Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-11-23

iecL, remember II Is 4 new one, anu 1t Is
hard to learn old dogs new tricks, }
having heard that novel reading was the
besetting sin of modern young ladies ;
and [ was beginning to compose, mental
ly, a homily against this vice, to be de-
livered some morning at the breakfast
table; sAutocrat' fashion [ was going
to divulge my lifelong experience re-
veal the great number of young ladies [
had known, in nay day, who had i'm
bibed extravagant and pernicious views
Of life through the perusal of fctions
how very many had shattered their
minds, and still greater number sown
the seeds of consumption, and reaped
premature death, by setting up till mid
night in cold rooms, wandering through
the phantastic mazes of the exciting
story, with icy feet and throbbing
temples At this knot in the string of
my discourse, would turn searchingly,
half knowingly, on the face of my grand
child, and make the application by a
glance, without single inuendo.
had already got through the seventh
ly' ofmy imaginary discourse, and was
vigorously occupied on the application,
one night, before sleep had paid his ac-
customed visits to my old lids, when [
thought l could distinguish sounds as a
pencil passing, with its quick, jerking
motions over a slate, making figures. [
listened-there she made a dash -
Strange novel reading that-novel read
ing on slate. A pen scratching over
the paper [ was convinced; Lizzie
was studying, not reading novels and
I discarded my application forthwith,
as inapplicable.
[ now began to look upon my grand
daughter from very different stand
point, [ began to regard her with that
species of tender reverence which age
experiences toward the buds of genius,
whose unfolding beauties he may not be-
hold, and whose ripe and lucious fruits
he may never hope to taste. Her words
became significant, her thoughts pro
fundities. In her dull eyes (always dull
in the morning, after Eer protracted noe
turnal application I fancied could see
thesmoldering fires ofscintilating genius.
l began to map out glorious career for
my dear relative; and almost wished
that l might live my long life over again,
just to write her biography.
Still, my admiration for my fair grand
child was not unmingled with apprehen-
sion What would be the consequences
Of her midnight BRAN labors? Doubt
less her brain was a vigorous one but
is it not a fact that even an iron bar may
be bent? Nay, would hard study,
during the hourwhich nature has allotted
for repose, be much less deleterious than
soft rfovelreading? True, the results
could not be identical, but, so far as un-
dermining the constitution, and injuring
the delicate cerebral structure is con
cerned, would they be any less disas-
trous And, oh what irreparable loss
to herself to her friends, and to the
world would it be if her intellect should
be blasted, or its light even so much as
dimmed | Such considerations occupied
nay mind, and [ began to think that my
friendly interference was as much needed
as if her midnight hours had actually
been given to novel reading. But it was
plain that there was no preaching need
ed. All that was necessary, was a sci
entifc essay on the physiological evils
of night study-that was all. Accord
ingly, [ actually began this labor of love
but before it was completed, events pre-
cipitated my design, and revealed facts
which, to me, seem of very grave i'm
port.
Three weeks ago, last Tuesday morn
ing, Lizzie rose unusually late, having
studied till past one, the night previous.
Her eyes were more swollen than usual,
and she was hoarse, The hight had been
chilly, and checked circulation had in
duced cold.
Why, child I" I exclaimed, "you
have caught bad cold! Well, it is not
to be wondered at for the night was
damp and cool, and the clock struck one
before you retired You love learning
a little too we'll, Lizzie. You will find
that hours cut from sleep are cut from
life-especially intellectual life -
"Why, grandpa !" did my retiring dis
turb you, last night? l tried to be so
still"
"Bless you, my child I have lain
awake, night after night, listening to the
squeaking of your slate pencil and the
scratching of your pen, for a fortnight
or more, thinking all the time, as 1 have
Eseen you rise, dull and sleepy, in the
morning, that must warn you against
loving knowledge { not wisely, but too
we'll. But now you see the effect
Last night, [ guaranty, you went to bed
with feet as cold as ice - .... ....-
Il thought they were-pretty near. "
"And head hot as an oven-almost
hot enough to bake the brain?'
You speak as if you knew how my
burning temples throbbed and ached. :"
Il do know. All that is necessary
to know that, is to understand the alpha
bet of physiology-the laws of the cir
culation. Now, suppose you continue
your course, catching cold after cold,
how long do you suppose it will be be-
fore you will be down with fever? and
how much longer before you will settle
down into pulmonary consumption, un-
der the same treatment? think, my
child, you had better abandon your night
study. The day IS long enough.
She seemed to feel the force of my
remarks; but she looked down, and with
half-dogged expression, said:
L cant help it, grandpa. If I don't
study nights, l cant keep up with my
class. -
Glass p [ exclaimed, in astonish-
ment, new light bursting confusedly on
my mental vision. "I thought you
studied from pure love of it. You do
not mean to say that you are compelled
to study nights in order to keep up with
your class at the public school?''
+" Certainl y; nearly the entire class
! have to do the same-all hut the VOW