Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-26
WHEN GORDON
ACTED ON IMPULSE

COovICtiOu ku0S no oe~ osssS~ ~
proper solution Of It. His idea wss
that people too often neglected to oct
upon impulse. This was the line OF
his reasoning:
what we call impulse 10 In reality
instinct. Our instincts are generally
good. The things we do by instinct
seldom get US into trouble. More Of
ten they get us out Of difficulties and
bring US happiness. I am going to
start out to-day with the intention OF
Obeying my impulses. II happen
to have an impulse am going to fol-
low 1t up. People who stop to dis
sect their SeelingsSor their impulses
before they act seldom do anything.
When the cold light of reason 10
turned upon an impulse the impulse
withers and dies. Consequently there
is inaction. The happiness that comes
Of inaction can only be negative in its
character. The happiness that 10 the
outgrowth Of action 10 positive. For
one day at least l am going TO act
upon my impulses"
Having arrived at this philosophy
cal conclusion, Roscoe Conkling Cor
don crawled out Of bed and put on
his clothes. As he was fastening his
tie he had an impulse. 1t directed
him to remove his clothes and take
cool, refreshing bath. BY obeying
this impulse he was 20 minutes late
getting down to breakfast. Still, he
reflected. this was not the fault OF
the impulse. The bath was good thing
and made him feel much more Ike
doing q days work than he would
have felt without It, The fault was
his own In not having had the impulse
when he ought to have had 1t. new
girl came to wait on him when he
had seated himself at the table. She
was q very pretty GIRL, 1t was evf-
dent that she had not been long in the
waiting business. Her hands were
white and small, and she looked as II
she might have Just started out to
earn her own way. {.
Perhaps" Gordon thought. "misfor-
tune has overtaken her family. max
Ing It necessary for her to do this
after having lived all her life In luz
ury. III SPEAK kindly to her. She
may need cheer and sympathy"
When she came in from the kitchen
to ask whether he would have ham
and or q chop he obeyed his impulse
by saying:
This is q fine morning. isn't it,"
Yes, rather" she replied.
Are you going to wait on this
table right along!"
Il don't know"
II hope you may"
Why"
"Because-you're 30 pretty"
Che blushed and hurried away.
There" he thought, I've made her
happy. II I had not obeyed my i'm
pulse I wouldn't have spoken to her.
and she might have brooded all day"
On his way to the city he had an
other impulse He sat by an open
window in the Il" car. and was busy
reading his paper when q cookbook
ms woman got aboard and took q seat
directly in front Of him. After he
had admired the contour OF her face
he noticed that her fllmy waist was
not buttoned in the back. She had
fastened two or three OF the upper
buttons and one or two down at her
waist, but she had not been able to
ra.eh the middle ones. Alons came an
impulse. which established it, head.
quarters within r. C. Gordon. Lean
ing forward he deity caught the soft
flsps Of the lady's waist and began to
button them together.
Il beg your pardon" he said - the
lahy turned suddenly and Aerceiy: Il
sav thst you had not been able 20
button your waist. and I thought there
would be nothing out Of the way II
-
But he wa not permitted to finish