Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-01-18
SUCCOTASH.-NO. s.
AN EARLY START.

AN EARLY START,
II is said that the feathered biped, |
whether songster or not, is not only an
early riser but captures the vermicular
peregrinator when It comes forth from
its vespsrian couch to inhale and enjoy
the matuiinal air. In other and simpler
words, using the language Of moss-eatsn
adage, "The early bird catches the worm.'
This, by the way, is not so cherished say
ing MS it was. Like other things that lose
their novelty and adaptability, it has been
buried in an unsung, unwept and unhon-
ored grave. Resembling in one respect,
the canine species, it has had its day
Many Of our most precious sasos will
not, under n close investigation, hold water
or, if what they so boldly affirm is found
to be true, it carries some other inference
or corollary whose bitter tang robs of its
sweetness and value what we had thought
only the sum of all good. So it is with
this old proverb concerning enrly rising, in
at least three respects. First, If it be true,
then the popular belief with reference to
the wholesomeness of the morning air is
not correct, at least so Tar as the worm or
victim is concerned. Second, saying moth
ipg Of unwhoIesome morning air, if the
early bird captures the worm, it is because
the worm rises before it is safe to be around
and in discussing and applying this adage,
we must bear in mind that we may find
ourselves the worm when we think we are
the bird That pum an entirely different
face on the thing. How true it is that
call things are not what they SEEM" 1t
becomes us to get at the true inwardness of
what we are tempted to accept lest we be
sadly deceived
But third, this saying inculcates infer
entially a gross violation OF the rules of
social life or it recommends the trans-
gression OF one Of those rules. Here | will
remark that no doubt parents viii not very
warmly thank me for encouraging their
boys and girls to lie late in bed but I
must say that that is no worse, even il early
rising is a healthy practice, than teaching
those same lads aud lasses to disrespect
the aged You do not intend to do that,
and you do not see in what way rising early
detraets from the homer and reverence due
those chat are venerable in years? | sup
pose that you do not, for dislike to be-
lieve you willfully guilty OF such incon-
sistsnoy as to urge your dear little ones to
observe one iudicious regulation while that
involves the disobed ience OF fanothereQually
important rule. You wsuld like to have
me divest my propositions OF fog and
vaguensss or, in other words, yon wish to
know what | am driving at? o, that is
easy to do. You pretend to be great stick
lers-whatever that is-for poIiteness,
especially to those advanced in life; and
yet in order to promote your own conven-
iencs-purely selfish you see-you prust-
tuts IL pretty proverb to the base use of dis
regarding social etiquette; for is il not the
height OF i'll manners to rise before the sun
| know you did not look NJ it in that light,
and freely acquit you of Intentional i'm
prnpriety; but this should convince us
| that though very pleasant, it is unsafe to
make hobby OF our horse.
By the way, have not told the reader
who completely riddled our proverb and
how easy chore it was. My recollection is
that some old countryman, perhaps an
| Irishman, an actor or literary man, an ora
possibly it was Sheridan-but it mat
ters not Just who it was, so long as he is
not a myth, like Blue Beard, Sinbad the
Sailor, Mahomet, William Tell, Columbus,
| Walter Raleigh, Mother Goose Red Rid
| ing Hood, Napoleon, Jack the Giant Kill
| Ter Qleen Bess and Wash Stop my
4 blasphemous nonsense, do you say? Well,
| it may seem that to you, but was only a
| little premature for centuries hence it
| will be rs easy to reason our noble Father
of his Country out Of history as it now is
| to prove that there never was William
! Tell. 1t would seem that the time il near
| i'll which man will believe what he sees.
| Indeed, after witnessing some modern
mediumstic performances of downright
! impossib bil lties, | am inclined to believe
| that in the near future we shall often dis
believe our very eyes.
But about that outgeneraled father, the
great Irish wit. 1t appears that he had
the generally chronic trouble of endeavor-
ing to rouse an indolent son and get him
up to breakfast. One morning he tried one
expedent and another time he resorted to
another, but all IN vain-the lad seemed to
| be ineorrigible and his father was sick and
sore and discouraged at heart. You see he
entertained the old falIacy that early rising
was beneficial and wise. Well, one morn
ing after repeatedly standing at the foot of
the stairs and calling his son in vain, he
thought to clinch the matter and added
after he had obtained sleepy answer,
Remember, my son, it is the early bird
that catches the worm" But what was his
astonishment and defeat to hear the lad Is
prompt growl, Good enough for the
worm"