Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-05-22
CRISP FORMS OF THOUGHT
SOLOMON AND TUPPER TWISTED
TO SUR A MODERN TRADE.

The Wisdom of the Sages ana tne WV
OF the Masses, Even the Work OF the
Missionaries, Are Grist In the Mill
They Are Poached Upon by Authors
aud Advertisers.
Whether Solomon invented all his prov
cribs. or gathered them from many
sources with a nicer sense OF permanent
worth than Mr.. Upper exercised IN ms
later compendium, is and ever VIII DE an
open question. Sol0mon's copyright ran
out long before Tupper's time. and both
are now poached upon with impuhity Vy
all classes, from authors 10 advertisers.
But. taken by themselves, proverbs wen
repay careful Study. Students of ethnol-
ogy find in the proverbs of the different
races the c~learest proofs of their real char-
acteristlcs, for they are the anu
yet most intimate expressions of their
daily life.
Judged by the comparison or these
homely sayings, II will be found that all
nations are Of one kindred, possessing
common needs, common aspirations. ana
seeking similar reliefs from toll ana IN
Dor. On the dustiest shelves or our IL
brsries may be found collections OF all
the proverbs OF the different nations
quite a large proportion Of the work hav-
ing resulted from the interest which mis-
~sionaries have taken In their earnest
studies Of the unciyilized 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 little cause for surprise; but q col
lection of Abyssinian proverbs, OF those
of the Tamil language, of lcelandic lore,
of the Sanscrit, South Sea Islands, Chin-
csc, and Hottentot Solomons does excite
curiosity. The missionaries have found
IL a pleasant as we'll ms n profitable task.
II delyes deep into the idioms of the Ian
guage, tells with unerring accuracy the
mental tendency of the people, and by in
PRODUCING the foreigner into the inner
thought of both home and trade shows
him the real life of those who adopt them
AS everyday expressions.
II is impossible to read the well-col-
lated proverbs of the Chinese without
realizing that a home life exists in that
fowery kingdom which rivals that OF
many more civilized countries, No Solo
mon, no descendant OF Abraham, could
eclipse the trade proverbs of the Chinese.
They touch on trade with a keenness and
thoroughness which proves them to be
masters in that school. The baser life OF
the Hottentot, the loose morals of the fell
lab, the independent spirit of the Briton,
are all crystallized in their national prov
cribs.
In England and many other countries
il WAS formerly very usual for a trades
man to select some proverb as his motto,
and thus post his principles plainly over
his shop door. 1t remained, however, for
an American house TO appropriate the
proverbs of the world on masse and use
them for their own advancement. New
Workers who ride on the elevated roads,
or people who ia 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
almost every tram ear" in England is
similarly adorned.
They made their first appearance on the
Broadway ~omnibuses, were gathered out
of over 1900 pages of the worlds collec-
lions, and twisted TO suit tle case. Many
are beyond easy recognition in their
new dress, many are entirely original, but
THESE are ulsO piinteu pelNeeu inNtTleu
commas, which lend a glamour of anti
guilty to them. To-day we are told that
over 10000 Of these blue cards are dis
played in public c~onveyances carrying
over 100000 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
oats digest readily; but with proverbs IL
is quite otherwise. Their popularity is
only reached because they have passed
muster as being clear to every mind. They
tell their story with a directness and brew
ity which pleases the public, as the die
tionary did the old Scotch woman-"They
air Draw Stories" she said, but nnco'
short" Turned to tell the practical story
of Sapoiio, they often acquire new inter
est. Who reads the advice. "Be patient
and you will have patient children" with.
out an innate respect for the advice which
follows, not 10 fret over house cleaning,
but do it easily with Sapolio? And who
can repress a smile when the Sapolionic
artist pictures the patient father and the