The Pigeons of Procrastination.
An Indiana saloon-keeper was charged by the police with keeping his bar open five minutes longer than the law allows. In explanation he pointed to the city clock, which was found to be five minutes slow. When they tried to discover the reason for this slowness they decided that it was caused by pigeons' roosting on the minute-hand and so holding it back.
Pigeons of procrastination! They roost on the hands of our life-clocks. They keep us from obeying the laws of happiness and progress.
The pigeon of laziness: "I am all worn out."
The pigeon of discouragement: "It's no use."
The pigeon of discontent: "I'm not getting my dues."
The pigeon of peevishness: "Everybody's down on me."
The pigeon of over-confidence: "Never mind bother; it'll all come right."
The pigeon of imprudence: "I'll chance it."
The pigeon of heedlessness: "No use worrying."
The pigeon of leisure: "Plenty of time."
No clock can keep up with the procession while such pigeons are roosting on its minute-hand.
"Front Matter."
I have written sixty books, and I have been instrumental in putting through the press about as many books written by others.
In all of this work I have noticed one quite invariable habit of printers, that they will not put into type the "front matter" till all the rest of the book is completed.
The "front matter" is the title page, the page with the copyright notice, the preface, and the table of contents.
There is every reason why these should be put into type the first thing. It is not always easy to estimate their length, so as to know how to page the rest of the book. Notice, and you will often see the first page of Chapter of a book numbered 7 when it should have been numbered 9 or even Is. The "front matter" occupied more space than the printer allowed for it.
Moreover, often it is necessary to begin the printing of a book before the last pages are all in type, and the printer cannot begin with the first "form" of sixteen pages, because the "front matter" is not in type. Indeed, it is impossible safely to divide the pages into "forms" at all.
The reason for this is that the "front matter" is not what the printer calls "straight setting." It requires the handling of several kinds of type, sometimes the use of borders, and it is the most difficult part of the book. Therefore, it is reserved for the last.
I have repeatedly written on my manuscripts an injunction to send the proofs of the "front matter" with the first page proofs of the book. In no single instance, I believe, has the request made any difference in the customary procrastination, so that I no longer make it. I expect to get the "front matter" dragging along several weeks after I have read the proofs of the remainder of the volume. That is the case with two books which I am now putting through the press.
And, after all, I cannot blame the printers. It is just what I am doing all the time in my own life. It is so hard to begin with the hardest part of a task. In other words, it is so hard to be sensible!
Fresh Yeast.
Housewives insist upon freshness in the yeast they use. They insist that the little squares of potent germs must come to them right from the ice, and that they must not be stale. If the yeast is old, the bread will not rise.
Whoever wishes to make his life count, must take a lesson from the yeast, and act promptly. Get to work to-day, this very hour. Do not cheat yourself with good intentions, counting them as deeds. The bit of helpfulness, the kindly word, the cheery smile that God wants you to give to-day, cannot be given tomorrow; the morrow calls for more of the same, fresh and vital, and not for stale impulses carried over from a sluggish yesterday. The leaven which is hidden in three measures of meal, till all is leavened, is never the leaven of procrastination.