The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-01-05
WRITTEN FOR THE JoUEsAL.
Hodge-Podge Papers.
By OLIVER ODD. No. /.


BODILY LIFE is sustained by nutriment;
mental life likewise. Bread and books
are the two great sources of bodily and
mental aliment. But the reception OF
proper food is not the only condition Of
either material ormeDtal growth. In the
ease Of tbs body the food must be digest
ed; portion OF it is used in repairing the
waste of the system, and contributing to
its further growth and development, aud
the remainder, by a wise provision Of Ma
ture is expelled from the body iu various
ways.
So in the mind, the process of excretion
goes on continually. Thoughts suggested
by observation, conversation or reading,
enter the mind. They contribute to its
growth, add to its wealth and resources,
and then are thrown off, perhaps in other
forms.
Now, conversation, books, and all light
err forms of printed matter, are the pores
through which the mind carries on the
process of excrotion, and this series Of
papers may be regarded as simply q
means by which the mind of the author
rids itself of thoughts which he no longer
needs.
These papers will be written by the
author. We make this frank avowal for
the especial benefit of those persons troub-
led with chronic curiosity in regard to
the authorship of newspaper Articles
Why this series of articles is called
"Hodge- Podge Papers" we do not know.
If any one knows good reason, OF can
suggest more euphsnic name, they are
at liberty to do 80,
/ The style and character Of these pa-
pors will doubtless be Ike tho colors Of
Joseph's somewhat mixed. 1t viii
be our aim merely to weave together
those scattered sbreds OF thought, sug
gcsted by memory, reflection, or reading,
in other words TO let tho hand trace out
some portions OF thv life Of the mind.
The fountain Of life is ever inexhaus-
tible and full. You may watch carefully
the clouds that float through heaven to-
day.-adinire their every form, and note
the grand or fantastic shapes they may
assume, and think you Lave seen all the
| beauties Of cloud. land but turn your eye
skv-ward tomorrow, and all is new again.
You may draw to-day picture of your
! youth, and think it full and complete; get
tomorrow shall new memories rise up,
aud forgotten incidents surprise you into
| laughter or tears. Thus, if we who write
are not untitled for the task, our words
shall not be vain epetition--meaningless,
dead formulas of speech, but in(iued with
the freshness, vigor and variety Of life.
Our subjects, then, are the things we
see, the emotions We feel, the creeds we
believe, and the thousand thoughts and
fancies-some sober tinted, and serious
some gladstone and gay, that float Ike
heecy cloud-tlrifts through the broad hea-
ven of the mind. If we can touch the
Joyous heart of youth; if we can awaken
and strengthen love for all things beau
tiful and good, IS reverence for truth
a contempt of show, hypocrisy and hum
bug; if we can gain the attention and re-
spect Of the thoughtful, our purpose viii
be accomplished.
With these few words by way pre-
face, We Introduce ourself to the readers
of the JOURNAL, and viii continue to chat
with them till our pen is worn, our brain
weary, or our readers dull, in either Of
which cases we shall quietly subside into
respectful silence.