Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-08-25

would climb tree almost as quickly
as a squirrel would seek his nest in
the old orchard trunk. Then those
children would sit laughing and sing
ing and swinging upon one of the
branches. But, though two of your
children were born physically well, the
third was born poor, helpless invalid.
You, the mother, worried about that
third child from the day when she was
born. For years not night passed in
which you did not arise two or three
times to go to the crib and give the
necessary medicines. Did your worry
ing about that child do you any good?
Did your troubles come in the way you
expected? Today your two children
who were once strong are dead. Diph-
liberia in one week slew them both.
Your invalid daughter, about whom
you worried, has overcome her invalid
ism and grown into young woman
hood. She is now married and has
children of her own. Your troubles
came, but the panther leaped upon you
from the rear and did not lie crouch
ing in the open pathway ahead.
Some Useless Worries.
AS business man you have often
worried about this, that and the other
thing. You have worried about wheth-
er the firm that failed would be able
to pay for the goods they bought. You
have worried about the tariff laws and
the elections. You have worried about
the rival concern which settled on the
next block. You never thought that
worse trouble could come to you than
the loss of your store. You never
thought that your own health could
break down and that you would have
to resign from the firm and sell out.
Troubles came into your life, but they
invariably came in the way and at
the time you did not expect.
If this premise is true, is it not time
for you to stop your useless fretting?
Is it not senseless occupation to be
worrying about certain troubles which
in all proba bility-judged by the past
will never affiict your life? Do you
not feel tina. the old English proverb
is right which declares, You must not
cross the bridge until you come to it ~
In the journey of life you will find
many bridges down. You will discover
that the spring freshets have swept
away the entertainments upon which
| countless abutnentS were placed. But
J in all probability the bridge you worry
| most about will be firm enough and
stream, although you may have to
wade into other angry waters little
farther on.
Anticipating troubles is a sin, be-
cause the present duties of life tax al
most every mans physical and mental
resources to the utmost limit. We read
with sorrow and admiration about the
pathetic struggle Sir Walter Scott
made in his old age to pay off his
debts. BY foolish investment he be-
came responsible for something like
100000. With his magic pen he went
to work. He worked during the day
He worked during the night. He
worked while he lay in bed. He
worked when walking upon the street
He lived and worked for the one pur.
pose, that of being able to say he
owed no man penny. But while he
worked he so worried over this debt
that one day his physician came tC
him and said, "Sir Walter. if you dc
not cease worrying you will die
With that the magician of Abbotsford
looked up and gave q wan smile as he
said: 'Why. doctor. as long as that
debt is hanging over my head cannot
help worrying. | know the worrying
is killing me. But you might as wei
go and tell my cook to order the water
in the kettle not to boil as to com
mand my brain not to worry"
But Sir Walter Scott. toiling to pay
off his debts by the use of his pen, die
not have to work any harder thar
thousands ard hundreds of thousands
of men and women have to work t.
meet the responsibilities of the presen
time. Take. for illustration, the min
listers of our generation. Last week
received message from a so Gale,
gentleman which politely Informed m
that "the preachers of our time, as
rule, lead an idle and an unoccupie,
existence and that there is nothing TO
them to do" Nothing for the averag
preacher to do? Why, the averag
preacher today is working as hard a
ever beast of burden worked unde
drivers lash. He is working SO har
that from Monday morning to Sunda
night he is mentally and physically O
the strain all the time. l tell you tina
the preparation of two sermons an
the meeting of the many duties of tn
pastorate combine to make herculea
task, a task which gives but little tim
for the sleep and recreation that al
necessary for physical well being, BIT
the average preacher has no more d'
mands made upon his time than til
average doctor, lawyer. editor, me
chant, clerk, wife or mother. Almo:
without exception all people are worl
ing up to their physical and ment;
limit, yet, strange to say. though mo'
people are working very hard, con
DaratiypIy few break down from owe