The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-01-11

10 he world thatfe is not an unworthy
individual, ond then he dreams again
n While he is occlp d with these new
visions all other year slips around and
vel he hao made no start on the road to
achievement. During the time he may
have plucked a nosegay or two and do
ing so has defled his garments with dirt
and weeds and SO he comes to the be-
ginning OF another and there is no repi
tltlon OF the process of dreaming and in-
action. So his life moves on; the years
come and so; the weight Of unfulhlled
purposes bears down upon him weaken
ing his ambition and %desire;until finally
whittier by a sudden stroke of Provi-
dence or the natural course of life he is
rndeIy awakened only to find that his
lay is far spent, and the glory of his
dreams has vanished. Iienccforth as a
disappointed and aimlsss man he must
exc out a bare existence until night casts
its heavy pail over lim, ard he sinks
into that sleep iIuln which, on this side
Of eternity, there is no awakening.
Mat a waste Of opportunities and pllv.
lleges such a life records and of whal
value to it were all its golden dreams.
The secret OF it gloom may be found ii.
the failure to note the flight of days
and years until the sounds of the glass
were all but gone. By far a glcate,
number of lives are lost to %usefulne :
through inactivity than through a Ma.t>
of -nisdirected energy.
But a mere numbering of days is uLt
all that is essential to a successful life;
for n may carefully count the mo-
ments and yet consign his life to failure.
The numbering Of past successes may
mark the beginning of a deterioration.
A business man may be so we'll sail. fed
with the profits which the years iuvel-
tory reveal that he sees no necessity for
any determined effort in the COM
ing year SO instead of pushing his trade
into new channels he is content to rest
on his oars. But while he sleeps n
other has come in and reaped the harv.
est leaving for him only the gleanings,
and when the t me for inventory comes
around once more there are not only no
profits to be seen but a large part Of tile
gain Ct the previous year has disap-
peared. 1t is not unusual to meet men
and women whose only achievements
were made early in life and whose latter
days are spent in n~arrating the glories
of their youth. 1t is, ihde ed, m
thing to have brought the business of
one year to a successful issue, to have
done a noble deed, or to have lived we'll
Tor one year. And If that Que year
covered all the opportunities tlrat were
given us it would merit a well DONE"
But the success of n year or two
years when placed over against the op.
portunities and privileges of the ordin.
AIRY life becomes very insignificant.
The numbering of our days must lead
us to something very different from the
empty boast of self righteousness
Again a mere r%ecounting of the past
may lead to Encouragement. IF the
year has been onc of failure, one in
which the margins are all on the debit
side of the ledger blooding over them
will unfit for future activity. There are
none so difficult to arouse as those who
have fallen into nelancholia. One OF
the. most unpleasant of companions is
he who is forever lamenting some past
failure. who feeds his soul miasma Of
what might have been. This is a danger
into which any one may fall it they go
no further than to enumerate the oper.
atoms of the year especially if there
has been failure.
We are now prepared to see the reason
which the Psalmist gives for the taking
account of the days and years, and this
reason is tile one that we would most
naturally look for. According to the
text we are to number our days, not
merely to go back over the way in
whichswe have co ne, but that we may
get an heart of wisdom. In the sum-
ming up OF a years business n mer-
chant discovers the weaknesses and
strong points in the conduct of his af-
fairs. A department that has been sue
cessfuli is given a larger opportunity
while one that is weak is strengthened;
there may be some leakage in the ex-
pense account, if SO Oh through all the
departments Of the business. BY means
Of the inventory all these matters are
brougnt before tine eyes Of the merchant
4, d manner that makes possible, for
him TO deal with them intelligently.
Unlike manner the retrospectio Of the year
ma be the e Of helping US to deal
vi civ; with. the problems of the year
ttiatsliss just ahead Of US. A consider.
alton of the passing days and years il
/ the best medicine forsthe dissipation Of
Tie delusion that our mortal life is a
sanall eternity. When : young man Of
wen y.one carefully considers that the
nex,ten years will ;a al probability
dete, nine what his future career and
and his chas.cter will be, he will coun.
J&SG ncArso,,o infArvo1 ~