Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-01-09

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couid, and those that were short and clear.
Ii be bad lived ont his term Of three score
years he wonld have been known Ms one Of
the great men of our State.
/ do rot mean 70 say that the mere fact
fhat the word is shoE. makes il olsas, but
IS is trua that most clear words are short.
that most long words we get from other
l tongues, and 'he nass Of men do not know
exacals what they mean. and am not sure
mat scholars always get the same ideas
from them A word must be used a great
deal, as short ones are, before it means the
same thing at ALL
i We love to get clear ideas when we talk
with others. We have q strong proof Of
this in the case of small band of Indians
who live in Madison county. They are
few OF the Oneidas who did not go West
with their tribe. | was struck with the fact
that while they and their fathers had for so
pany years lived in the heart of the State,
yet they keep their own tongue, and it is
I'd for them to speak in ours. / said to
ots of them: Why is it that you speak in
your family in Indian, not English? I have
known you all my life, but it is hard for
me to hud out what you want when you
come to see me. All other races learn 10
speak English in a few years after they
coma to our laud. You and your tribe have
always been here. You live near our great
cities, but you Go not fiud it easy to us,
Why is this2 He said: "l'll tell you. I
want TO say something to you about an old
man?" And then be tried for some time to
set cut the marks of age, and he made bad
| work of it. ''You sec find it hard to tell
you about an old man in Englisb, bit in
( InI T bo 60
the top; that tells II at once. That's the
way We talk With one another in Indian,
and We like il best" So this little band
stand out against our speech because theirs
is the most clear and simple To them. This
shows how stroug is the love of clear
thought ard clear ideas with all kirds Of
men.
Those who wish to t5ach or to lead others
must first learn to ibiuk aud to speak in a
clear way. The use of long words which
we get from other tongues net only makes
our thoughts aud ouc speech dim and hazy,
! bat il ass done Somewhat to harm the NOR
ais of our people. Crims sometimes does
not look like crime when it is set before us
in the many folds of a long word. When
a man steals and we call it "defalca,ion,"
we are at loss to know if 1t ia biuuder
Or crime. IL be does not tell the truth,
icstion, it takes us some time to know
just what we should thiuk of it. No man
will ever cheat himself into wrong doing,
nor will he be at loss to judge of others,
if he thinks and speaks of acts in clear,
crisp terms. 1t is good rule, if one is at
loss TO know if an act is right or wrong,to
write it down in short, straightout Eng
lish. 1t may be said that il we carry this
too far we may cramp ourselves too much;
/ that our language has been made rich by
| what it has gained from others, and that
we ought not to lose the usa of words which
We need to give SHADES of meaning or for
scientific uses. While this is true, we
should tske care to make our own tongue
the ground work of thought and speech
We can gain much by doing 80.
He who will try to use short words and
shun long ones will in little while not
only learn that be can do 50 with ease, but
that it will also make him more ready in
the use OF words of Greek and Latin origin
when he needs them. If be tries to write
in words OF one syllable he will find that he
will run through great many words to get
those he needs. They are brought to his
mind in his search for those be wants. 1t
is good way to learn words Of all kinds.
When . man is in search Of one fact he may
be led TO look at every book in his library,
anu Gnu3 ne DGO5 many things,
Thesg is smother gain when we try TO use
nul3 short words. TO bring them in and
keep ali others ont We have to take great
mauy views of the topic about which We
write or speak. In this way we start many
new thoughts aud ideas that would not
otherwise spring up. am sure II this plan
is tried men will be struck with many
phases brought to their study that they
would not aee if they used the words in the
usual mode. In this way men not only
learn more about words, but mere about
the topics Of which they write, for they
will not be able to carry out their plan
without looking at their subject on every
side.
DR.. Johnson loved long words. But
when he wrote in wrath to Lord Chester
field he broke sway from the fogs and cloud
and roar OF his five syllable terms, and went
at his lor5ship IN way so terse and shalp
that all eau see that be felt what he, said.
Ia other ways we gain by their use. They
show that wo know and mean what We say,
and tins have weight with those who hear
US, and they kindle in other minds the feel
,ngs which move us. No one, who means
iu q dsep, strong way what he Gays ever
pauses to unfold long words of Gresk or
Latin origin, aor speaks in q roundabout
way. Rage and fear strike out their terms
like the sharp crack of ths ri1s when it
sends its bullets straight to the point. The
fact that they come to our lips is strong
proof that we know and feel what we talk
about. Ga the other hand, when we try t.
tell things too great for the mind TO gta-p.1-
we fall into the use of great, long wt1siefi
phrases. If We talk withous saouzek as
we are forced at times to say something
when we have nothing to say, then, like
GOldsmtas schoolmssteT, We may use
words Of learned length. and laundering
sound.'' To say OF one that be is a wordy
mau, is the most clear and sharrSseteh we
can givo of one who spsaA- much aud
thinks but little
Love nor hste, nor zeal, ever wasss their
force by the uss Of involved or long-winded
phrases. Short words are not vague sounds
which lull Us as they fall upon the ear.
they have clear ring which stir our mind
or touch our hearts. They best tell of joy
or grief, of rage or peace, Of life or death.
They are felt by all, for their terms mean
the same thing to all men. We learn them
in youth; they are on our lips through all
days, and We utter them down to the close
of life. They are the apt terms with which
we speak of things which are high or great
OF noble. They are the grand words of our
tongue; they teach US how the world was
made. "God said, Let there be light, and
there was light.'"
SAVE THE oD-AsHEs.-Wood ashes
have too great a value to be wasted. Every
tanners family should make its own soap
supply. 1t is cheaper for the farmer to
make soap than TO buy it. When not
utilized on the farm, ''Eosp grease Is either
wasted or sold for pittancs. After the
ashes are lesched they are nearly az valua-
hlo n hnf0rQ mr. IN yvhAra tlaa soil
does not lack potash. If teAspoopful of
clean wood ashes is given every third day
to horses in their feed they will very rarely
mead ttcnnditinn nnxdars - The aama