Continuous repeated acts of kindness breaking down the pride of an
enemy, repeated annoyances that shape the temper; these or similar
experiences may be illustrated by this extract:
A stalwart young man at Leavenworth, Kan., recently accepted a
wager that he could stand a quart of water dropt into his open
hand, drop by drop, from a height of three feet. Before 500
drops had fallen into his hand he almost cried with pain and
said he had enough. After a little water had fallen each drop
seemed to crush his hand, and a blister in the center of it was
the result.--Boston _Journal_.
(2699)
* * * * *
A minister in his walk saw a stone-mason who was trying to break
a large stone with what seemed a very small hammer. “You never
can do it,” the minister prophesied. “Sure, sir, that’s all you
know about breaking stones,” replied Pat, as he hammered away
industriously. After hundreds of these peckings there came a
slight crack. A few more, and the great stone fell apart.
“Now,” asked the Irishman, “would your honor tell me which one
of these blows it was that broke the stone?” “Why, the last one,
to be sure,” said the minister. “There you’re wrong, sir,” was
the reply. “It was the first blow, and the last blow, and all
the middle ones, sir.”
(2700)