Norwich bulletin., 1912-01-27
The MAN WHO TALKS

Tho man who keeps his word is
worthy of much more honor than he
gets. One literary chap declares he
would rather keep the company of a
burglar who keeps his word than with
college president who doesn't. Only
men in active life are aware how
scarce the men are who are true to
promise and appointments. Profess
sional men of all sorts appear to be
the very poorest for keeping their
word; and most of these sinners do not
know there Is no excuse for such ly-
ing habit-that excuses have no stand
ing anywhere. Franklin wrote. HE
that Is good for making excuses is sell
dom good for anything else;" and
Shakespeare AYERS "Oftentimes excus-
ing of fault doth make fault the
worse by the excuse;" and then I'M
called for excuses have been consid-
cred as practical confessions. The man
who keeps his word Is not likely to
have much fuss with st. Peter later on.
1t is said the wicked stand on slip
perry places; but / often doubt whether
1t is true or not. l notice the slippery
places on January sidewalks are no
respecters Of persons-the wicked and
the righteous cut up all kinds of stunts
on them. 1t Is always amusing to the
man not standing on a slippery place
to see the impeTiled trying to keep
their feet and their equilibrium at the
same time. There seems to be a provi-
denee in a slippery walk once in a
while. The man who chided his wife
who slipped, cavorted and grabbed at
space in wild way because she did
not pick her steps and be more care
full felt his feet go up in the air and
In ~ n txt34I
seemed good to hear him strike.
That's too badl Are you hurt?' asks
his amiable spouse; but he was mortl-
fed, and feeling hts pride was hurt, he
clambered to his feet, brushed his
trousers and said nothing. He wa
feeling cheap enough without having
his own foolishness pointed out to MIN.
Do you know the truly good man is
as unconscious Of his kindness as q
real hero is of his bravery. Things
done from the heart do not appear to
addle the brain and set 1t to Matching
q new conceit. There are too many
people who think they are real good,
Goodness is no more worthy Of con-
slant thought than health. You never
Knew healthy person to waste any
mind-force on health. 1t is those who
have made themselves feeble through
excesses who are studying diets and
trying to learn the way back to Il
strong and wholesome existence. II is
q wise thing to study ourselves--to, as
far as possible, become aware of the
laws Of our being-the laws which the
good book says are written upon our
hearts" We are too ignorant Of every
day matters which vitality concern US.
What we need more than conceit is
illumination. The man who swells with
pride Is inflated with the wrong stuff
For the benefit of those who are
busy looking for soft snaps" it may
be well to say that they are not what
they seem to be. Way back in the
days Of Hesoid it used to be said in
Greece Sweet preoedes virtue"
Those who have travelled the road
know that hard work precedes knowl-
edge. If knowledge was easy to get
| the world would be full of sages; and
| If soft snaps were all their name i'm
plies, and common, there would be
no end of louis. There seems to be
something magical about Wit is the
initial for Work and Win. If there is
another letter in the alphabet that is
both vowel and consonant l am
not acquainted with It. It is double In
construction and double in use; but
we wander from the subject. A soft
snap comes near to being idleness;
and "idleness," Jeremy Taylor tells us,
lis the burial Of a living man." Do not
/ look for burial, but work for knowl-
! edge, which is power and achieve
ment and greatness.
The person who knows that the
party who makes a mistake is the one
who feels worst about 1t makes a good
companion, or a good Judge. What a
blemish it is to human to be able
/ to see the faults of othefA and to feel
duty bound to speak to them of their
short comings. 1t may be someone's
duty to do 1t; but the husband or wife
/ who thinks it is their duty make a
mess of it. / knew a man once who
always had hard luck because he had
poor judgment, but he had wife who
could face any situation with a smile,
! who could sleep sound when it was
| time to sleep; and could always see a
| brighter star rising opposite where the
| other star went down. She never COM
| planned over disappointments. He said
his wife had sense enough to know
/ that mans own knowledge of the
| Facts or failure was as much punish
| ment as man deserves" and after
abide on Easy street he said it was
I worth all the trials he had to find out
what sweet and gritty little wife he
had. The word Of censure comes easy,
| but the word that cheers Is best.
Why do we think people who are
controlled by their will are will-Iess
/ Did you ever see one of these wfll-less
! persons get set concerning their own
way? There is no lack Of will, you
notice, when the will is summoned to
support wish. The will fails only
! IN those directions where there is a
! total absence Of desire. There is no
! lack OF will-power among men; but a
great deal Of it has been perverted to
won't power. This is a power man
can turn to his own good and to the
/ benef1t Of his fellow men; but he uses
| it often against himself and every in
terest which commands his attention
He really doesn't know how to use
his will. He has in place of a divine
power a willful habit. He has Great
ed Frankenstein which mocks al
him. He is weaker than his enemy
because he surrendered to it the mas
terry which was his birthright. The
trouble Is with the man, not with the
will. He should know that will
through service becomes a force for
continuous good.
Something happened in the heavens
this month which will not happen
again in 300 or 400 years; and you die
not know 1t. Only few people or
this green earth did, for there was nc
blare Of trCmpets. for it happened as
gently as a flower opens or the dew
talls On Thursday, Jan. 4th, the moor
was full at $50 p. m, and in some
parts Of the earth it was visible fol