The Rev. Charles Stelzle writes this lesson from the experience of the
yard engineer:
“Go ahead; that’ll do; back up; a little more. That’ll do.” A
yard crowded full of freight-cars that needed to be shifted and
shunted--this is the work and the vision that daily greet the
“driver” of the switch-engine. He is shut off from the scenery
and the romance which the engineer of the lightning express is
supposed to enjoy. He sees little besides the waving arms or the
swinging lantern of the switchman. He hears little besides the
screaming of slipping wheels, the bumping of freight-cars, the
hissing of the escaping steam and the monotonous voice of his
fireman repeating the orders signaled from his side of the cab.
But how typical of life it all is. There is no one entirely free
from the humdrum and the monotone. And this seems to be well,
for drudgery is one of life’s greatest teachers. The humdrum
duties of life develop character. It is because we have certain
duties to perform every day, in spite of headache, heartache and
weariness, that we lay the foundation of character.
(1458)
=Humiliation=--See BARGAIN-MAKING; TIMIDITY.
=Humiliation, Light in=--See LIGHT IN HUMILIATION.