The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15
AS Often as we Can.

One Of our exchanges, with a keen
eye 10 the small absurdities Of amateur
journalism, frequently refers, In sarcas-
tic tone, to the fact that bride, aud
brides maids are always described d
beautiful, lovely accomplished,
aud otherwise pinks of perfection.
Our fraterDitor should not be 50 mat
ter-of-fact. 1t is a part Of the unwritten
code Of Nature, that Poetry, Posles.
and Prettiness, shall be judged. not by
fixed and formal rules, but according u
the taste and fancy of the individual
Judge. Hence we ought not to take a
measuring line, or microscope. IN speak
ing Of the appearance of a Bride. 1t j.
best to estimate her in the abstract, not
as a particular woman, with a carrot
" head, and a turn up nose, OF
yam figure ttlIis i. an agricultural
paper).-but as a Bride,-a beautiful
flower Of maiienhood about TO be pluck
ed from the rosebud garden of girls,
aud sacrificed to adoru the home. lre,iIe,
and left arm, Of a selfish masculine
Lipei, whom Plato described as IA
Rooster, minus tail feathers
More seriously, the turner dnl We
chtntc never pays a compliment which
Is .siucere, or knowingly uDdeseryed /;
tn it seeks, and likes TO .fnd, all pos
>rbc occasion to make kindly mention
o the g%entler, and far better, sex. The
generality OF women, We meln South
cru women,-we mean also the really
womanly, wifely, motherly, home-keep-
ny woman. have no occasion for news
paper notice except when they marry,
and when they die. So that a word Of
Kindly compliment will do no harm on
either occasion. 1T We had a sister, We
should dislike very much to see her
complimented III print while a young
girl; but when she married 1T would be
different. Women, as well as men, are
rarely hurt by words Of honest praise ;
and many a woman needs it more than
depends upon "symrathy,' and the
opinion of her fellow beings. A kind
word ~revives her like a tonic.
For our part, we have of late years
undergone a change OF opinion as to
newspaper notices. or ''putfs.' 1t IS
common to sneer at the man who is
always tickled at seeing his name III
the newspapers But when you re-
feet that in modern tunes the newspa-
per has become the recognised organ, or
exponent, or voice., of public opln-
lon.-why should not an honorable man
feel proud to see himself kindly spoken
of? All men cannot receive the ell
dorsement of their neighbors, or fellow
citizens, by election to some office, or
trust ; but if a man be public spirited,
liberal, patriotic, hard working, or
otherwise we'll deserving, it can do no
harm for the Press to make mention
thereof, and he has j right to feel graf
flied at seeing it.
Indeed, we may say that any man Of
real yigor and usefulness must expect
to appear in print Cowper we'll de-
.cribed the newspaper as "A Nap of
busy LJe!' The man who wishes to
take all active part in the affairs of his
locality must make himself known to
the masses; and this can only be done
by seeing his name in print time
and again. We recollect a man who
had the talent. the erudition, and the
power, of making a name in the world.
But through a long life he was super
~latively super sensitive against the pub
licity of print, and the possible slur
Of Self-seeking.' What were the
consequences? Why, hat instead Of
luing one hundred per cent of good
with voice and pen, he has done only
per cent! Instead of a public
career, which would have left a vast
amount of work piled up, he leaves only
the work and example of = modest, re
firing, ordinary gentleman. Such men
are needed but to some men are given
ten talents" and to others only one
or two"