Year: 1878

no pcOplS lTc uttfc w ot l''litu,


and none are more harShly judged.


than those who to natural impul-


siveness add limited means, a good


heart. and that kind of instructive


unselishness which never takes


count of the difficulties or disagree


able standing in the way of kind


actions--zeal for others dwarfing


consideration for themselves, and
imagination going the same way.


In their honest desire to help where


help is needed, they are always of,


fering more than they can give,
and undertaking more than they


can make good. Being people of
lively imagination, they sink the
details in the result, and overlook


the obstacles standing between


them and the fulfIlment of their
generous desires. They fancy they


can clear a mountain at leap, and


ford IL sea as if it were millp0nd;
bnt when they come to measure ths
height of those inaccessible look
ing crags, when they see how the
waves are breaking against their
trail boat, they then have to draw
back Fand say that the thing is be-
yond them. On which they are ac-
cused of half-heartedness, unrelia-
hllity, unfviendliness; they are
turn-coats and deserters; men of
Words and not of Tleeds - whereof
the latest stage is "sudden death,
and death indeed" They blow
hot aud cold, and are the reeds
which, leant on, break and pierce
the hapla of the leaner. No one
remembers how ardent and how
true was the kindly impulse which
placed goods and service at the
feet of the one in need how desire
ran before power, and how ''can-
not" has been forced to wait upon
81 would" Had the thing been
possible with only an ordinary
amount of self t-sacrifcr, it would
have been done; hut when it came
to the sacrifice of may he more
than the thing was relatively worth,
and of more than the friend could
afford, then the merest instinct OF
self-preserN alton, backed by the
dictates of common sense, stepped
in. The offer, which was to give
one a few hours pleasure at the
COST of days of damage and weeks
Of pinching or pressure to the other,
is withdrawn Vituperation, the
loss of the warmest strain of friend
ship, aud the casting OF scornfnl
proverbs Notwithstanding. And in
general the withdrawal is the right
thing. ...


1t is Impossible for some people
TO see or hear Of distress in any
| form without longing to relieve il.
And from longing to offering it is
only the passage of breath. Is a
friend i'll Let me sit up with
him tonight" Willingly. Your
sitting up tonight will give ease
and a good spell of rest to the
tired Watchers, and save the sub
stitute standing reluctantly in the
gap. Let us state, however, that
the substitute is IA stout and sturdy
well-cpnditioned person who has
the strength OF a man and can bear
any amount of fatigue without fail
lug; or may be person of |, iSure,
with nothing on earth TO do but
amuse herself and bury her hours
With as much enjoyment and little
enuui as is compatible with pro
priety. If she watches through
the night she can sleep through
the day, and by six O'Clock next
evening will be as blithe Us "A bird
aud as fresh as daisy. You, on
the contrary, are frail, fatigucd
little woman with large family
and the aiiliction of neuralgia.
Every hour of your day is occupied
with work that can neither be dele
gated nor laid aside. You have
your lessons to give, yonr article
to write, your part to study, even
your puddings to mako and your
chil,lrcn's mouth to feed generally.
But you are warm hearted, impul.
sive little woman, worn out atom
as you are, aud you offrr great
things ont of your great soul, which
when searched for are not to be
found within the compass of youI
small body. Your husband, who
is not impulsive, and whose idea ol
masculine duty includes taking
care of you, even against your will


laughs You and your quixotic offrI