ized, who has
suppressed fright which he feels very keenly, as soon as the voluntary
muscles are relaxed the impression on the brain shows itself with all
the vehemence of the feeling,--so when the muscles are consciously
relaxed the nervous excitement bursts forth like the eruption of a
small volcano, and for a time is a surprise to the man or woman who has
been in a constant effort of suppression.

The contrast between true self-control and that which is merely
repressed feeling, is, like all contrast between the natural and the
artificial, immeasurable; and the steadily increasing power to be
gained by true self-control cannot be conveyed in words, but must be
experienced in actual use.

Many of us know with what intense force a temper masters us when,
having held in for some time, some spring is touched which makes
silence impossible, and the sense of relief which follows a volley of
indignant words. To say that we can get a far greater and more lasting
relief without a word, but simply through relaxing our muscles and
freeing our excited nerves, seems tame; but it is practically true, and
is indeed the only way from a physical standpoint that one may be sure
of controlling a high temper. In that way, also, we keep the spirit,
the power, the strength, from which the temper comes, and so far from
being tame, life has more for us. We do not tire ourselves and lose
nervous force through the wear and tear of losing our temper. To speak
expressively, if not scientifically, Let go, and let the temper slip
over your nerves and off,--you do not lose it then, for you know where
it is, and you keep all the nervous force that would have been used in
suppression or expression for better work.

That, the reader will say, is not so easy as it sounds. Granted, there
must be the desire to get a true control of the temper; but most of us
have that desire, and while we cannot expect immediate success, steady
practice will bring startling results sooner than we realize. There
must be a clear, intelligent understanding of what we are aiming at,
and how to gain it; but that is not difficult, and once recognized
grows steadily as we gain practical results. Let the first feeling of
anger be a reminder to "let go." But you will say, "I do not want to
let go,"--only because your various grandfathers and grandmothers were
unaccustomed to relieving themselves in that manner. When we give way
to anger and let it out in a volley of words, th