The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-02-18
Nagging.
Robert J. Burdette.

Nagging is the mosquito among
the insectivora of unpleasant habits.
1t isn't of any magnitude; but oh,
how it stings! The worst of 1t is,
you can't very readily catch it. 1t is
easier to hit a road-ro1ler than a
humble bee; When the bee booms
about your head, you let at him with
your handkerchief, but he eludes
you; and after sweaty struggle to
rid yourself of him, you take refuge
indoors. That's nagging. If it were
solid insult or lie, you could hack
it to pieces; but it's no use chasing
a mosquito with a battle-axe.
What is nagging? Two illustra-
tions-One ancient, the other mod
ern-will give us light. That natu-
raj philosopher, Solomon, in speaking
of contentious nagging-wom-
an" says she is like a continual
dropping on a very rainy day." How
inimitable and perfect A drip
through the roof disturbs you You
lay down your newspaper and try to
plug the inlet. The drip ceases for
minute or two and you set to reading
again; but-there's that monotonous,
irritating blob, blob" againi When
you go to rest, it seems to get more
insulting; the quietness of the house
brings out the drip, drip" so en-
phatically, it seems to be falling on
the skin of a drum!
Only a drip! But it's enough to
rob all the comforts of your house of
their ability to entertain you. One
of the punishments imposed by the
man on a hurdle, and allow water to
drip on his brow till it rendered him
insane. The infection was all the
more terrible because it was no insig-
niticant and gradual. Nagging is the
unnerving, insidious effect. It is a
malicious form of suffering; and all
the more so because it is apparently
so tri1ing. But water wears granite
in course Of time, and rocks are tum-
bled into the tide by the persistent
chatting of waves at their base
If you want to scold, have at it
and be done! A dose of medicine
may be needful; but to douche your
family with it every day will land
them in the undertaker's hand. Do
you wish to know how this vile hab-
1t Performs? I'll tell you-and this
is the modern illustration. In David
Copperf1eld," Dickens brings his boy
hero into the keeping of Mr. Murd-
icHa =
Mr.. Murdstone one day after dinner,
81 am sorry to observe that you are
of a sullen disposition" "As sulky
as a bear!" said Miss Murdstone.
''Now, David said Mr. Murdstone,
"a sullen, obdurate disposition is, of
all tempers, the worst" "And the
boys is, of all dispositions that ever
have SEEM" remarked his sister.
the most confirDAd and stubborn
and so on, and so on. This style
of exposition is more wearing than a
knock-down blow. It is also more
cowardly. A blow might bring a re-
tort that would prove a corrective:
but nagging contrives to escape. It
is only inflaIned by being answered
To notice it at all is to feed it.
Many who have overcome lying.
and other outrageous sins, yet in
dulge in nagging because it is more
innocent and affords them a kind of
safety-valve for letting off their ill
temper. But only small souls and
cross dispositions and ill-informed
minds can be guilty Of it. It cannot
possibly be an attribute of generous
souls, sweet dispositions, or educated
minds. And it is decidedly nom
Christian.
Faults are not cured by nagging,
but by sympathy and kindly counsel.
The pill that cures this itch of nag
ging is labeled: Love one another,
even as I have loved london
Baptist.