Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-09-12
The Home Circle
thoughts from the Editorial Pen


Once, before the days of automo-
biles and telephones ana rural free
delivery and all the other modern
methods of. rapid transition, there
was man of great mental grasp of
affairs, who became cursed with the
Chimney Corner Habit. He was a
wealthy gentleman farmer, with not
sufficient work to do, to keep him
going bodily and mentally.
Therefore he succumbed to the
Chimney Corner Habit, and settled
down into the apathy it produced.
For twenty years before he was final
ly awakened by passing through the
experience men call death, he slept
and ate, then ate again and slept,
with his physical being, while his
spiritual being slumbered all through
his twenty years of bondage
His only mental stimulus was in
reading the newspapers which were
brought to him from the nearby
town. Then he slumbered off again
into that condition immortalized by
the late Grover Cleveland in that eX-
pressive and over-used phrase, in
nocuous desuetude."
Not that he had paresis of any
thing except ambition. His mental
ity, when it emerged from its chin
ney corner at rare intervals, was
ken and unclouded. 1t remained out
just long enough to brighten the sur
roundings. then withdrew and slum-
bered again.
In his earlier years, during his
Period of Blessed Struggle, when he
strove with all that was in him to
wrest a living for himself and those
he held dear, from the soil, he was
alertly alive to every need of friend
and family.
While it was daily necessity to
work, and then to work some more,
his sympathy never failed those
whose struggles seemed more severe
than his own. His wise counsel, his
steady courage and his wonderful
acumen in matters of moment helped
many poor fellow out of the Slough
Of Despond.
And then, when prosperity was
won, not inherited or wrested from
others, the surcease from toll
brought-not recompense, but the
Chimney Corner Habit.
This is but one case. And it is
but one phase of the disease, for so
it must be classed.
The Chimney Corner Habit is the
most subtle, the most dangerous, the
most easily acquired, of all the vices
/ and the most difficult to cure. 1t is
hty-1 10 ooly af he
most susceptible to its influence are
either those who are too prosperous
or those that are unsuccessful. In
both cases its first symptoms are q
letting go, a slumping down, an in
clination to sit right down in indo
lence, or apathy of despair, and leave
the burden of doing to others.
That is where the Chimney Corner
# Habit gets in its first wedge. The
6 man who refuses to yield an inch t
O its persuasion, who wrestles will
: and downs the enemy-for so it is il
q reality, though it assumes the soft
n footed guise of friends the victor
,r The man who stops to listen i
is sure to give his enemy an advantage
N If he has let go because he no longe
w feels the pressing necessity for labor
. the first symptom is self-laudation
o. pride of achievement, and the belle
9 that he is entitled to his rest fron
ir the worry and cares of life.
a. If he is not successful, the frs
symptom is self-pity. In either even
IA he is letting down the bars, an
20 booming himself to the Chimney Coz
~ ner.
Oh L
- endeavor, ambition-yes, even slay
- honor, sometimes, and sympathy an
9 human interest follows the corpse c
4 manhood to its grave of oblivion.
Iy Yet, the last word has not bee
~ spoken The blessed assurance mus
~ ~, be again repeated, that it is neve
~ ~ too late Even if in the grip of tht
" deadly habit, life and life's meanin
,r and intent may still be resuscitatet
20 There may seem to be a cessatio
~ ~ of activity-there may seem to be
a. pulseless heart, a dead responsible
ity-but the right method can an
bo will restore the lost respiration, an
~ the Chimney Corner Habit be pc
% manently routed. But this complet
- cure can only be effected when til
patient recognizes that he has col
o+ tracted the habit, and longs for r.
of lease. This accomplished, the rest
20 easy.
= If any here present are in the gr
= of the Chimney Corner Habit |
no them get out and rout the enem
I'd I'd And be not deceived. Neither be !
M discouraged, for it can be don
~ Then will the funeral of energy ar
0o 'so right ambition be changed into
feast and the crown of rejoicir
~ will follow.