Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-09-21
BURDETTE'S ADVICE.
'ihe Kind of Philosophy which Makes
Men Happy, Loving and Contented.

1
Men Happy, Loving and Contented.
turn over the leaves of an old note
book. the pages of which filed half
score of years ago. On one page l
find this note:
my books are all wrink!ed 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 l
may kiss the wrinkled pages of my
choicest book. while think of the dear.
white hands that laid the maple leaves
in history or lexicon. and thank G ID
that the page is wrinkled and the en-
craving discolored.
Aud now. whenever turn to that
page in the notebook, do you know,
my boy. how glad am that wrote
about the leaves as didp 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 tho leaves and stems that
stained and wrinkied my books. and
| ever kept me from using them for Il
week at a time. was therep 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 as
your wife will. some day. when you
find the girl whom the gods have de-
creed shall crown your honsA 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 I'M
gentleness to-day, my boy. leaves a
sting In your heart to rankle half a
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 CO. 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
mean. ungracious thing about any
body. just stop; look ahead twenty five
years. and think how it may como
back to you then.
Let me tell you how l write mean
letters and bitter editorials, my boy.
Some time. when man has pitched
into me and 'cut me up rough" and
| want to pulverize him. and wear his
CORY scalp at my girdle and hang his
hide on my fence. 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. l do hold him over
slow fire and roast him. Gall and
aquaforts drip from my blistering
pen. Then, l don't mail the letter
and l don't print the editorial.
There's always plenty of time to
cruelty a man. The vilest crimina al is
entitled to little reprieve. / put the
manuscript away in drawer. Next
day | look at it. The ink is cold;
read 1t over and say; II don't know
about this. There's good deal of
bludgeon and bowie-knife journ alsm
in that I'll hold it over day
longer. The next day read it
again. l laugh, and say "Pshawl"
and l can feel my cheeks getting
a little hot The fact is. l am
ashamed that l ever wrote it, and
| hope that nobody has seen it.
and have half forgotten the
~tcle or letter that filled my soul with
rage. haven't been hur. l haven't
nurt any body. and the world goes
eight along. making twenty-fo ur hours
day as usual. and l am all the hap
pier. Try it. my boy. Put off your
bitter remarks until tomorrow Then.
when you try to say them deliberate
ly. you'll find that you have forgotten
them, and ten years later ah! 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
~ the worried. tired. vexed. harrassed
old world loves you. -Burdelts. in
Chic1on TourD0I