The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-12-04
THE GEORGIA HUM0RIST
PHIL osoPHeR GIVES GOOD ADVICE TO
YOUNG AMERICA.
Tho Boys should Be Observnnt anu Ao-
cumulate a Little knowledge OF Every
thing They See Around and About Them.
other Topics.
Here is a letter for the boys.

Here is letter for the boys.
I believe that even an Imperfect
knowledge of many callings renders
man happier than perfection IN any
one and comparative ignorance OF all
the rest. Great scientists, discoveries
and inventors seem to be necessary
for the worlds progress and the good
| of mankind, but their work is gene
rally at the expense of their health
and happiness. Sir Isaac Newton In
his last days exclaimed with slgn'
ST have made slave of myself" His
great mind was always on strain IN
one direction. It is said of him that
he had hole cut in the lower part OF
the door for his favorite cat to enter
and exit, and when she had pair OF
kittens he had two smaller holes cut
for them. The mind is like the body.
It must have a variety of food. 1t is
like the muscles in the arms or legs.
If only one set are used the others be-
come weak and will gradually perish
away.
I was talking not long ago to
learned Judge, man of fine ludlclai
mind and literary attainments, but
who acknowledged his very limited
knowledge of nature and natures laws
"I hardly know one tree from an
other" said he," excepting, of course,
the chestnut, hickory nut and walnut.
Yes, of course, 1 know the pine and
the oak. Indeed 1 have never had
any occasion to know more, Tor L
was raised in town and books have
| absorbed me"
) was Eliminating about this be-
, cause our little girls mother is teach
, ing her to draw and to paint, and l
asked her to draw me chestnut tree,
an oak tree and a maple tree. She Is
3 working on them now and has to go
9 out and look at them and examine the
4 bark on the trunk, and the shape OF
D the limbs and the leaves. I wonder
a how many boys and girls can
!, draw hickory leaf without
Il looking at one. L should like to
Q see their specimens. Thousands o.
e boys, especially country boys, know
d all the common trees OF their neigh
y borhood, but it requires close anc
careful observation to describe then
Q and point out the difference. Nov
y here are, ten different kinds of oaks II
# ibis country, but very few town raised
1t people can name half of them. Thel
II there are different kinds of hickorie
20 md pines and ash and elm trees
d besides the blackberry, box elder, pop
ar, beech, locust and cottonwood
10 Eugene lie Hardy was very learne'
70 md scientific Frenchman, but though
p that American cotton grew on the cot
.onwood trees and that we gathered
5y using ladders. 1t is said that
Mr.. Jackson, of Atlanta, is trying
y Introduce the ladder kind now, an
y has got the trees up to IA feet high.
- The study of the trees and shrubs
n this southern country is dellghtfl
81 and instructive recreation for youn
% people, and I wish they would pa
do more attention to it. Of course tn
study requires some knowledge OF b.
- ;any, but that is easily acquired. Th
q - kind of knowledge is more useful an
=. more comforting than college smatte
:" ing of calculus and comic sections ar
- rhetoric and logic. / do not belle
- there are ten men in Barlow coun
49, who would know ginseng if they we
to see it. Not many more know VIII
~ is father graybeard or white as
= the medicinal shrub from which o
10 A. @. Simmons first made the origin
Simmons liver medicine in Gwinn'
- county. / know about that, for VIII
ro [ was young merchant sold the fiji
H. he ever made and continued to sell
,. for him for several years and he te
me what it was made OF. I thin
y "a thoagh, that father graybeard ga
~ W out about the time the old man die
VA. wish that our young people wor
% acquire habits of observing thin
h;S more closely as they journey alo
through life. Some people see eve
on thing and some see nothing hard
81 When should trees be cut down Il
oat are wanted for wood? What kind
oas wood is the strongest and will bear
greatest burden? What kind is
10 most elastic? What kind the hard
ooo to split? What kind will last
Uoo longest in the ground? What ki
..1 most suitable for pianos, chairs, fur
i'ai ture or wainscoting? What kind
> d mauls or wedges or canes? DIR. OH
an- Holmes must have studied all alb
nVo these when he wrote the "One ID
,ior Shay"
r. $50 the deacon inquired OF the village Il
Where he could find the strongest oak
~ That couldn't be split nor bent nor brok
- That was for spokes and floor and stills;
He sent for Lakewood to make the thills
The crossbars were ash from straigf
Q. trees;
we're The panels were white wood that cuts
any cheese;
ON And the hubs of logs from the sett
un- elm"
ter. But perhaps DR.. Holmes got il
but from some old honest wagon NAL
lous for they know. I'll bet that Mr.. Bl
the ley, of our town, can answer ey
ntry question. The boys ought to lind
med that black locust and chestnut
lost Usage orange make the best posts,
ot II black gum the best hubs, and pers
can mon the best wedges or gluts, and
I xrhr 10