Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-12-28

WCdly VI QTeSeuC mdl6TldliSm, we
will look to character first of all.
What retrogression here the past year?
Have we grown a shade more selfish,
lax, unsympathetic? And do we hypo-
critically call our selfshness the
proper looking out for our own inter-
ests?' Do we look with increased
pride on the laxity and term it "tol-
erance," an advance in worldly wis
dom? Are we satisfied with the mar
rowing of our sympathies, and do we
speak of this az more philosophy
Quite likely.
And now comes the contemplation.
How far do we want this to go on?
Shall we let self-interest, a letting
down Of standards, unsocialism go on
to an old age ruled by mercenary mo-
tives, marked by low principles, by in
humanity? Heigho! Just this calling
OF things by their right names has
brought us Up short; we tremble a
little over the careless past; are afraid
OF that unsavory old age. Maybe 1t
would be well on New Years Day to
old~-fashionedly put up some old-fash-
i.ned notices:
For selfishness is DEATH"
Il had a very unpleasant converse
ton with my conscience"
Every man takes care that his
neighbor shall not cheat him. But
a day comes when he begins to care
that he do not cheat his neighbor.
Then all goes we'll. He has changed
his market cart into a chariot Of the
SUM-"
Let us go on taking stock. How is
is with the health of the body? Has
that been neglected, has it been over
considered-one evil no less than the
other? Have we jealousy guarded the
share of sleep it's due, not stolen there
from in mistaken ambition, mistaken
pleasures? Has the daily generous
gift of air and sunshine and flying
cloud and fair sky been unregarded;
the world too much witn us?" Have
we been neglectful, with gross care
lessness paid no heed to building up
wasted tissues; expended energy at the
price of health? Or have we been in
temperate of wine and meat?-the one
evil no greater than the other. Have
we thought and talked nothing but
symptoms, been wholly concerned with
the carnal? So many omissions, so
many o~ver-anxieties we may have been
guilty of. Let us put in prominence
IN New Years Day:
"a sound mind in a sound body"
"The nest part of health is fine dis
position. 1t is more essential than
talent, even in the works of talent.
Nothing will supply the want of sun
shine to peaches, and, to make
knowledge valuable, you must have
the cheerfulness of wisdom"
Have we been cross, irritable, irritat-
Ing? LET a mar practice tie minor
virtues" Have we been inaccurate,
untruthful? I'm all the superior peo-
pie I have met, l notice directness,
truth spoken more truly, as if every
thing of obstruction, of malformation,
had haen trained away"
Have we been hermit, or frivolous;
one extreme or the other? Have we
shut ourselves away from mankind,
lived a life Of selfish seclusion, UNI
troubled ourselves with civic and So
cial responsibilities, got ourselves into
a state where any reminder of tina
great seething life outside seems I'M
pardonably intrusive, u~nwarrantably
lmpudent? Look out, LOOK out. Hang
these words where your eyes may light
upon them oft in the New Year:
"He prayeth best who loveth best
All things both great and small"
And the ov~er-frivolity. What has it
Ill amounted to; the late hours, the
night-of-it piled upon night-of-it? No
books, no thoughtfulness, no time for
charitable deed, for hunting up neg
lected friend, for the kindly homely
duties. True, I'VE must have society,
We cannot spare variety" but like
wise tlrle we must have some variety
from Society. Body and soul need
luiet, repose, an escape from jar and
,ret. And what is the New Year guide
Tor this laundering?
"'Tis the fine souls who serve us,
and not what is called fine society"
Have we been lonely, thought it not
possible to find a friend? Take heart
from these words:
Nor scour the seas, nor sift mankind,
A poet or a friend to find.
Behold, he watches at the door!
Behold his shadow on the foor!"
Have we been too busy, too hurried
@ be kind, gentle, responsive; have we
EXALTED business" moderated friend
~liness? Let us hang this where the
light will shine on 1t full and bright:
Life is not SO short but that there Is
always time for courtesy" Have we
ceen %unrelenting; unforgiving, retail
latory? Dare we SO continue, 50 ~
little ourselves? Ills heart was as
great as the world, but there was no
room In 1t for the memory Of q
wrong"
Heigho! All the walls Of all the
rooms will be covered with motto;
with adage and admonition. Let US
ice them with a seeing eye once in
.u,hi1A #SN@GAN Mt