IRRITABLE PEOPLE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1286, 25 September 1880, Page 2

IRRITABLE PEOPLE.

With some people fault-finding is a chronic complaint. Nothing one docs ever satisfies thr m, they become unreasonable ami provoking, and worry the patience of thoj?e they lire with, till it ceases to be a virtue. Every nerve grows sensitive after awhile to continual irritability, even in those we ought to love, but find it hard to do — this prominent defect in their character blinding us to almost all other virtues they may possess. And what a foolush. trifling, useless war of words, generally commencing over nothing, and growing into a mountain of heated argument, wounding and hurting themselves with every thrust they give to others, and driving those near and dear almost insane with their querulous and utterly unreasonable complaints. Do your beLst and it makes no sort of difference, and from these ceaseless contentions the foundations o? pleasant friendships crumble away, and respect and esteem discrrefly follow. Those liviug in close contact with irritable people weary of trying to please, and unless they have an angelic disposition, i-oon learn to give word far word and blow for blow. How dreadfully unpleasant and out of sorts can a whole family be made to feel by one fault-finding person — once the habit grows npon you, it is almost impossible to break it, and your uttered criticisms and advice, whether j they contain wisdom or not, all meet with the same neglect and indifference. These tempers are hard to be borne with, and the homes where they help to make life a daily torture, are anything but the places of rest and comfort they ought to be. How little of this constant fault-finding accomplishes any good. Who is the better for any influence that a fretful, querulous person can exert over them ? The querulous are never happy, and they wear themselves out scolding and complaining, till they make themselves so miserable they cannot avoid trying to make others so, in which praiseworthy endeavour they usually succeed. Where is the least possible good arising from this constant vent to your own disagreeable feelings? Does it bring any peace to your soul, or comfort or balm to your irritated nerves, or only rasp them more and more ? Praise and kindly uttered criticisms never hurt or wound the feelings of a friend, but harsh and inconsiderate, fretful repining are very apt to sap the underpinnings of love and good will. Learn to control these moods that bring only uuhappiness and regret, and instead of being on the constant lookout for something to censure or condemn, search for things that will bring happy thoughts and virtues that will be worthy of hearty praise. Do not let this habit grow, for "it makes unhappy the best dispositioned men and the kindest of women. Husbands, grow indifferent to fault-fhding wives, and they become morose and unlovely, living with those who do nothing but grumble. We cannot be too careful of giving way to our irritable feelings, of guarding ourselves against fretfulness and murmurings.

Platelayers.-— Butlers and waiters A stag is often obliged to rnn for deer life. To what rhythm does a saw-mill run?— Log-a-rhythum. The people who give tone to society seldom give auy thing else.