The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-06-14
! For The Youth.
-:oCo:-
PIE SIZE OF SOULS.


alt depends upon what you mean BY
e term," said Mr.. Watson. "a Ger.
10 Kind of fish are called souls. They
not of the same size; some are small
d some are large. Shoes and boots
I've soles. They are not all Of the same
ze."
l did not mean those kinds of soles. .
"What kind did you mean 2"
"Such souls as We have"
"What kind of souls do we have %
"We all have souls"
"More properly speaking, we are liv-
e souls We are not one thing and
nr souls another. What led you to
* the question respecting the size OF
bulls ?"
81 heard Mr.. Newcomb say in his lee
ire that Cromwell had one Of the lars-
It souls that ever lived"
"NNhat did Mr.. Newcomb mean when
L said Cromwell had very large
bul?"
81 suppose he meant as he said"
"Did he mean to affirm that his soul
as longer, and wider, and thicker than
lher souls p
"No, sir, l don't suppose he meant
at because souls have no length or
feadth"
"He spoke fguratively, aud his mean
e was tha, Cromwell had greater in
diligence, energy and magnanimi:y
han other men. When We speak Of
ne as having great soul, we generally
lave reference to his capacity Tor seu-
rous feeling, rather than to his capacity
br thinking. We say of generous,
oble.miuded man that he has a great
pul."
"Why DO some persons have larger
ouls than others"
"Some are born with greater souls,
hat is, with greater capacities than
thers. That is one cause. Then some
pulls grow more than others? 2"
"Because better care is taken Of them
IS -:Aore culture is bestowed upon them
is with souls as with plants. lfthey
Re carefully cultivated, they make Il
igorous growth Ii they are neglected.
hey have stunted growth. | once
new two boys, vino were ambitious,
/. but the ambition of one differed widely
rom that Of the other. One was great
Sdmirer Of the village blacksmith, who
4 fas tall, stalwart man, and who had
j she reputation of being the strongest
4 han in towu Robert. TOR that WAS the
Boys name. used frequently to visit the
blacksmirh's shop, aud watch the pom
'herous blows the blacksmith gave to the
heated iron. He admired the powerful
lrm that welded the s.cd.c hammer,
lud thought that he should be perfectly
happy if he could be as tall aud large
snd strong as the blacksmith. lie
Hanted to know what would make hi,
body grow aud what could make h:ul
stroDg. Some wags gave him some di
tections which he made himself ridicu-
lous by following"
"Did he grow large and s.rong?"
"No. Nature de>ign,cd that he
should be medium-sized man, and OF
course he did not get beyond that. The
Sbther boy was ambitious of having i
great soul-of being mentally strong
lie admired mind more than body, and
Hheueyer he read good book, he felr
au intense desire for mental improve
ment."
"What did he do?"
ale used all the means Of mental i'm
provement within his reach"
"Did he go to school 2"
"iIe went to school when he could -
His father was farmer VIII, kept him
at home to nelp him in the summer
and sent him to school in winter. lie
studied with all his might when he did
go to school, aud when he did not g
Ito school he did the best he could -
When hc went TO the field to work, he
took book with him, and when for any
cause there was an interval from labor
he spent 1t in reading. Then, when he
Twas at work, he thought over what he
fread, so that he knew all the thought,
the book contained Then he kept hi-
eyes and his ears open. lie saw and
heard what was goiug on around him,
Especially wheo he met with Intelligent
men did he listen with great attention
TO what they said, aud treasured up in
his memory everything he thought to
have value. He thus made as much
mental progress as most of those who
have nothing to do but study. After
while his father concluded to give
. him the advantages of a public educa-
tion. Iu due time he was sent tt
college, where he became one Of the
very best scholars"
at seems to me that he sought tC
have a great MUD rather than grea
soul"
$50 he did at first, that is to say, h'
cared more for the attachments OF in
tellectual power than he did for noblit.
of soul. But after while he began Il
see that he was pursuing selfish course
Il am,' thought he, living only to my
self. l am seeking my own mental i'm
provemeut without caring much for th'
Improvement and happiness Of others
Having become sensible of his de6cien
cy, he set out to cultivate his heart a
we'll as his intellect.
"How did he do it 2"
"Iu the first place he set himself II
encourage aud assist those students wh'
vera diseouraoad and found II hard Z,