The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-08-23

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oughly used up. Did you ever 60 to
your garret where you kept an old
trunk full of old stuff, odds and ends
and search through it trying to find
something in it which you could brush
up for Sunday wear? If you have you
will know how to give me your SYM
pathy. I had really intended to write
something good, something that would
excite your interest and applause, but
alas. for human hopes when coupled
with embecility.
When one stops to think what a
mess of mental baggage he will collect
IN the course of twenty, thirty or forty
years, the aggregate is appalling; and
yet perhaps not an item but was found
useful at some period in our lives;
not an item but what brought pleasure
and qualification at the time it was
required, but how little we keep and
use to the end of life. And may we
not even yet look them over with sim
cere comfort and joy, with pleasant
reminiscence Of the years spent in
gathering together this collection, as
we bring them out and brush off the
dust and enjoy them again as an old
picture or love letter? Though great
deal of this stuff which we have stored
may never have brought us dollar,
nevertheless dollars would not buy and
remove from us the qualification of it's
possession. In literal sense rubbish,
and yet to us, necessary in the intri-
cate problem of human life. For illus
tration, [ found some old facts and
figures stored years ago relating to
financial problems, gold, silver, etc.
While somewhat dusty still have
them, and yet stand before you today
without dollar on earth of my own,
either of currency, gold, or silver. 1 do
not possess the smallest fraction of
Uncle Sans fractional currency-not
a cent; not a postage stamp. So that
this knowledge is useless to me finan-
cially, for can neither use or sell it,
nor trade it for anything of value, nor
has it been of any particular moral
benefit to me. What then have l in
recompense for the time spent in &C.
quiring this seemingly useless piece of
knowledge? [ am rewarded, because
can help by my vote (when 1 have one)
the aid that my fellow man needs in
getting the right solution of these f.
nancial problems. l can vote intelli-
gently on these questions
1t is because these questions of f.
nance are of interest to my fellow man
and my reward comes from the COM
fort take-when hearing these discus
sions-in knowing what they are talk
ing about, that [ too may enter into an
intelligent conversation about them.
They have been, and are yet, an intel
lectnal happiness which 1 have trea-
sured and which l should feel 10th to
part with.
Now we have a number of studies
here in our beloved circle with which
we are trying to store our minds,
that will perhaps never bring us dol
lar in requital of the time we spend.
Our most intimate familiarity with
these subjects will perhaps never pro-
cure us a job of work, nor add cent
to our income, outside of these walls.
But it is not with this purpose in view
that we are pursuing this method of
self education; that we are garnering
these good things into our mental
warehouse. There ought to be, and is,
higher incentive to our efforts here
than pecuniary benefit. Our motto
is to improve along intellectual lines,
to become more cultured, more strong
in mental resources than we have been
before, and what the practical world
may call rubbish and useless baggage
will become our best and greatest COM
fort.
Situated as we are, with but yerv
little to vary the monotony of our lives
here, these studies become our COM
panions and friends at the shop, at our
bench or table and in the lonely soli-
tude of our cells. Storing our minds
with beautiful things from the