GOOD INTENTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 46

GOOD INTENTIONS.

Fast as the rolling seasons bring The hour of fate to those we love, Each pearl that leaves the broken string Is set in Friendship's crown above. As narrower grows the earthly chain The circle widens in the sky ; These are our treasures that remain, But those are stars that beam on high. — Songs of Many Seasons (Holmes). Never are oar intentions better than when we have just escaped unexpectedly from some well-merited trouble which has been hanging over us like the sword of Damocles, the result of our own carelessness, ill nature, stubborn- » es^, or some trait which does nob reflect credit upon us. The weight having been lifted, we in our lightness of heart and in the feeling of re'ief vow on the spur of the moment to act very differently in the future under similar circumstances. But, alas I when an opportunity presents itself to act in tbe same way, if ie s?.ves a little tronble or ia for some otlrer reason more convenient to do so, we plunge in again, forgetting the fear and trembling with which we awaited the result last time, remembering only that we came oat of it all right, and arguing against our better self tbat if it turned out well before why nob again 7 There are some coo), col-

lected individuals who never come to any definite decision until they have turned over in tbeir minds and weighed carefully all the pros and cons, but most of us act more or les* on impulse, especially women, and many of our good intentions are formed under the momentary excitement of our best emotions.

It is not always an easy matter to carry out our good intentions, even if we are inclined ever so much to do bo. We may wish with all our hearts to be of some use in cases of poverty, sickness, and distress, but can only look on, suffering in another way almost as much as the objects of our commiseration, because we have not the means of giving the assistance needful. There are others among us who could do an immeasurable amount of good in standing by some fellow creature who has fallen under the blight of disgrace, but they are naturally weak, and the regard for public opinion is too strong for them. They are afraid of what the world may say, and so, although their intentions are good, their actions are not in accordance with the dictates of their conscience. Others again, fail through natural indolence ; they always mean to do something creditable, but from sheer lack of energy put it off from time to time, until at last the opportunity is gone, though their intentions are good to the last.

Some, again, take responsibilities upoti themselves, meaning to exert every energy in benefiting every one concerned, never taking into account all the trials and difficulties that lie in their path. Failure meets them at every turn, and, weary and disheartened, their best intentions fall to the ground unfulfilled.

It is not a pleasant thing to find our efforts unappreciated, which they very often are. Some people are so over-seneitive that even the smallest chow of interest in their welfare is looked upon by them as uncalled for iaterference, and resented as such ; or perhaps we ourselves possess so little tact in carrying out our benevolent feelings that those we wish to benefit feel that they would much rather have been left alone, and in order to cool our ardour in the future show us very plainly that our efforts have been misplaced. In offering advice, too, people often rush in with the very best intentions, having only a very superficial knowledge of the case with which they wish to deal, and so give advice that it is simply impossible for the recipient to follow. Could they but see all the inner workings of the case — the wheels within wheels of the circumstances — t u eir advice would probably be of quite a different character. Yet they feel they have a grievance when the; find that their advice has not been followed, and consider tbat their good intentions have been thrown away, and so wa9h their hands of the whole affair, when they might really be of some assistance at a later stage.