Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-08-08
sThe Conduct of the Understand
Ing.

sThe Conduct of the Understand.
ing.
Please don't pass this by because Yet
NAV think that the title is not pre-
possessing. borrowed the title from g
most valuable paper written some time
ago by John Locke. This Is what Henry
Hallem says of this paper:
81 cannot think any parent or instruct
or justified in neglecting to put this little
treatise Conduct of understanding in
the hands of boy about the time when
the reasoning faculties. become developed.
1t will give him a sober and serious,
not hippant or self-conceited, independ-
ency of thinking, and while it teaches
how to distrust ourselves, and to watch
those prejudices which necessarily grow
up from one cause to another, will inspire
reasonable confidence in what has been
we'll considered
Do you understand that? This is the
way would tell you. This little book
will help any one to think more properly,
to reason better, and to form more intelI-
gent conclusions.
:, One thing that Mr.. Locke wants to
teach his readers is the power Of observa-
ton, that is the value of noticing every
thing. This is one thing that can be
taught, even to the smallest; and think
that the habit of noticing closely will
furnish more amusement to a child,
to say nothing of the knowledge
gained, than any amount of toys will.
But just one word right here to your
parents. You can read it to them. To
parents-you must help little in order
that the boys and girls get good intelli
gent start in this habit of noticing. You do
this so easily by showing and tellingGthe
interesting points of very common things.
We had most entertaining object les
son the other day, and our subject was
"grasshoppers." I had brought home
two large ones from Trego Greek, where
had gathered currents. am sure that
those who went to the creek must have
noticed, as did, the grasshoppers there.
There were some of the largest had
ever seen, and their colors were really
beautiful, being green, brown in various
shades, and yellow with red trimmings.
determined to bring some home with
me to show to my little girls. [ had no
way to carry them except to tie them up
in the corners of my apron. This I did,
catching two. One of them was beauty,
he was of the yellow with the red trim
ming kind. I measured him. had to do
this twice, as I thought 1 must have
made a mistake the first time, he
measured SO very large. Hsi hind legs
do you know how many legs grass
body, three inches long; and his ''waist"
The other was not nearly so large. 1t
hofh Of fho
Neutrality-suspicious." specie. found
them under a glass dish so that we could
watch them, that the smaller one was
hurt. The larger one, however, was very
active and amused the children by
by climbing up tn glass, then finishing
the exercise by backward somersault.
"What shall we call them mammal"
asked Lenore. "We ought to have names
for them" told her we would think of
that while we were stemming currants.
Presently she called out, Come here,
oh do come herel the big grasshopper is
eating the little one up" And sure
enough he was. Despite the kicking of
the little brownie the big fellow was hold
ing him down and making meal of him.
"Yon see" said Lenore 81 heard noise
just like somebody eating cracker and
I looked and there he was eating the poor
little one. "Well," I replied "lt's fortu-
nate that We hadn't given him christian
name; the cannibal! Cannibal was new
word to her and tried to explain as we
watched the process of two grasshoppers
being changed into one. It didn't take
long for the Cannibars appetite must have
been sharpened by his drive. Soon moth
ing was left of Brownie but its head and
feet, which were eaten for breakfast.
But the cannibal died as did much
greater being (who was hep victim of
his own appetite. One day we gave him
all the green apple he could eat and that
night he died, think from an attack of
Cholera Morbus. We got some more
from the creek and kept them quite lit
tie while studying their habits and get
ting acquainted with the grasshopper
family.
1t was funny to see them stand up and
drink from shell. can tell you toys
got rest till we had thoroughly studied
grasshopperology.
We learned-but no, 1 wont tell any,
more for you can learn everything that we
did, and it will be so much nicer than be-
ing told.
Guy Morgan is visiting at DR.. Jones'
with his parents.