The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-12-10
Written for the Fremont JournaLl
A WEEK In THE WOODS.


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ticle hinges commonly upon its caption.
If the heading inpresses the reader un-
favorsbly he looks 20 further And
yet often the title no more BELTS the
contents, than mans dress does his
temper or character. Human wolves
sometimes don sleeps clothing, but
their relish for flesh is not thus chang
ed to preference for herbs. And be-
cause rogues disguise themselves as di-
vines, their heart loses none of It's black
ness. So pretentiols caption may be
followed by nonsense. Il is not easy
to choose title, nor to keep in sight Of
one, when chosen; but as no wise SER
monizsr selects a text after the prepara-
ton of his discourse, so no successful
author leaves the choice of bis subject
to the last At the best be is liable
to write, "a the sailor walks, all abroad
without appropriateness or unity,
striking into many channels ofthought
but pursuing no one of them to q prop
er extent After ali, it matters little
what the theme is, or how fitting or un-
fitting is the subject matter, if the great
public taste be pleased. A single read
er may have both mind and heart, but
a community may be without either.
As in everything else, success is the
Test of excellence in authorship; and a
reputation once established, an author
may write what gossips, ga5ble-non-
sense, when they are not retailing SLAM
der-and Mr.. Public discovers only the
most profound thought expressed in the
most beautiful and moving language.
Repeated failure is not defeat, when q
writer runs on his notoriety.
Friendly reader, / have chosen the
caption at the head Of this paper. If
it shall prove that I have not kept to my
text, regret it, but it is to late to select
another title; besides, the choice might
be worse. A Week in the Woods. What
woods What, in my opinion, are woods,
Why, they are-trees, with the sap
ling and underbrush included, More,
than a group or q grove of trees is re-
quired, and yet either Of these might
be sufficient to dwellers on prairies.
What mean is not a trackless forest,
but belt between cleared fields-the
woodland of several abutting farms.
Ny reader naturally anticipates some
thing startling, but be will be disap-
pointed. He expects the portrayal Of
exciting scenes, the description Of thrill
ling events, the depicting of iminent
perils, the beWailing of calaimities, or
the narration of hsirbrsath eseapes-in
fine, an interesting variety Of incident
aaeedote and sentiment; but he will
find only everyday events described in
common terms know that in these
days of appalling crime and It's harrow
ing revealment, one may not hope to
interest readers with anything not brist-
ling with horror,or melting with pathos,
but that is not my forte, and candor
impels me to make the announcement
in advance.
The uudrsigOed is one of those ines
Unable individuals dubbed in derision
rather than compliment, 1 surmise, Jack
at all trades" judge that this name
is given IN contempt because those con-
fsrring it couple with the designation
the unfattsriDg addition, but masters
Of none." We render our fellow beings
more assistance than we receive either
thanks or satisfaction. All me- dear
reader, do you know that those who do
the most good, get the least credit
Think you the Howards and Peabodies
the Dixes and Nightingales, are the
greatest of philandrOphists Their
names are blazoned high on the
columnes of earthly fame; but does it
not occur to you that when the great
Book of Accounts shall be opened be-
fore assembled universe, names deemed
here even lowly, will receive higher and
lasting honor The tall, obtruding sun
flower is ambitious for notoFietY; but
the humble, modest violet receives the
higher need of praise. But on earth
action is tested by different standard.
Some fellow without even the brains Of
Eastwood slab, but with the persis-
tence Of a gimlet rakes in the dollars,
and consequently gets public applause;
while the generous soul, ike a weak
swarm of bees, accumulates-nO he
never accumulates; for as fast as he
gathers, some stronger though notmore
industrious one despols him; and he is
pitied as a man without enterprise.
No welcome plaudit strikes his ear till
it is senseless in death, when the race
erect q marble pile as a monument of
their tardy esteem. Oh, that the world
would bestow on the living some por-
ton of the wealth and honor which it
is want to lavish on the dead
Among the many irons" have sin
the fire." is that Of land surveying;
aud to run boundaries between certain
farms was my business, on leaving the
city for few days. l was to receive
fair wages-$8 per day and expenses
paid-and yet not extravagant when
we consider the cost ofquahfying, and
of the necessary instruments, the days
unemployed and the wear Of clothing.
But l anticipated greater enjoyment or
compensation, in the opportunity of
breathing pure air; Of eOnversing with
dame nature; of learning the success Of
proved friends since our paths diYergsd
long years ago; foudling their hIlle
ones, and of partakiDg Of their frugal,
but generous hospitality. Oh, how the
sumptuous entertainment furnished by
fashionably arrayed but unsy mpathetic
acquaintances, pales before the simple
fare which tried friends, warm-hearted
through coarsely clad, invite you to
share! What boots it, that curiously
carved tables, covered with costly
cloths, are loaded with princely plate
filed with richest viands suited to an
spicure's taste, if the design Of all this
prOfusion be to impress you with the
oppulence Of your naughty host and
thus sink you to the level of por-
tionless guest Let me, fresh from hon
est toll, sit at the unpretendiDg board
of him whose heart throbs warmly in
unison with mine. Better, like Elias
of the wilderness, to be girt with skins
of wild beasts, and have locusts and
wild honey for my daily sustenauce,
only so / may stand nobly erect in my
manhood and feel that I am responsi-