Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-08-17
KEEPING A DIARY.

To nearly every one any reference to
keeping diary recalls that which has
more than once been decided upon and
even attempted, but, like many other
New Year resolutions, became irksome
aud was soon given up. Much has
been written, and great deal of ex-
cellent advice given, yet there is prObs-
bly, no other task so many have begun,
yet 30 very few have finished. As
most are situated one day is so much
like another, any attempt at daily
record of events becomes SO monoto-
nous there is no wonder it should
quickly lose its charm, and, as is
usually the case, be continued for only
few days; still in portions at least Of
nearly every life, however common
place, there Is much in the way of i'm.
pressions and observations which are
well worth recording, and which are
quite certain subsequently to prove Of
remarkable interest to the writer, and
possibly to others. while no life is SO
varied, interesting or exciting that
ever ydsy should bring forth what is
really worth describing. The usual
ready made annual diary, dated for
every day of the year, is what is almost
| invariably selected to begin with, but
a three-hundred-s -snd-sixty five or six
days allotted task is very liable to
prove like too great an amount of food
set before one who is convalescent, and
discourages or takes away what little
appetite there was, which a smaller
amount, more daIntily served, would
have increased.
If, upon starting out on a somewhat
extensive journey, or even q short va
cation, q small, neat blank book is
provided and diary kept, not of the
days, but of the events worth noting,
aud sometimes several will occur in a
pingle day, while numerous days may
sass without single one, a real pleas
ure will be found in the writing
scarcely less than that originally ex-
perienced; and again, perhaps, years
after, when most of the circumstance
have been forgotten, the whole may be
vividly recalled, and, possibly, just as
thoroughly enjoyed by reviewing those
pages To the few who have made but
, one journey in a whole lifetime, all the
| details may have been so indelibly i'm
pressed on the memory as never to be
forgotten, but 1t is only very limited
amount which eau be permanently re-
| membered, and one, even though
| remarkably fond of scenery, may see
SO much that is beautiful and striking
as TO have in the end, il trusted solely
| to memory, only a very vague impress
sion even of that which was grandest
or most picturesque. Though the
weather is for the diary as for conver-
sstion o never failing topic, it is doubt
full If any but the very unsual, such as
the earthquakes, the tornsdoes, the
violent storms, or perhaps those per
| feet days of June, with their effects, are
actually worth more than the transient,
conversational comment.
when surrounded by new scenes is
the most favorable time for keeping a
really interesting diary, and when
taking long trips, whatever the tastes
there is always ample to be noted.
Almost every one has a natural love for
flowers and Natures fora is varied and
constantly changing. Each section
also has its birds, and, in fact, its gen
ersl fauna Geology, so termed, may
sound rather dry and sntiquated. but
natural scenery, which is only another
| expression for it, has more or less
charm for everyone. Something of the
differences in the productions, pur-
suits, customs, expressions, habits,
mode of living, articles of food, or
ways Of cooking it, is certainly very
] interesting to note and subsequently
recall All these are at first particu-
larly noticeable, but it Is really sur
prising how soon they become familiar
as to be afterward regarded as COM
monplace and then forgotten.
| The first sight of log house, such
as are common in most newly settled
sections or of the adobe, of which there
are many In Southern Texas, Colorado
| and California, and scarcely any others
in portions of Mexico and Central
America, certainly may occasion a re-
msrksble degree of interest, but all the
romance is, at least for time, lost if
no others are seen for few weeks or
| months, hence a vigorous description
would at first be written, though later
on they might have been regarded as
scarcely worth mentioning. Many of
our great natural objects such as Mag
ara Falls, for instance, are in the main
constantly the same, or the change is
SO slight as to be, according to geology,
scarcely noticeable in q lifetime, or
even in the whole time since the first
description was written, still the Cir
cumstances under which they are seen
and the impressions may differ greatly.
The writer has seen and recorded more
or less extensively, diary description of
Niagara in summer, and in winter,
when the delicate frost work hung
from every natural object, when the
constantingly changing ice bridge was
there, by daylight, by moonlight, ar
tifcially lighted by electricity and far
grander when in thunder shower at
night, illumined by flashes of lightning,
followed instantly by most total dark
ness, in each of which conditions there
was something we'll worth noting.
Everywhere in America, at least, a
lady can travel with perfect safety, and
there have been instances where our
self-reliable American women have
gone nearly or quite around the world
practically unattended. They can climb
the highest mountains, and, if so in.
ciined, can, with proper precautions GO
down into and through the deepest
mines. 1t is said that in the latter half
of our lives we live in the recollection
of the first, and those are indeed fortu.
nate who have seen and carefully noted
what will give genuine pleasure to
recall. VISION.