Taking the Bull by the Horns.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1914, 11 October 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

Taking the Bull by the Horns.

THmK nro two proverbs which seem to be a distinct contradiction of eaoh other — " Delays aie dangerous," " There's luck in leisure." ! Both pioverb", however, are true, according to the^ circumstances in which they may respectively be applied. Sometimes, and more paniculaily when a sudden and unpleasant ' emergency ariaes, it may ba desirable and safe to net with promptitude, or at all events not to proorastinate. On the other hand, there are occasions when people should take matters leisurely, and avoid plunging into a course of ' conduct that only by some rare chance will ; prove successful. It is not easy to offor any i advice on the subject. The exercise of a sound : judgment in relation to ordinp.ry experiences . will determine whether it is bast to delay or to act on the spur of the moment. Personally, we have always had an objection to put off time in following what appeared to ' be ihe line of duty, and on the whole feel that 1 in the aggregate more mischief is done by 1 taking thmga leisurely than by promptitude 1 cf action. Obviously, procrastination is some1 thing more than the proverbial '■ thief of ' time." Wasted energies, neglected opportuj nilies, menial idleness, and general disorder ' of affairs, resulting in a dropping behind in \ thj race of life, constantly rise up in accusa- ■ tion of the evil habit of putting off till to1 morrow what could be and should be done to- ; day. E\ cry one has duties to fulfil, and the 1 mo&ii fortunate of lnortaLs has need of sus- ; tamed oneigies ; but energies arc frittered 1 away by small frequently occurring emergen- ] cues far more than by employing them vigor1 ously in some really important matter, Figurately speaking, when a wise man has a trouble which can be removed by promptitude, ; he loses no time in "taking the bull by the ' horns." ' How often do people drifc into a sea | of troubles just because clear decision 1 and vigorous action have not been forthcoming at some critical moment 1 Even the typical wise man makes mistakes 1 sometimes, and has biought the fipuraiive ! •' enraged bull " down upon himself ; only he, instead of crouching before it or attempting to fly, turns and " takes ib by the horns." lie is not ashamed of owning his error. Jf he finds himself deceived in the purport of an engagement into which he has been entzapped — be it the hiring of a house, the paitnership of a business, or any of the raultitudinouH arrangements which complicate modern life — if he finda he has entered on a disa&tious course which admits of no lernedy while it ia pursued, he will at the sacrifice of anything except honor, extricate himself from it without delay. The unhealthy house, uhe inconvenient house, or the house too huge and expensive will always prove a dcpreriuiw influence, and will have to ba given up sooner or later. If there are smoky chiio leys and damp rooms, remedy them it you can ; if you cannot, don't drift into a condition of chronic discomfort for want of prompt action and temporary sacrifice. To know when to make a sacrifice, aad to be prompt in acting upon that knowledge, is a gxeat secret of success in life. x\nd now we would say a word en a very ! impo* td,nt theme. Young people often rush into matriinonhl engagements with far too httle understanding of oach other's disposition and tastes. If longer acquaintance and /uore intimate knowledge, instead of cementing the fcia of aflcction, opens the eyes of eitiiev of the pair to the incompatibility of their character, surely it is the truest honor to speak the frank word before the irrevocable vows are taken. Though it is the duty of mazried people to bear and forbear, there are limits to human endurance which cannot be pa^ 1 ed wthout aeiious injury of many sorts ; and whew incompatibility is detected before rnauiage, tbeie is a great chance of its developing, iot decieasing, afterwards. To break a matrimonial engagement is a terrible c'il to encounter ; but still it is better to make the effort than with eyes open to incur lifelong misery. We remember long jears ago reading a quaint rhyme, which we have never met with since. We think it ran thus : For every evil under the sun There is a remedy, or thera h none ; If there \3 one-, try and find it ; II! there isn't — never mind it. Though to indulge in vain regrets for the inevitable may be weak, and even sinful, it may on the other hand be a proof of moral strengih, and the very exercise demanded of us — to resist evil by the means within our reach. It is true that social life in the present day is exceedingly complicated, so that it is perhaps more difficult to get out of a wrong groove than it was a generation back ; but that is no reason why the attempt should not be made. Letting things "drift"— a favorite axiom with may people — often leads to the wreck of fortune. Of course there are times when the most energetic must exercise patience, and wait for the turn of that " tide " which they wish to " take at the flood." But the really energetic are vigilant even when inactive, and generally speaking, they do not have to wait very long for their opportunities. We heard a story lately which interested us greatly, as a striking instance of " taking the bull by the horns." As the consequence of an unfortunate speculation, a family was suddenly reduced from affluence to penury. The blow was a terrible one, and for a brief period the whole family seemed paralysed ; but it was the noble-hearted wife who first roused herself, and bravely prepared to act with decision. The only pittance which remained was less than a hundr3d a year, and this for people who had been accustomed to horses and carriages, and to fare sumptuously every day, and with seven children to feed and to clothe ! Of course the father looked out for employment which should in some measure re-es-tablish his position ; but fortunes are not le-rnade in a day or a year ; and his wife, delicately reared and accustomed to a large establishment;, resolved as a fust step to discharge every one of their servants. "We have health and we have hands," she said ; or at any rate used words to that effect in speaking to her children. "We must work ; and what we do not know how to do we must learn." Of course the first thing was to remove to a small house, only just roomy enough to contain its several inmates. But not even a " general servant " accompanied them. A frugal syßtem of diet was adopted, in which we believe oatmeal played a considerable part, and every purchase was made in the cheapest market. This rare lady had a horror of debt and a horror of pauperism, though she had not the ungrateful pride which would have made her decline all help offered to her children. They were helped to help themselves in more ways than one ; and when the darkest days were over, and the "silver lining" of the cloud began to show, there is good reason to believe that she felt more of the good that had been hidden in the trouble. After all, the time was not bo sad as it seemed. We may bo pretty sure that it sifted friends in a wonderful manner, and that it was found that the true and the loyal were to be met with in all classes. Some acquaintances, of oourse, dropped off ; but it is doubtful if adversity tests friendship more than does prosperity. The rich and happy are much envied, and sometimes slandered ; but the best feelings of the best people are generally drawn forth towards those in trouble. We fancy too that the brave lady of whom we are writing did not allow herself to be ashamed of her poverty. If people whom she had visited in other days on equal terms, drove up to her door, we imagine she received them in her little parlor without any lachrymose manner ; though perhaps, if busy starching ox ironing,

she kept them waiting a few minutes, making due and truthful apology for doing so. Under such ciroumatances, it ie very likely that her hand, though rough and hard from household work, was pressed with more than usual warmth by delicately gloved fingers. Now, if that wife had been content io sit bemoaning her helplessness and misfortune, while appealing right and left for aid, what an inferior position would she now be in ! not only in reference to worldly affairs, but in regard to the estimation of her character. Besides, energy i<j very contagious, and hers must not only have cheered her husband in his trouble, but must have bean communicated to her children. The constant occupation too was the very best thing for them all 1 ; it left no time for mere fretting ; and probably natural fatigue from physical exertion prevented anxious thoughts from keeping them awake at night. No doubt our heroine was very glad when brighter days dawned again, and she could return to more congenial occupations than sweeping rooms and lighting fires ; but we believe she would do just the same as before, should the same terrible occasion recur. Perhaps it is only when we are somewhat advanced in life that we see with any clearness of mental vision the " uses of adversity." It is when we look back on the sundry beginnings and endings of things — on the'completed careers of the successful — and on the ultimate triumph of good over evil in the multitude of cases within our knowledge, that we begin to perceive how necessary trials to bs encountered and difficulties to be overcome are to the strengthening o£ character and the development of the human being. — Ckamben' Journal.