Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-11-25
sMALL BEGINNINGS.

sentence contains wisdom and phllosopny; as
we'll as scripture. 1t is very easy and natu-
fal to sneer at small beginnings and humble
means, bnt ii is not always wise 10 do so. II
is better TO commence ON an humble scale,
and come out in good style at last, than to
suffer severe collapse after an extensive and
ridiculous flourish Some men will do better
with capital of sixpence, than they would
if half the fortune of Astof had been given
them to commence with We have heard it
told of a man worth his millions, that he
commenced by selling fruit at street stall.
We have seen boys at school roll handful
of snow upon the ground, till, by its accumu-
lated matter, II became SO bulky, that do
zen could scarcely move it, Sands make the
mountains, moments make the year, drops
make the ocean and so, little endeavors,
earnestly, increasingly, and honestly put
forth, make the great men in the worlds
history.
We say, then, don't despise the day of
small things. If you have an undertaking TO
accomplish, or good thing 10 bring about,
begin accordingly 10 your means, and never
be discouraged, because You cannot make
so magnificent a commencement as you
could wish. Old King John, the Frenchman,
five hundred years ago, took it into his head
TO found library and he began with-what
do you suppose !-ten rolumeS. But he knew
what he was about; for that library-he
Royal Library Of Paris--is nor the most
magnificent public library in the world, and
contains 900 volumes.
A whale one day came frolicking into the
harbor of Nantucket, a short time after the
first settlement of that island, and as for ma
ny hours ii continued there, the enterprising
inhabitants were induced 10 contrive and pre-
pare large barbed iron with strong cord
attached, with which they finally succeeded
in securing this aquatic monster. y small
matter, truly; but it was the commencement
of business which has added millions TO the
wealth of the people-the incpient ntroduc-
quarters of century ago eNtorted q noble
tribute of admiration from Edmund Burke
on the floor of the British Parliament.
Two fishermen in Holland once had a dis.
pute in tavern, on the question whether the
fish takes the hook, or the hook takes the
fish. From this trivial circumstance arose
two opposing parties, the "Hooks," and the
''Cobble-Joints," who for two centuries divi
ded the nation, and maintained contest no
unlike that between the red and white rose:
in England.
There is traditionary counter part 10 thi:
iu our own history. We allude to the stor,
of the pig, whose stupid obstinacy, we arc
gravely told, involved US in war with Grea
Britain, in 1912. There is nothing incredit
bic about it, however, and as most of ou
readers are too young to rccollcct the anec
dote, we will venture to repeat it, "Twc
ieighbors, both of the old federal school o
politics, who had lived in the city of Proyi
!cnce, CHANGED to quarrel. And 50 it hap
pened, one was the owner of pig, who haJ
n irresistible inclination TO perambuIate il
he garden of the next neghbor. The owne
f the garden complained of the pig-sty be
ng insufficient 10 restrain the pig, and The
leighbor replied, it was all because he KEEP
lis fences in such i'll repair. The pig wa
taking his morning walk when he was sur
prised in the act of roofing up some very va
uable bulbous roots; this was the las
"ieather;' the owner of the garden put
pitchfork into his tender sides, and killed hin
outright. AT the coming election, the owne
of the garden was candidate for a seat il
the legislature, and failed by one vote, th
vote of his incensed neighbor, who vote,
against him AT the election of Senator
the Democratic candidate was elected by on,
England was before the Senate, it was de
clared by the majority of one vote-so tha
but for this pig we should have been proba
bly, saved from this war"
1t is related of Chantrey, the celebrate,
sculptor, that when boy, he was one da,
observed by gentleman in the neighborhoo,
OF Sheffield, very earnestly engaged in cut
ting stick with penknife. He asked tn
lad what he was doing; and with great sim
plicity the boy replied, II am cutting oil
FoX's head" Fox was the schoolmaster O
the village On this, the gentleman askin,
TO see what he had done, and pronouncing
to be an excellent likeness, presented III
youth siXpence. This may be reckoned a
the first money Chantrey ever received fo
the prosecution of his art and from such
beginning it was that arose this greatest G
modern artists.
Again, we say, despise not small begin
nings, nor look with superciious contemr
upon every thing which appears insignilicar
and trihing, Trihes are not so plenty in tn
world as many of us imagine, AphilosophC
has observed that wars involving mischi,
to great nations, have arisen from minstt
rial dispatch being written in fit of indigo
tion
When Alexander Pope received his presel
oi Turkey figs, he little thought that tw
from the basket was to be the means of il
troducingthe weeping willow into Englar
and America So ia this ,yorl al, 50, -,