Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-01-18
CRISP FORMS OF THOUGHT.
SOLOMON AND UPPER TWISTED
TO SUIT A MODERN TRADE.

The Wisdom Of the sages and the wit
OF the Masses, Even the Work of the
Missionaries, Are Grist in the Mill
They Are POachcd Upon by Authors
aud ADVERTISER
Whether Solomon invented all his prov
cribs or gathered them from many sources
with 4 nicer sense of permanent worth
than Mr.. Tupper exercised in his later
compendium is and ever will be AN open
question. Solomon's copyright ran out
long before Tupper's time, aud both are
now poached upon with impunity by all
classes, from authors TO advertisers. But,
taken by themselves, proverbs well repay
careful study. Students of ethnology
find In the proverbs Of the different races
the dearest proofs Of their real character
istics, for they are the shrewdcst mud yot
most intimate expressions of their daily
life.
Judged by the comparison Of these
homely sayings ii will he found that all
nations are Of one kindred, possessing
common needs, common aspirations, and
seeking similar rellefs from toll aud labor.
On the dustiest shelves Of our libraries
may be found collections of all the prov
cribs Of the different nations, quite a
large proportion of the work having re-
suited from the interest which mission
aries have taken in their earnest studies
OF the uncivilized peoples whom they seek
to instruct. That the shrewd sayings OF
the Scotch or the bright hits OF the irish
should be carefully collected gives httie
cause for surprise; but a collection OF
Abyssinian proverbs. of those OF tho
Tamil language. of Icclandic lore, OF the
Sanscrit, South Sea Island, Chinese, and
H~ottentot Solomons does excite curiosity.
The missionaries have found il a pleasant
as well as a profitable task. Ii delves
deep into the idioms of the language, tells
with unerring accuracy the mental ten
dency Of the people, and by introducing
the foreigner into the inner thought or
both home and trade shows him the real
life of those who adopt them as every
day expressions.
1t is impossible TO read the well-collated
proverbs of the Chinese without realizing
hat q homo life exists In that fowery
kingdom which rivals that of many more
civilized countries. No Solomon, no de-
scendant of Abraham, could eclipse the
trade proverbs Of tho Chinese. They
touch on trade with a keenness and thor
oughness which proves them to be mas
tiers In that school. The baser life OF the
Hottentot, the loose morals of the fellah,
the independent spirit Of the Briton, are
all crystallized In their national proverbs.
In England and many other countries 1t
was formerly very usual for a tradesman
to select some p~roverb as his motto, and
thus post his principles plainly over his
shop door. 1t remained. however, for an
American house to appropriate the pro
verbs of the world en- masse, and use them
tor their W advancement. New Workers
who ride on the elevated roads, or people
who In less favored localities still Jog
along In the slow street cars, are familiar
with the blue and white proverbs which
proclaim the merits Of Sapolio 10 the
world. Every omnibus In London and al
most every tram car" in England is sim
llarly adorned.
They made their first appearance on the
Broadway o~mnibuses, were gathered out
Of over 1900 page of the worlds collec-
tons, and twisted TO suit the case. Many
Of them are beyond easy recognition in
their new dress, many are entirely orig
lnsl, but these are also printed between in
verified commas, which lends n glamour OF
antiquity TO them. To-day we are told
that over 10000 of these blue cards are
displayed In public conveyances carrying
over 6,OO0,OO0 passengers daily.
Condensed thought generally requires
padding to make it ineligible TO the
masses, Just as the stomach Of the horse
must be distended with hay TO make the