Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-06-27
Intellectual Food.

1AVClAV~Uu1A Il OOus
We once heard the story of al
young man applying for situation
in one of the large wholesale stores
of an Atlantic city. He was willing
to take anything, from the place of
porter to that of second class clerk.
When ushered into the counting
room of the proprietor, he expected
to be sharply questioned in regard to
such attainments and qualifications
as related especially to the business
of the firm, but he was rather
curiously and unpleasantly surprised.
The old merchant, looking through
his gold spectacles, asked the lad
not a word about his arithmetic,
grammar or geography, neither did
he ask to see ptcimen Of the boys
writing, or to hear him read. Per-
haps the boys who have listened to
us thus far, are beginning to think
that the merchant cared only for the
physical development Of the young
applicant, but they would be mis-
taken in so concluding. Well, the
merchant only asked the boy sim
gle question, and that was the titles
of all the books he had read, aside
from his school books. Unfortu-
nately, the poor fellow could not in
clude in his list either a history,
biography nor religious work of any
kind whatever. After a few words
of rather sharp advice, the merchant
dismissed the young man and that
was the last we ever heard of him. We
think we should be entirely safe in
concluding that the young man
above alluded to, was we'll versed in
all the dime-novel literature in the
country, but nothing of this kind
can avail in the great realities of
life. We are not descanting espe-
cially on the deplorable state of our
literature, but are mainly intent
upon showing boys and young men
what kind of aaaterial the solid bust
ness men of the world want for
book-keepers, clerks and travelling
agents.
A few years ago, the city of New
York was convulsed by the revela-
ton of the fact, that the smilkmen of
the city were selling milk from slop-
fed cows, and upon an analysis being
made, the milk Was found to be
diseased and utterly unit for use.
Before the matter WAS ended, it was
carried into the Legislature of the
State and there, after thorough dis
cussioa, stringent laws we've enacted
to compel men to sell none but a
healthful article of milk. IF such
great care is necessary in regulating
a matter which relates only to the
physical organism, what shallwe say
of those rare elements that go to
make up the texture OF the mind +?
Strong drink is not more fatal to
tie body than vain and aimless read
iag is to the intellect. On the Gen.
trary, the perusal of good substantial
wosks, embracing history, the nat
uras sciences, the lives of eminent
men sand the discussion Of the great
moral and religious questions of the
day, acts upon the mind as pune
cold water and nutritious food act
upon the physical system, in build
ing up bone and muscle. Business
men want boys for help who have
untainted minds as we'll as muscular
frames. Though a boy were to read
{ thousand sensation stories, as they
appear in our Aashy periodicals and
gaily-bound volumes, the acquisition
would only lessen his abilities and
qualifications for taking response
bic position in business. Let ii
young man make himself familiar
with the lives and works of our
great statesman, inventors and pub
lie benefactors of every kind and
profession, and he need not fear to
expose such a stock of Information
10 the rich merchant or manu-
fac.urer whom lie approaches for a
Such references will never
'ail him. They are like pure gold
thrice refined in the crucible. Just
IS scanty, innutritious food makes
,uny arm So does the yila Itaro