The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-21

! flames T. Fields in st. Methodist
Let me tell you, my young friends, some
OF the things would do IL were boy
again; some OF the too-often neglected acts
I would strive to accomplish lit were IN my
power to begin all over anew.
When we are no longer young, we LOOK
back and see where We might have done bet
ter and learned more, and the Things we
have neglected rise up and mortify us every
day OF our lives. May enumerate some Of
the important matters, large and small, that
if were boy again would be more, par
ticular about S.. ;.
think would use my left hand ds well
as my right one, so that if anything happened
to lame either OF them, the other would be
ready to write and "handle things" just
rs IL nothing had occurred. There Is no rea-
in the world why both hands should not be
educated alike. A little practice would
soon render one set of fingers just as expert
as the other, and have known people who
never thought, when j thing was to be done,
which particular hand ought to do it, but
the hand nearest the object took hold OF it,
and did the Office desired.
I would learn the art OF using tools OF
various sorts. I think / would insist on
learning some trade, even il | knew there
would be no occasion to follow it when l
grew up.
What pleasure it IS in after life to be able
to make something, as the saying is; to con-
struct neat box to hold ones pen and
paper, or pretty cabinet for a sisters
library, or 10 frame o favorite engraving Tor
Christmas present to dear, kind mother.
What loss not to know how to mend a
chair that refuses to stand up only because
it needs few tacks and bit OF leather
~
drive nail straight, and should we attempt
to saw off an obstructive piece Of wood, ten
to one we should lose finger in the opera
ton. -. ..-.
1t is pleasant relaxation from books and
study to work an hour every day in tool
shop; and my friend the learned and Iowa
ble Professor Oliver Wendell Holmes finds
.,,..,', comfort in "mending things" when
his active bra,;Ss needs repose that he some
times breaks piece OF furniture on p":nose
that he may have the relief OF putting I! TO-
Tgether again much better than it was before.
He is as good mechanic as ne ID poet
but there is nothing mechanical about bis
poetry, as YOU all know who have read his
delightful pieces. An English author OF
great repute said to me not long ago, Pro
fessor Holmes is writing the best English OF
our time" And could not help adding,
Eyes, and inventing the best microscopes,
too" .
think would ask permision-n l had
happened to be born in a city-to have the
the opportunity Of passing all my vacations
in the country, that might learn the names
of the trees and flowers and birds. Weare,
as people, sadly ignorant OF all accurate
rural knowledge. We guess at many coun-
try things, but we are certain OF very few.
It is inexcusable in grown-up person,
| like my amiable neighbor Simpkins, who
lives from May to November on farm OF
sixty acres, in beautiful wooded country,
not to know maple from beech, or bob
olink from catbird. He once handed me
bunch Of pansies, and called them violets,
and on another occasion he mistook sweet
peas for geranIums.