridge, one {, f the greatest men I'm.
tellec;ually, and one Of the finest poets
of his time, went into voluntary i'm
prisonment and hired man to watch
him day and night and keep him, by
force, from tasting opium. lie FORM
ed resolution after resolution. Yet.
during all the hest years Of his life he
wasted his substance aud his health.
neglected his family and lived dcerad-
cd and uccursed because he had not
resolution and courage to abstain.
He would lay plans to cheat the very
man whom he paid to keep the drug
from him, and bride the iailor to
whom he had voluntarily surrendered
himself. Ills, it may he argued, was
an extreme and isolated case, vet we
tell you truly that there are thousands
as hoPelessly in the grasp of some 9TH
err habit, possibly worse, rs was Cole.
ridge. Envy is more or less IL habit,
and it is represented by one rs row
of hooks to hang up grudges on
Cough once used the GLOWING to H.
lustrate the rockies and needless course
of one confirmed in bad habits: II
remember" said he, "once riding from
Buffalo to Niagara Falls said to
gentleman, what river is that, sir 2"
That sand he, is Niagra river
We'll it is a beautiful stream, bright,
fair and CLASSY, how far off are the
rapids?" Only mile or two" was
the reply. Is it possible that only
mile or two from us we shall find the
water in the turbulence which it mast
show near to the fallsY You will
find it SO sir, and so found it; and
the first sight Of Niagara shall never
forget. Now, launch your bark on
the Niagara river; it is bright, smooth,
beautiful and CLASSY. There is q rip
pie at the bow; the silver wave you
leave behind adds to the Enjoyment.
Down the stream you glide, oars,
sails and helm in proper trim, and
you Sc out on your pleasure excur sion.
Suddenly some one cries on; from
the bank, Young men, ahoyn What
Is it? The rapids are below you
"lla ha We have heard Of the rap
ids, but we are not such fools as to
get there. If we 90 too fast, then We
will up with the helm and steer to the
shore; we will set the mast in the
socket, hoist the sail and speed to the
land. Then on boys; don't be alarm
ed-!here is no danger Young men,
ahoy there| What is it?' The
rapids are below YOU Ia ha
we will laugh and quaff. All things
delight us. What care we for the
future? No man ever saw it. Suf.
iicient for the day is the evil thereof.
We will enjoy life while we may; will
catch pleasure as it flies This is en-
joyment; time enough to steer out of
danger when we are sailing swiftly
with the current Young men,
ahoy ! What it itY Beware Re
ware ! The rapids are below you y
Now you see the waters foaming all
around. See how fast you pass that
point Up with the helm Now
turn! Pull hard Quick quick
quick Pull for your lives Pull
til the blood starts from the nostriIs
and the veins stand like whip cords
upon the brow Set the mast in the
socket! HOIST the sail oh! oh it
is too late ! Shricking, cursng, howl
ing, disappearing, over they go.
Thousands go over the rapids every
year through the power Of habit, cry
ing all the while, "when 1 find out
what is injuring me will give it up"
The objectionable habit Of needing
not the warnings Of those who beckon
men to tho right may be rightfully
termed king Of tyrants The warn
ing voice may be clear and distinct
"a. first, and have a slight inclination
to check those in imminent danger,
but as the warner goes on warning
and the hayward proceed in the
wrong, stopping occasionally, only to
hear the voice Of the warner further