Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-14
CRITICAL.

Literary Criticism-How near may a ma approach to genius without absolutely az
 preaching it?-Louisville Courier-Journal.
 I want to know why it is that when bab
 is clean aud nicely dressed it won't come t | ne, but when it is covered with taffy an,
 bread and butter it insists upon climbin,
 all over me.-Broozlyn Times.
 A boy digging for skunk in Lancaste county, Pennsylvania, found lump of min 1 eral, which old miners aver to be gold l That's just boys luck. Any older perso1 l would have found the skunk.-Omaha Re publican.
 The Hartford Post says that twenty-five
 years ago there were fifty cats where there is 1 only one to-day. If that is so there mus have been just hundred animals giving
 concert under our window quarter of a cen
 tury ago this morning. Courier. "Yes, my boy" said an old minister to his l son, who was going out to do battle witt 1 the world; ''be as wise serpent and as | harmless dove; but if you forget any part of this advice do not forget that part about being as wise as serpent. "-Bostor Courier.
 ''Do you think you will see Smith down | towns" asked Jones of a friend. ssYes : 'You are quite sure you will see him?' 'Oh, haven't the slightest doubt in the world that will meet him somewhere ] owe him $20."-New York Mail and Ex- press.
 Who says woman can't climb? An old maid in Massachusetts saw a dead field mouse by the roadside the other day, and in less than forty seconds she was in the top most crotch of an apple tree, tucking her skirts in and peering around among the branches for her speetacles.-Burlingto Free Press.
 Webster's spelling book, it is said, still sells at the rate of 8 million copies year. And yet it is never called for at a public li- brary, while half dozen volumes of Ouidas novels may be taken out in one day. The plot in Webster's spelling book is not thrill ling enough to please the patrons of public libraries. Norristown Herald.
 "Papa," said little Ethel few days ago. 'EI have seen picture that I want to give mamma and want you to buy it for me when you go down town.r But how am to know it?" asked her father. s'Oh, you'll know it, said Ethel confidently. stJust ask NIT. Kent to show you picture of two little children with dadoes round their heads ''- Harper's Bazaar.
 few years ago the Rev. Mir. Coats, the pastor of the Baptist church in this city, while administering the consolations of the gospel to an invalid lady in his parish, said: 'I hope, sister, that you are relying on the then asked: ''What special promises are you resting on now?" And she replied: ''Grin and bear it. t."-Portland Oregonian
 An old Texan, being asked to describe norther, said ''I'll tell you what it is, stran- ger, norther puts in the quickest work of anything you ever saw. You see that lake down there (pointing to beautiful lake about mile distant) Last spring, in the latter part of March, was fishing in the af- ternoon; the was shining and it was as warm almost as the middle of summer. The fish were jumping up all over the lake, and they were biting splendidly. A shade came suddenly over the lake and I thought I smelt a strange smell that often precedes mortimer. immediately turned away from the lake and looked toward the northwest and I saw a small dark cloud passing like light ming, and I knew I must hurry home After looking a short time at the cloud I turned and looked at the lake, when, to my astonishment, the lake was frozen over and many fish were lying on top of the ice. The fish had jumped up, and the ice had frozen over so quick that they could not get back. Stranger, maybe you think that is stretching things little; but I'll tell you a mortimer can beat anything but lightning, and can hurry that up mightily."- Marshall Mes senger.