The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1888-06-23
BuRDETTE's ADVICE.
che Kind of Philosophy Which Make
Men Happy, Loving and Contentcd.


Men Happy, Loving aud Contentcd.
tura over the leaves of an old note
book. the pages of which l filled half
a score of years ago. On one page I
find this note:
..My books are all wrinkled and
filled with crumbs of maple and
sumach leaves, with here and there a
forgotten forest leaf clinging to the
printed one. All. we'll! some time /
may kiss the wrinkled pages of nv
choicest book. while think of the dear.
white hands that laid the maple leaves
in history or lexicon. and thank God
that the page is wrinkled and the en-
craving discolored.
And now, whenever turn to that
page in the notebook, do you know,
my boy. how glad 1 am that l wrote
about the leaves as did? There was
no shadow of fear or dread over my
little home then. There was no rea-
son why l should feel so tenderly
toward the leaves and stems that
stained and wrinkled my books. and
ever kept me from using them for a
week at time, was there? All! in
deed there was. Indeed there was
Because love is better than books. my
boy. Because your books. my son.
though you crowd the literary treas
ures of the world upon your shelves.
can never creep into your heart rs
your wife will. some day, when you
find the girl whom the gods have de-
creed shall crown your home. Be-
cause we should. always hold the
hearts that love us nearer to us than
the petty annoyances and little ills of
this life. Because the quick, hasty
word you speak in ill-temper or un-
gentleness to-day, my boy. leaves a
sting in your heart to rankle half
century away. Because to-day, if !
could, l would burn up every book
there is in all this world just to feel
the little hands that laid those leaves
in the pages where l said they must
not go, clasp themselves about my
neck for one hour Hold your tongue
and your pen. my boy. Every time
you are tempted to say an ungentle
word. or write an unkind line. or say
n mean, ungracious thing about any
body, just stop; look ahead twenty five
years, and think how it may come
back to you then.
Let me tell you how ! write mean
letters and bitter editorials. my boy.
Some time, when man has pitched
into me and 'cut me up rough" and
l want to pulverize him. and wear his
CORY scalp at my girdle and hang his
hide on my fen ce, l write the letter or
editorial that is 10 do the business ]
write something that will drive sleep
from his eyes and peace from his soul
for SIX weeks. Oh, lido hold him over
a slow fire and roast him. Gall and
aquafortis drip from my blistering
pen. Then, l don't mail the letter
and 1 don't print the editorial.
There's always plenty of time TO
cruelty a man. The vilest criminal is
entitled to little reprieve. l put the
manuscript away in drawer Next
day look at it The ink is cold; ]
read it over and say: Il don't know
about this. There's a COOL deal of
bludgeon and bowie-knifs journalism
in that I'll hold it over q day
longer. The next day l read it
again. 1 laugh, and say 'Pshaw!"
and l can feel my cheeks getting
little hot The fact is 1 am
ashamed that l ever wrote it, and
l hope that nobody has seen it
and l have half forgotten the
article or letter that filled my soul with
rage. haven't been hurt. haven't t
hurt any body. and the world goes
right along, making twenty-fo hours
a day as usual. and am all the hap
pier. Try it. my boy. Put off your
bitter remarks until tomorrow. Then.
when you try 10 say them deliberate
ly. you'll find that you have forgotten
them, and ten years later. ali! how
glad you will b, that you did! Be
good-natured, my boy. Believing and
gentle with the world, and you'll be
amazed to see how dearly and tender
ly the worried. tired, vexed. harrassed
old world loves you. -Burdette, in