Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-10-14


NEss.-rhere is no want of self.estesm
among u.s. Yet there is liule power, OF
self:entertainmen,. Almos. oil appear
fonder Of unybody's company than their
own. Ons's own society, indeed, to
great many, is no company at all. They
can never be more completely abandoned
than to be left to themselves One il a.
uneasy on being left alone, a. if he had
seen ghost Of somebody, when he is only
introduced to communion with his oson
spirit.
How is this strange phenomenon 10 be
accounted fort From, herding together,
mors especially in cities, from youth to.
age. In this way, person becomes much
better acquainted with others than him.
self and grows dependent on them for the
means Of happiness. Thus educated, he
leans on some one for support; when tha,
is taken awny, he falls or wi,hers. What,
is needed for happiness, MS we'll as useful.
ness, is more self.rellance, and ability to
stand alone, A habit Of doing this gives
efficiency to talen. and happiness to lile.-
Where people stand thick together. this
cannot be expected. A tree growing in a
pasture by itself istrikes its roots deep,
sends up strong stem, throws out sturdy
barnches on every side.i Place it in q
dense forest, and dwindles almos. to q
vine. .ir' ' '-'' ~7- -s5 -At'''-' ~-s
t There is hoy five years Of age in the
mex. garden. He runs and rides and talks
and sings ,here all The day long, withou, a
soul to help him 10 be happy. Nobody is
ever seen near him, but some elderly Nom.
bers of the family, and they but rarely
Yet he enjoys himself from morning TO
night. lis resources have grown to be
immense. Another child would probably
be an obstacle in his way at first. No
real comrade could equal the reflections Of
himself, with which he is forever holding
dialogues. He is not one of your sedate,
quiet boys, but as great a talker as be is
thinker. Snch q boy can never want
amusement; he is an entertainment to
himself; at once author, actor, and audi.
ence combined; and all his exhibitions are
certain to be crowned with unanimous up.
plause. .E-,a s-s....
We cannot learn that he ever had a
playmate; but latterly he has enjoysd such
q taste OF one, as blind child might pos
sess: He conversss without seeing, with
"a little girl on the other side Of ten.feet
fence. When he does so, he is seen look.
ing upwards to the sky, as if he supposed
the voice Of his child companion dropped
down from the heavens, or perhaps only
because it drops over the top Of the fence.
But he looks while he is talking, as If con.
versing with an impersonalily. lie ap
pears to regard this friend Of his, very
much as seeing child does the reflection
Of himself in pond of water; neither
surprised at his absence nor wondering nj
his presence. -z -.,. s.'.-.
That such boy SO trained will become
an individual, when man, there is no
room at all to question. That he will
have abundance of resources will admit a.
little douo:. What else he has grown 10
be, we shall probably not live to see. The
sequal somebody else must write. Perhaps
the coroner will do ii; perhaps the states
attorney. We hope that neither will /;
but that his now Independent germ Of
character may be expanded, till genuine,
selfrslying man may be fully brought out
and developed in this vivacious specimen,
of childhood. od.-Ne,oark Adrertiser.