The Portland daily press., 1864-08-26
MISCELLANY.
The Wooden End Of the Plank.


Men are not made great so often by the ad-
yantages they have, ~ by improving them.
A college cann0t make o scholar unless the
young man studies. In certain sense, then.
every uian is self-made. One OF our. distin-
gulsned generals was once Q common work
niau in n factory. He has since held some OF
the highest offices In the gilt of the people,
aud has won imperishable honors 10 the ar
my.
de tells US that one morning, as the factory
was lighted up before light III the carry ia" y,
aud Just as objects could be seen Out oil the
door, he was looking out oil the WINDOW, anu
saw All object moving along slowly on the ice
that covered The river. While watching 1t,
suddenly the ice broke and the dark object
went down, In an instant he thought 1t must
{ be a man. SO calling companion, he ran
down stairs and out toward the object He
had the forethought TO snatch up plank,
which he carried on his shoulder. When they
had reached the place, they found It was a
culored man, who had broken through the
Ice and was struggling for his life.
They thrust out the plank. The poor fel.
low seized il with both hands,
Now hold ON, Tim, and wen pull you
out"
so they pulled and got him almost out
when OF he slipped and went down again
On his coming up they pushed the end OF the
plank " him. aud again cried,
snow, Tim, hold on with all your might"
"Indeed | will, SIR"
Again he pulled, and up, up he came, al
most out, when of he slipped, and down ne
went. They felt that the third time must De
the turning point. 1t was now life or death.
Poor Tim looked as though he thought SO 100.
For the third time the plank was Pusned out,
when The negro cried out,
''0h, gentlemen, give me the wooden emu
OF the plank"
They instantly saw that they had been CIV
ing him the end covered with ice, and no
wonder he could not cling to 1t. They now
gave him what he called the wooden end =
and drew him out in safety
When We see parents who have nothing but
hard way toward their children, who are al
ways finding iault, but never commencing
them, even when they do well; who never
Seem 70 see when the child tries to do well
and when he longs for words OF kindness, we
have great pity for such children. We wish
these parents would remember that the chill
dren cannot have the Judgment, the fore
thought and the sobrietyo. many years. They
are children. Don't give them the icy end OF
the plank. They love your appreciation.
They rejoice to have you give them deserved
commentator. Oh, give them the wooden
end OF the plank
There Is little Ned Smith in the Sabbath
School. He Is in Mr.. Steadman's class. Now
Mr.. Steadman is SO old that he must wear
glasses. All his youthful feelings have long
since been gone. He has lived little Neds
life over at least six times. Now Ned is a
short. tough little fellow, full OF life and inn,
don't love to study or to think much. He
partly fears and partly dislikes Mr.. Steadman.
They have nothing in common. The one has
no childhood about him, and the other no
manhood. The one is sober and staid and
the other has his skin full of fun. And Ned
would try, and he would do better IL he were
treated gently, and winningly, and lovingly.
He wants somebody to encourage him. o,
Mr. Steadman, do give MIN the wooded end OF
the plank! M