St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-01-21

he is irresponsible. Having got the
habit In him, he is no more responsible
for keeping on than . man falling from
the roof of four-story house can stop
at the window Of the second story.
Here and there you may find an in
stance where a gambler has been re-
ported or reports himself as being con-
verted. but in that case the man was
not fully under the heel OF the passion.
The real gambler is through passen-
ger to death and perdition. The only
use in referring to him is in the way OF
prevention. He began by taking
chances on bookcase or sewing ma
chine at church fair and ended by get
ting a few pennies for his last valuable
in a pawnbroker's shop. The only man
who CANDLES successfully is the man
who loses so fearfully at the start that
he is Disguised and quits. Let him win
at the start and win again, and 1t means
farewell to home and Heaven. Most
merciless of all habits!
Horace Walpole says that . man
dropped down at the door of club
house in London and was carried in.
and the gamblers began to bet whether
he was dead or not. and when it was
proposed to bleed him for his recovery
the gamblers objected that it would
affect the fairness Of the bet. What
noble men they must have been! But
more and more ladies are becoming
gamblers. They bet at the races and
have prizes in social groups which are
nothing but the stakes of gambling
A good way for a lady to get into the
gamester's habit is by beginning with
progressive euchre." That opens the
door in fashionable way. In one OF
our great cities invitations were sent
out for such meeting at the card ia
bles. The guests entered. and sat down
and began. After awhile the excite
ment ran high. and the lady who was
the hostess tainted and fell under the
table. The guests arose, but some one
said: don't touch the belli Let US
finish the game. She would have done
50 herself and would wish us, If she
spoke" The game went on for 30 min
utes longer, and then a physician was
called. After examination OF the case
it was found that the lady had been
dead 20 minutes. As the guests lift
their hands in surprise / exolaim in
regard to them: What delicate and re-
fined and angelic womanhood!
Again, II you would be master of the
situation, never adjourn until to-mor-
row what you can do to-day. The diff
ference between happy and inspiring
work and wearying and exhausting and
dispiriting work is the difference be-
tween work behind You and work be-
fore you. But always wait until you
feel like it, wait lntil circumstances
are more propitious. wait till next week
or wait till next year, and the proba-
bility is the work will be only half done
or never done at all. Postponenent is
the curse of a vast population. After
awhile all the things that ought to
have been done previously will rush in
upon you, and. it being too much for
your brain and nerves, you will be q mt
subject for paralysis or nervous pros
tration. How many battles have been
lost because the general did not strike
quick enough, and the enemy had full
time to gather reinforcement! You
intend some time to write that impor-
tant letter. You intend some time to
MAE that business call. You intend
some time 10 finish that book. You in
tend some time to preach that sermon.
Where is some time? What is some
time? Does it walk or does it tioat
about you? Will it happen to come:
No! Some time is never. There are
no stragglers in the days ard months
and years. If one day should refuse to
keep step and become straggler, it
would wreck the universe. Prompt.
ness! Up to time! To-day! Now.
You will get only what you win.
Again, il you would be master OF the
situation. and name it last because it
is the most important. for you know
that which is last mentioned is apt to be
best remembered. charge you get into
your heart and life, your conversation
and your manners, your body, mind
and soul. the near 6,00O-yea--old re-
ligion Of the Bible. Why so? Because
the large majority Of people quit this
life before Is years Of age, and the pos
sibility is that if you do not take pos
session Of this religion, and religion
does not take possession of you while
you are young, you will never come
into alliance. Mrs. Mckinley, the
mother of our president, said to me at
the white house: 81 am living on bor-
rowed time. for I am over 80 years OF
nge." NY reply to her was the reply
| make to you: "All those who are
over Is years Of age are living on Dor
rowed time. since the majority of peo-
ple 70 out of the world before 25 years
cf age"
Heraclitus, according to- Plato. said
that no man battles twice in the same
river. But. suppose YOU live to. be
octogenamans. do you not see that
postponement is an awful waste OF
nerve and muscle and brain? What is
is the use of your pulling heavy load
all your life when You can have two
in Heaven harnessed to your load? Sup
pose you have great mill wheel to
turn. Youcanput that mill wheel where
ii will be turned by mill race of water
one foot deep. poured BY small brook.
or you can put 1t along the deep and
swift St. Lawrence, which Will roll
through the mill race tons Of water
every second Of time. Are you going
to run your life by the shadow drip
pings Of earthly influence or by the
rolling rivers of omnipotent power!
Are you going to undertake the work
Of life with nothing but your own
brain or arm or with your own brain
and arm backed up by all the terrcs-
trial and all the celestial forces of the
Almighty? / make as great an offer
as was ever made by man. cffer you