The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-27
TANsf,E,S,

Ever fish much?
Ever handle the oldfashioned ball yarn7
Ever fly kite?
II you nave done any OF these things you
eaye learned something about tangles and snarls
and how TO deal with them: and may apply what
you have learned TO the affairs of daily life.
II happens many times. even TO veteran fisher
men. to hook an eel and have the line Shiny
mess; to land Il trout little too hard and
with his energetic Topping. to have the line tan,
Eled In laurel bush or low-hangng tree: to
have scientific cast of 'trot line" carefully
coiled, spoiled by splinter or twig and fall
short with an ugly knot and loop offending 10
The sight and impairing efficiency. Women have
Ike experiences with yarn: boys get their kite
strings tangled and lose chances for lovely
lights. 1t happens often that the fishing line
EXACTLY right and fish are taking bait eagerly:
mat the yarn tangles when the woman Is moat
hurried and interested in her work: that the
kite string is snarled while the wind ifs bean
nfnl. precisely favorable In direction and
strength All through our lives we have like
experiences
Il The fisherman. the woman and the boy learn
mat tangles demand patience They learn that
Jerking and pulling. loss of temper and trying
% force things make the knots tighter and the
hngies ,more hopeless.
The Older we become, the more interests we
acquire. tthe wider acquaintance and rea-
nonships sthe more tangles we encounter. No
ashinE line4with big and twisting and lightning
moving cell on the hook. or caught in a thorn
bush with hornets nest hanging to low
branch, makes a tangle as complicated and
badiing as sdeyeiops almost any day In a grow.
Ing family or in the affairs of an active man
In untangiing the tangIes we need to use our
patience. brains and and to suppress our
hampers. The fool way is 10 Jerk and pull and
make matters worse. The short and cowardly
and wasteful way is to get out knife and
sut-- ! The sensible and sportsmanike way ia to
trace the trouble to Its beginning and gently
nnthere and loosen there. Occasionally we find
shatta very few touches VIII do the work and
withsa little waiting things straighten them.
selves While the human elements OF differing
thoughts, wills, emotions and purposes make our
social and domestic tangles more difficult than
hose in ,the fishing line. have in our favor
ne facts of time and change. The line has no
feelings and undisturbed will stay as It is
Human kbeings feel and act every hour. Some
times all'we need do Is Just to watch them and
10 veryslittle delicate guidlng-and they come
right-tbe disaster that seemed to be inevitable Is
averted. the affair straightens itself out clearly
and smoothly, Thousands Of us have seen that
In our business, social and domestic relations
II will not do to jerk, to pull too hard. break
cut twist or drop the Job In anger disgust,
The untangling OF tanges is penalty and
nuty. frequently of the delights and luxu;
res Of life Robert Burns, In his "Epistle to
Young Friend" which everybody should know
by heart because it Is a storehouse OF practical
and high philosophy created by man who
learned the value Of wisdom by never using it
tells us to prepare ourselves for care and trouble
even when ends are attained Peace and
Ease, perfect assurance and tranquility, do not
belong in this world. We cannot find them and
ned not SEEK nor hope Tor them They must
Be won by work here and reached through the
gate OF death That Ia the decree from which
there is escape Every active and useful life
must be a succession OF tangles. knots and prob.
leans. each different In some ways from all others
ind the only directions we get in dealing
With them is In general principles.
Justice and mercy, patience, honesty courage
ma sense must be enlisted to work together on
lhs tangies. Craft, deceit evasions usually
I rake matters worse and do more harm even
Nan violence. No peace founded on a lie can
1dnrs. The. temptation 70 take what seems
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