Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-01-15
A PINCH OF SALT.

A PINCH OF SALT.
George went to the meadow to carry a
bucket of salt for the cattle. "How odd" !"
said George, "that nothing can live without
salt What is salt?" "Why, salt is salt to
be sure" said the plowman. That is so, but
the answer did not quite satisfy George
There is metal called sodium, which
looks like little silvery globes, and it is sort
of cousin to gold and silver. If these little
globes in their way over the world meet and
are breathed upon by yellowish.green vapor
called chlorine, they vanish i'll an instant ;
and in place Of the two, sodium and chlorine,
there is grain of salt. 1t is happy thing
in nature that these do come together very
often, otherwise we should have no salt, and
salt is necessary for all sorts Of life.
1t is found almost everywhere. 1t is in the
great oceans there are also salt lakes, and
salt springs, and salt mountains, and salt
fields. Spain has a great mountain of salt ;
and Poland has some wonderful mines, where
you are let down into pit; and come to
workshops where hundreds Of men are hew-
ing out blocks of pure white salt, which shine
and sparkle in the lamplight like diamonds.
In America there is famous salt lake.
Salt spring are very common. The sea water
is pumped into broad fiat pans, and left in
the sun to be dried up When it is dried up
the salt is left in a crust on the bottom of the
pans. There are also great salt works in
England.
If water gives us salt, so also does fire.
After an eruption, the cracks and crevices of
Mount Vesuvus are often covered with a
thick coat of salt. Huge blocks of it were
once found very near its burning mouth.
The people of Iceland, too often carry whole
wagon loads of salt from their burning Mount
Hecla.
There are plants likewise which can yield
a small supply. BY the seashore grows a
gray, prickly, homely plant, called saltwort.
Our soda mostly comes from the ashes of this
very plant Do you know the curious and
pretty EGGPLANT? 1t sometimes grows in gar.
dens oftener in green houses. This is a
great treasure to the people of the Canary
Islands, who raise it in large fields, pull it up,
burn it, and drive a good trade with the soda
which they get from its ashes. What stores
of useful things are to be found in nature.
Animals which live on vegetation especially
delight in salt Wild beasts on the plains,
and deer, as we'll as cattle in our barnyards,
are fond of it. Indeed, life would perish
without salt.
A man weighing one hundred and fifty
pounds has in him pound of salt at least
His body needs it in order to be strong and
healthy If this is no longer to be had, his
flesh falls away, he loses his hair, his eyes
grow dim, his bones become soft, and his
whole system breaks down.
Long ago, even among the Arabs Of to-day,
bargains are made binding by the use of salt.
A tray of salt is put between the two con-
tracing parties, each take piece, and that
means good faith for ever.
You remember the Lord Jesus tells his
people to be the "salt of the earth" that is, to
live so as to shed pure and wholesome in
Auence around where nothing corrupt can
live. And St. Paul says our words must be
seasoned with salt"
A pinch of salt is a very common thing.
We see it every day on the table, and never
think of it, much less think how curiously
God has made the world one great salt-cellar
for our use and enjoyment
Our Own BIBLE.-Do you know, dear
children, the pleasure of having Bible all
your own? There are people who would
give great deal to have Bible. We have
lately heard story of little girl who con-
trived a singular way to procure one. She
lived in a village in the mountains of Abey-
ron, and there they have not the happiness
to see missionaries who bring Bibles to the
inhabitants She was told that. at Mines,
one could be bought for three francs.
This poor little girl had no money, but she
had two rabbits of her own. She resolved to
90 on foot to Mines, which is five miles from
her home, and she carried her two rabbits
with her. She went to bookseller, and pro-
posed to him to exchange her two rabbits tor
a Bible, to which he consented. Rejoiced
with her bargain, she returned to her noun
tain home, happy to have in her possession
the precious book she had desired so long =;
and she made good use of it, She learned
verse every day and how often they came
into her mind many days after! They were
a comfort to herself and to others whom she
visited; for she often told them some of the
precious words of the Lord Jesus. We wish
all of our young readers would learn text
Of Scripture every day, and say it to papa
or mamma the next morning at the breakfast
table. Often text of his dear little ones
might be brought to papa's mind in his busy
cares in the course of the day, or into dear
mammals thoughts, when engaged with her
many household duties.
Con LOVES BAD CHILDREN.-"What kind
of children does God love?" said Christian,
one day, to the children of Sunday school.
"Good children" "Good children" was the
answer from several voices.
The teacher was SILENT and the scholars
were perplexed to know what answer he de-
sired them to make.
Presently he said. "Jesus loves bad chill: