Connecticut western news., 1884-05-21
CANAAN BOOK CLUB.


 this life that we very often, most gener ally, 1 think, find ourselves placed 1T positions for which we are least adapted or qualified, and so 1t is that find my self called upon here tonight to dis charge duty which very we'll know could be much better and more accept ably performed by others here present
 When 1t was first intimated to me that l might be called upon to perform such a duty I of course entered solemn pro- test against it, but my protest was in stantly overruled with the remark that this was to be a surprise party and that my appearing in such role as this would perhaps be the most astonishing surprise that could happen, even to a surprise party.
 I don't know that l ever before at tended surprise party in my life. l rather like the idea, however, and have often thought that they must be very interesting. Surprise implies secrecy, secrecy begets curiosity and curiosity excites interest; Hence they must of ne- cessity be interesting.
 The way they are usually gotten up tends to excite an interest in them. For instance, a friend comes to me and whis- pers to me confdentially that at such a time and place it Is proposed to give a surprise party. We'll, being a married man have of course to tell my wife, for | you very we'll know that married man | couldn't if he would and wouldn't If he could keep a secret from the partner of his bosom.
 Now if there be one thing more than another for which ladies are distinguish ed 1t Is their ability to keep a secret This has been so 1 believe from time immemorial; in fact ever since the orig inal head of the Adam family, that af- | forwards settled in Canaan, ate of the fruit of that forbidden tree, whose nor tai taste brought death into the world and all our woe, and perhaps made book clubs desirable, and so my wife of course Is very careful never to lisp word about the secret, thus confdentially and con- iugally confded to her-except land the exception is like the postscript to a lady's letter-the most important part of itl to a few of her intimate friends, who in turn communicate 1t to some of their friends, and so 1t happens that when the time appointed for the party arrives a very general interest has been excited in it and everyone Is surprised that everybody else knows all about 1t.
 This life is made up generally of a series of surprises and after spending the greater and better portion of 1t in building beautiful castles in the air. wake up some fine morning to be sur prised that theyhave vanished-departed like thief in the night, leaving~not a wreck behind-exeept ourselves-who are left to contemplate those ex- pressive but not very elegant words, ''what fools these mortals be"
 There is one thing to be said to the credit of surprises-they generally re- late to something good.
 The evils of this world are so many and they come to us so often that they fail to excite much surprise. Like 8 strong, confident foe, they do not even attempt to conceal their coming, and sometimes they even dispatch an avant courier, with blaring trumpet, to an- nounce their approach.
 The good, on the other hand Is ever modest and retiring. It Is never obtru- sive and has to be wooed to be won, and as faint heart never won fair lady, so 1t is kthe bold and fearless champion who generally carries off its best and high est prizes. For this reason we are apt to suppose that there is more of evil than good in the world. But 1t Is mistake.
 {" Many a gem of purest ray, serene,
 The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear" And so there are large quantities of precious metals lying buried in wonder rocky mountains. It is only necessary to dig them out and assay and utilize them to render them of great use and benefit to mankind.
 If we had the power of the "Al Seeing Eye" to enable us to look into the innermost recesses of the human heart, we would be surprised to find that there was more of goodness there than we had supposed. It Is there, but in latent condition, and it is necessary in some way to quicken 1t into life, in order to cause 1t to blossom and bear fruit. This can only be done success fully in one way-by cultivation-culti- vation of the head and heart.
 Now there can be no cultivation-ed- ucation-without books, and we can't get books, however often we may utter the pious ejaculation, |" Oh, that mine enemy would write a book without money and money Is unfortunately the one thing needful which many of us do not posses to any great extent, unless per chance we should happen to be engaged in farming, or raising tobacco, or per l haps preaching. Here We find one of the great advantages of book club. By this nice cooperative plan good libra " is placed within the reach and means of all who desire to avail themselves of 1t and for trifing expense they are en- abled to enjoy the choicest literature of the day and thus obtain the best means of cultivation.
 But the reading or study of books is not the only nor indeed the greatest benefit of book club. Man was de- signed to be social being, but he is not-that is not to speak of He mayaccept the injunction " thou shalt love thy neighbor as myself, but it is often in a 1 pickwickian sense. With his usual per- versity he is inclined to go off in the l opposite direction from that it was in tended he should pursue, and like a certain useful domestic animal. the more l you want him to go the more he won't. 1 Il am speaking now, understand, of man and not of woman). Like some tortois- | es, the moment he hears a footstep ap- preaching he immediately, perhaps in l stinctively, shuts his shell and 1t requires some tact and effort to coax him out again. Hence we find another benefit | of a book club. It forms kind of social i chain which serves in some measure to i draw us together into social intercourse and to improve us socially, and no mat | ter how slight the influence may be 1t is a salutary influence and deserves our encouragement.
 It IS wise dispensation of Providence