The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-08-23
If / WE'RE A coy AGAIN.

II WE'RE A coy AGAIN.
Mr.. James T. Fields gives the following
important advice to boys in an address
before school in Massachusetts,:
When we are 10 longer young, we look
back and see where we might have done
better and learned more, and the things
We have neglected rise up and mortify us
every day of our lives. May enumcrate
some of the important matters, large and
small, that if were a boy again, l would
be more particular about?
| think | would learn to use my left
hand just as freely as my right one, so
that if anything happened to lame either
Of them, the other would be all ready to
write and "handle things" just as if
nothing had occurred. There is no reason
in the world why both hands should not
be educated alike. A little practice would
soon render one set of fingers just as ex-
pert rs the other, and have known peo-
pie who never thought, when 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.
l would accustomed myself to go about
in the dark, and not be obliged to have a
lamp or candle on every occasion. Too
many of us are slaves to the daylight, and
decline to move forward an inch unless
everything is visible One of the most
cheerful persons | over knew was blind
old man, who had lost his sight by acct
dent at sea during his early manhood.
He went everywhere, and could find
things more easily than l could. When
his wife wanted spool of cotton. or a
pair of scissors from up stairs, the gallant
old gentleman went without saying a
word, aud brought it. He never asked
any one to reach him this or that object,
but seemed to have the instinct of know
ing just where it was and how to get at
it.
Surprising at his power of finding
things, asked him one day for an cxpla-
nation, and he told HE that when he was
Il boy:on board a vessel, it occurred to him
that he might some time or other be de-
privcd of sight, and he resolved to begin
early i'll life to rely more on sense of
feeling than he had ever done before.
And SO he used to wander, BY way OF
practice, all over the ship i'll black mid
night, going down below, and climbing
around anywhere and everywhere, that
he might in case of blindness not become
wholly helpless and of no account in the
world. In this way he had educated him
self to do without eyes when it became
his lot to live sightless man.
l would learn the art of using tools OF
various sorts. think l would insist Oh
learning some trade, even if knew there
would be no occasion to follow it when |
grew up.
What pleasure it is in after life to be
able to make something, as the saying is;
to construct a neat box to hold ones pen
and paper; or pretty cabinet for Sis
ter's library; or to frame a favorite ell
craving for Christmas present to dean
kind mother. What loss not to know
how to mend chair that re fuses to stand
up strong only because it needs few
tacks and a bit of leather here and there.
Some of us can not even drive nail
straight, and should VIC attempt to saw
off an obtrusive piece of wood, ten to one
we should lose finger in the operation.
1t is a pleasant relaxation from books
and study to work an hour every day il
4 tool-shop; and my friend the learned
and lovablc Prof. Oliver Wendell Holmes
finds such a comfort in intending things, -
when his active brain needs repose. that
he sometimes breaks piece of furniture
on purpose that he may have the relief OF
putting it together again much better
than it was before.
There are hundreds of things I would
correct in my life if | were 4 boy again.
and among them is this especial one: |
would be more careful of my teeth. See
ing since | have grown up how much
suffering is induced by the bad habit of
constantly eating candies and other sweet
nuiSances, | would SMUT my mouth to all
allurcments of that sort. Very hot and
very cold substances | would studiously
avoid.
Toothache in our country is one of the
national crimes. Half the people we meet
have swclled faces. The dentist thrives
here as he does i'll no other land on this
planet, and it is because we begin to spoil
our teeth at the age of five or six years.
\ child, eight years old, asked ne not
long ago if could recommend him to a
dentist 'who didn't hurt" I.pitied him,
but | was unacquainted with such an ar
fist. They all hurt, and they can not
help it.
| would have no dealings with tobacco,
in any form, i were boy again. My
friend Pipes tells me he is such a MARTYR
to cigar-boxcs that his life is burden.
The habit of smoking has become such a
tyrant over him that he carries tobacco
bowsprit at his damp, discolored lips
every hour of the day and he begs ne to
warn all the boys of my acquaintance,
and say to them emphatically, % Don't
learn to smoke"' He tells me, sadly
that his head is sometimes in such a dir
ny whirl, and his brain SO foul, from long
habits of smoking, he can not break off.
that he is compelled to forego much that
is pleasant in existence. and live a tobac-
co-tortured life from year to year. Poor
Pipes. he is a sad warning to young fell
lows who are just learning to use the dir
ty, unhealthy weed.
A Model Confession.