Smyrna times., 1858-11-25
The Winter Evenings.

ISlle5 Us OF the return OF WlnteF-tne Ieaueu SKY
and the keen blasts that waylay US at every cor
ner, the Over-coated. hurrying throng of the
streets the shop windOws, and the " winter ar
rangcments Of our advertising columns. Out
ia the ceuntry the tarmecs are clearing up things
preparatory to the fall of snow, with evening
visits to the store for Thanksgiving knick.
knacks. The good woman is hurried to death
with The winter clothing, the stewing and the
cpsking aud the other thousand aud one cares
Of farmers wife. The children delight in
their new mittens and discuss their new school,
master, aud rise every morning with hopes to
see the ground all white. 1t is a hard season
10 the poor, cosy to the comfortable, hilarious
TO the young-but designed to draw all together
in closer bonds, and to render all wiser, more
useful and more happy. Let us think of few
things, that the season may not find US unpro.
htable servants.
Our first care, after business should be intel.
ectual improvement. To tnree-quar rters of our
people the long winter evenings alone afford
far more opportunity for mental acquisition
than all the rest Of the year put together. But
what shall we read! We certainly shall not
allow ourselves to be caught by that question.
Not but that it is not pertinent, and suggests it.
self TO many an earnest mind. But it cannot
be answered with any practical force. Let
every one thoughtfuly choose for himself-and
yet not too thOughtfulIy, because prOcrastina-
ton is especially to be avoided, and the manner
of reading is often more important than what is
read We would merely say, however, that in
struciive works. such as require thought and
repay it, should form part of winter reading,
because the lighter kinds can usually be taken
up at any period. But we would by no means
exclude what is called /" light literature" On
the contrary, books OF travel, fiction of real
merit, essays, periodicals and newspapers, ought
t. be read by every man who aspires to a we'll
cultivated mind. But even the most fugitive
of these, the newspaper, should be read inieli-
gently. The dictionary, the atlas and other
books of reference, should be constantly in the
hand. The editors opinions should be weigh
ed, and neither hastily accepted nor rejected,
because he is or is not on "our side" The
political movements, the commercial facts and
all the varied events of the passing age, should
be reflected upon as something more interest
ing than the thin fctions of the novelist, and
more important tban the grave narratives of
the historian. The man who knows how to
read his newspaper is gentleman and a
scholar" and will take care of himself in this
world.
While on this subject Of mental improvement
we would be negligent of our duty If we failed
to call public attention to our storehouse of
knowledge the Smyrna Library. This is
The first full winter that our citizens have been
blessed with this desirable acquisition to their
every day wants-lhe Library having been in
auguraed on the opening Of spring, but in time
for much mental repust from the contents Of
its hly-adened shelves. The catalogue Of
books, though not SO extensive as many of the
city Libraries, yet is well represented by the
choice aud standard WORKS Of every department
Of literature, and mas been pronounced by COM
pelent Judges TO DO alike credlable to the town
aud the discrimination of the book committee
who were entrusted with their selection. Are
you mechanic !-here you will find works OF
instruction ty the masters of the art-such as
are d" cOmeatsble" " by but few private purses.
Are you a farmer and horticultural the
works Of Lebig, Johnston. Downing. and scores
o. others, are here to instruct you in (the least
understood OF ali .rts) agricultural chemistry,
fruit growing, &c. But it is not necessary to
plrticuiarize the merchant, tradesmsn, theo.
lOgian, STUDENT lovers Of history, bellies lettres,
science, biogra ply, travels, fiction, poetry, may
all find here the food for mental enjoyment fol
months and years. And we see here what
Osght to be the means 10 break up what We
have heard so often dePlOrSd-the lOaing anC
gOssiping about the stores and hotels.-to which
we, as a community, have the character of be-
ing remarkably prone. Let Us improve on thu
and obtain "a more enviable name BY patrOniz
ing the Residing Room of the Smyrna Librar!
Association.
Another means Of mental, as we'll as persona
enjoyment, and srresting the sameness All
fedium of the long winter evenings, is to b
found in tie course of lectures" institute
by the Trustees of the Library. For shillin
"a small SUM, bat made so to suit tie most sha
low pocke,s) you can be instructed enivene'
exhiliarted and reVigiied. aud we will warraI
you to go home with q better opinion OF you
self, your neighhor. family, associates, "swee
hearts, and the a rest of mankind"
A SEILLFuL SURGICAL OPERATIOE.-A vi
terry tumor. Of immense dimensions. weighir
several pounds. was lately taken from Isaac
Hammond. Esq. of FELTON,, by DIR. Cbas.
Green, Of Philsdelp phia. and DIR. Whiteiey,
Frederea. Mr. Hammond's situation. for sou
days after the operation. was very critical, b
was doisg well and out Of danger when Ia