The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-02-11
GsROEER hes.


From tho cradle to the grave we are
piled, warned, puzzled, and taught with
proverbs. We fancy ourselves in frock
and trowsers, just commencing our walk
or mentor on either side of us we'll loaded
with proverbs to discharge upon US at
every corner we turn. Here and there
amongst those fired is golden word
which never fails, but generally it is met
by some delusive counterpart calculated to
undermine it. ''Train up child in the
way he should CO." says some one; You
cannon make q silk purse of q sow's ear
answers the other. And then we Jour
ney on again until We come into some iu-
venile dilemma from which we know not
how to extricate ourselves, or whether it
would be best to remain as we are. In
one ear there is whispered, "Anything for
a change" and our other auricular catches
the words, ''Never jump out of the fry
ing~pan into the fire. After a while we
fall aweary, and are inclined to rest, but
are dissuaded from 80 doing by the sage
information that GA rolling stone gathers
no moss From this we suppose that
the moss alluded to is something which
we must at all hazards avoid coming into
contact with, and, therefore, we inwardly
resolve to keep continually on the move.
But, alas! no soouer is the resolution
made than we are astounded by hearing
the very same words used as an induce
ment to quietness, as if this moss were
something wherewith to line our nest
something without which we must not ex-
pect to get comfortably through the world.
Therefore we are at last left in Ignorance
how the words really ought to be under
stood. We advance little and then we
fall in love, and there is quite war of
proverbs on the subject. ''.StriEe while
the irons hot says Dexter. s'Marry in
haste and repent at leisure" makes an
swer Sinister, "Happy is the wooing
that isn't long in doing, is the ready re-
ply. And equally ready comes the words,
''Hottest love is soonest cold" And
then the Spectator is opened, and The au-
thority of Addison brought forward to tell
US that "Those marriages generally abound
most in love and conStancy that are pre-
ceeded by long courtship. The passion
should strike root, and gather strength be-
fore marriage be grated on it. A long
course of hopes and expectations fixes the
idea in our minds, and habituates us to a
fondness of the persons beloved" And
how long Addison would 90 on we know
not, for we cannot bear to listen to him
on this subject, knowing how notably he
himself set aside his own marriage-pre-
cepts when he married the ole countess
for her title. AS may be supposed, we
are on the whole very little enlightened on
the question by the several remarks. We
consider to marry, or not to marry, as the
case may be. We are parted from our
beloved. Again proverbs come to bother
US Hope whispers US, ''Absence makes
the heart grow fonder" But fear makes
answer, "Out Of sight, out of mind."-
We are, therefore, just as much in the
darE. as ever, and, for light, must bide our
time. Suppose, however, that we have
not married then we are anxious to be
doing something, to be stirring ourselves,
and making our way in the world. We
are not content with tying ourselves down
to one hum-drum occupation, we would
be many things at once-we would be
different men in one, so we give ready
ear to the advice, ''Keep two strings to
your bow; - but then there is a counter
croak, s'Between two stools you come to
the ground" We weigh the matter for
while, and unsettled till again we hear,
"KiI two birds with one stone; and
even this fails to establish us for long
time, for our equilibrium is again disturb
ell by the words, elf you have too many
irons in the fire, some of them will burn ;"
and we are at last in desperation, and IN
firm resolve to have our own way, are
obliged to resort to DIR. Clarke, and ener-
getically read, 'The old adage of Goo
many irons in the fire. is great mistake.
You cannot have too many poker, tongs
and aH-keep them all going. !"
On the other hand, we will suppose
that we have married Then, perchance,
there comes the care of family We
are anxious to know what to do with our
boys. We hold q discussion with cur
other self Perhaps we become rather
heated in that discussion, and she must
needs say. s'Think twice before you speak
once;" quite forgetting. dear soul, that
though such words sound well as maxim,
still, if they were acted upon, there would
be very little talking in the world, Per-