The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-01-11
Against the Grain.
Greenrille News.

Presenting some ancient superssi-
lions to be accurate-and the ancient
.superstitions in various symbolic and
fantastic forms teach q vast deal Of
common sense and the facts OF hu-
man nature-let US suppose that the
kindly fates had general control ct a
birth and that the adverse fates or
the Internal furies we're allowed to
bestow but one curse apon the newly
born infant. The kindly fa.es might
bestow stores of blessings-wealtb,
beauty, talent, genius, strengthened
all would be in vain in the bestowal
of happiness if the furies we're per-
mitted to curse the new arrival with
that peculiar facility for going
against the grain of humanity with
which many men and a few women
are afflicted.
We have all seer and known the
sufferers from this curse. The in
stincts, tastes, loves and hates, men-
tai, moral and psychological fbres OF
humanity run to grain as certainly
as wood. Some of the people we
know run with this grain; others run
directly against it always and o n all
occasions ineyisably, with the general
effect of drawing a fcut file
through the teeth.
No matter what the tendencies and
tastes or the special prejudices OF
people may be the man or woman
cursed with this baleful talent will
surely run against them. If We have
a particular pet like or dislike, friend
or foe. they will disparage or praise
az the case may be. They seem to
have been born beneath a planet in
opposition. Whatever position We
ms; chance to take they will chance
to be opposite, and the more in earn
est we are, the more thoroughly our
feelings are enlisted, the more GER
tain and offensive their adverse con-
tention will be.
People Of that kind are doomed to
misery, because they are doomed to
cause wrath and carry unhappiness.
They slaughter friendships and as
they go dislikes and crafty traps for
their humiliation and punishment
spring beneath their feet as flowers
grew in the trail Of the nice girl in
the fairy story. They create a new
enemy every day and no fortune or
gifts can endure against a constant
accumulation of grievances. We meet
few people in life who a not at
some time-perhaps after the lapse
of years and in far places and strange
conditious-do us a good or an i'll
turn. These who are doomed to 60
!. against the grain of humanity en-
counter the i'll turn always because
they invite it.
The naturally accursed in this re-
gard are comparatively few, fortu
nately for the worlds peace. Too
many of US, from carelessness or a
sinister, left handed disposition not
incurable, fall into the way of going
against the grain. We do it with
those who are nearest and dearest to
us. We ruf1s and disturb them
without cause and p~ersistently alien
ate their affection by the daily and
hourly saving, hacking and cutting
against the grain with word, act and
gesture.
Nothing is more profitable for any
of US to study than the grain of the
humanity with which We are in con
tact, no matter how high or low or
apparently unimportapt it may be.
It is about as essay to make friend
as an enemy always and We can not
at any time or place make a friend
who may not at some other time or
place be useful; yet too many Of US
seem to prefer to make enemies for
the sake of making them
For the fortunate people who are
born that way, who have the talent
for going against the grain and the
ineradicable tendency for doing it,
we should feel only pity, even while
they go against our grain. They are
miserable and can not help being so
and make others miserable and can
not help doing it. For ourselves we
should learn some sense from their
unhappy example. Going with the
grain is always the smoothest cutting.
We need not surrender any principle
to do it. All of Us have known folks
who could differ peacefully and
pleasantly and other folks who could
agree only discordantly and uppleas-
antly, men who could say mo" 50 as
to make a friend and other men who