The Republican journal., 1873-02-13
Written for the journal.
Register Studies.

Register Studies.
NO. |.
o! ye unotfending, hapless registers
What an army of pens attack you; the
sins of whole generations are visited up
on you. You are made to snge and try
and broi on the gridiron OF public opin-
ion. as much as is ever possible, with
your metallic constitution, to singe and
fry and broil on anything. What sleep
less nights and anxious days would you
pass, if you only had mastered the kings
English, sufficiently to spell out the abuse
''heaped up, pressed down, and running
over" that IS cast upon you.
One otherwise most estimable writer
has fling at you after this wise-''The
family as an institution is gone, tho
| there are still attempts to bring up fam
| lily round a register" Now my dear
register | believe iii YOU, have faith in
you, and trust you, rs | would trust IN
| old and valued friend. 1t makes my
| blood leap and my cheeks tingle, % hear
you so soundly berated, and that too. very
possibly, by the individuals who "sit
most" by you. While toasting their feet
with your genial breath, they abuse you
for the loss OF the crosses in their cheeks
for the loss of the home feelings that
once "rallied round the hearth-stonc''-
| for that loss of oneness and whole hearted
ness that characterize this steam-g going
age.
You are also held responsible for that
willingness in people to change houses as
they would change their clothes.' Now
for my part I'm not willing to change
houses with anybody-tho' Eve not Il
"deep fireplace with broad iambs' in q
single room, My registers represent
health, comfort, convenience. Il genial
atmosphere. an even temperature-in
short mitigated winter.
The winds are howing wild and furi-
ous, the snow IS falling in binding masses.
Maine is covered with her frosty blanket,
and all wo>ld be deSolato indeed. hut for
your comfnrtinr presence. | love Won,
adore YOU. my dear my Well-heovcA
register. Your genial warmth is u CON
stant benedction. What hours Of com
fort have you not given me. what months
of 'Florida weather. have You hrot to
me | travel with vou 90 on expIor-
ing expeditions in search Of Sin John
Franklin. | seek ont the hidden sources
of the Nile, and the resources of Dr.
Livingstone visit the King of the
Cannibal Islands. | mourn with the
HawaiianS over the death of their most
virtuons Kamehameha. | trip across the
continent, step into a Cunardcr, and con
dole with the ox-Empress. attend lee
lures I hear Tyndal, and Froude. anc
George Mcdonald beside all the homo
talent, male and female, of America
Now | am fully aware the accomplish
ing Of all this is less 4 matter Of surprise
than the chow" it is done, viz in my
patent easy chair. with my book on the
reading desk, and my feet on the exten
over my left shoulder. and my precious
register in front OF ne | endure n,
snuhhing from the hotel barons sometime.
called clerks, Railroad officials uo mo-
bully me. Steamboat boilers do NOT pV
plodc mo. lcehergs do MT nip me n
short, | am comfortable For All of whirl
| am under great obligation to YOU. my
register, else how would ii he possible fOl
me to journey, even in Imagination. Fol
rs somebody has sud ''an open fire needs
as much tending as 2 pair Of twins"
don't know what it il to tend pair O
twins, but | do know what il was. Ions
wears ago. to tend an open fire | am
satisfied that with an open fire in every
occupied room in my house, | shouldn't
have time to say my prayers. And | am
also satisfied that should have little in
clination to say them
am positive we northern people npvel
could have conquered the late rebellion
but for the help of the registers, that
made it possible for the bone and sinew
of the nation to throw down the axe and
shoulder the musket TIurrah for the
registers. am for you now and always,
or at least, until the summer soIsticc
makes it comfortable to
600 forth, under the open sky, and list
To natures teachingS.' RAY