Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1885-09-10
POETR u.
SERMONETTES.

In common-sense iswisdom So observe thes,
patent rules,
Though hewed and fashioned far away from
colleges and schools:
Discriminate discreetly between enemy and
friend,
And never grasp hornet by its active business
end.
Against a curtain lecture placesyour silence
and a smile;
You spoil your tongue, or jack-knife, if you
whittle on file.
Avoid an evil temper and the alcoholic reels
In shaking hands with donkeys. never take
them by the heels.
Don't push a stubborn human driving pigs
will never fail
If you simply pull the eporker by the kink upon
his tail
Don't be so blind for honey as to bite into a
If you rush along too rapid you are not so apt
to see.
Don't look for flowers or fruitage in sandy
desert waste;
And don't expend lung pressure on man de
void of taste
If you want more noise than music, shouti TO
an empty well;
You find the loudest clapper in the fashionable
belle
Waste not your brains best effort on Il soul of
pin-head size;
You do not want cannonif your only shoot
ing flies
If you want to keep a secret, tell it only to
yourself
The tongues of Others often hide a babbling
echo elf
If you would stumble DER yourself, some low
ers plans oppose;
In kicking at the rock of fate you only break
your toes.
Don't let your appetite, if sharp. too quickly
leave its sheath
The men are many who their graves are dig
gng with their teeth.
Avoid man whose icy heart gives other hearts
the clills
A grumbling spirit shortens life and lengthens
doctors bills.
Some politicians rarely try to skirmish with
the truth;
Veracity they stab to death and bury in its
youth
Don't be alarmed if pompous fools grow big
with great pretense;
1t takes about ton Of sound to make an ounce
OF sense.
Aud never estimate man by lavish spread OF
sails
The peacock and the lizard tribes display the
longest tails
Esteem no woman for her garb her trinkcts
The weights Of fowls are never found in feath-
ers or in wings.
Expect no measure Of succcss from narrow
souls and small
You cannot dry river up by dipping with an
awl.
If you would conquer mems respect, just cul-
tiyate your own
You cannot club it into them with Samson 5
old jawbone.
The only way to earn your wealth is by your
honest works:
To sit on Fate's long added eggs is suited but
to Turks.
Don't scod the Lord His word conforms to
certain changeess rules;
You cannot warp them out of place, or butcher
all the fools.
And when YOU strike a lancicd Ounce, with
owlish look and tone,
BE sure it's not mirrored form, it's image but
your own.
The man who growls at everything is wasting
yenomed breath
Perhaps he knows if all retained, 'twould poi
son him to death.
Begin at the beginning; all trees begin with
roots;
You can't ascend sunbeam just by pulling at
your boots
Let no ill-luck discourage; the treasures some
times drop,
While empty gourds and bubbles serenely bob
Oh top
In watching fools ascensons, sing no sad grave
yard tunes
The winds and upper currents soon burst such
toy balloons.
In short, be philosopbic-let naught be sur
prise;
Drink deep of bottled sunshine and open wide
your eyes.
There's many simple blessing and many
precious thing
For those who use their weapons and shoot
them on the wing.
In these untrimmed suggestions are life's best
tempered tools
Just help yourself and use them, these home
made, patent rules.
i Edgar .Jones it B0sfoH Truucriw