The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-07-06

"BY JINGo. BUT THAT'S A STRONG PINT"
a day. 1t is education that makes a
nation. The less education the more
vice and wickedness."
That's jest the way look at it,"
says the squar. 81 say education be-
fore everything else, but we've got
men in this town who differ with me.
You wouldn't think that leadin men of
a town would be ag'in schoolhouses,
would you?"
''They must be queer sort of men.
Don't they want their children to know
who discovered America
That's mighty strong pint, mighty
strongH says Deacon Spooner, as he
turks his cane on the floor and looks at
Abner Jones.
II reckon you're hittin at me-" re-
plies Abner after Within away for a
moment, "and I've got a few words
to say. I'd like to ask this stranger
here if he knows who discovered
America"
"Why, certainly, SIR said the man.
Has it ever done you any good? Has
it ever made any difference to you
whether it was Smith, Green or
BROWNE"
but it is knowledge.'
Eyes, it's knowledge, and that's a
strong pint whispers the deacon.
Yes. it's schoolhouse knowledge"
says Abner, "but let me ask you sun
thin. What month in the year d'you
plant pumpkin seeds?'
Pumpkin seeds! Why, what have
pumpkin seeds got to do with. educa-
tion?'
"Quite little bit, l reckon. This
county ships huff pumpkins every
year to make 100000 10 cent pies. l
don't believe ten farmers kin tell you
when America was discovered, but
they know when to plant pumpkins.
Which is the best fur 'em? l reckon
you kin tell what year George Wash
ington died in, which can't, but d'you
know whar to fasten rope when you
want to drive hog to market?'
by jingo, but that's strong pint,
and -Abner's got him. shouts the dea-
con as he jumps up and down.
The stranger appeared to be sort of
confused and taken down, but tried to
git out of it by sayin they We're
trifin with the subject.
I'm one as isn't opposed to schools
and education," says Moses Plumber,
but l don't want too many of 'em.
I'm sayin that everybody orter know
how to read, write and cipher, but
| nowadays they want to stuff children
With a heap that's no good to any
body
But what man kin know too much?"
asks the stranger. But fur higher
knowledge how would we know that
the earth revolved on it's aXiST'
But s'pose we didn't know? S'pose
! Wouldn't we have licked the British
at Yorktown jest the same, and
wouldn't the price of wheat be the
same as today? l was talllin with
young Jim Benson t'other day He
could tell the distance to the sun with
in Il mile. but he couldn't tell how
many rails 10 4 rod OF fence. He could
give the names of all the stars, but he
didn't know that cuttin Il hogs tail off
ably hopin to find n new one. He could
tell when every state come into the
Union but lie didn't know that COW
kicked sideways instead of straight
behind
! by jingo. Moses. but that's oratory
and Il strong pint besides!' eNclaims
4 the deacon. In the face of them facts
can't seq how we are 10 GIT another
schoohouse.'
You have been i'll at some time or
other in your life?" queries the stran-
ger of Moses.
Il hey. Three years ago was down
With fever and everybody thought I'd
de-
But you We're saved. and how? II
the doctor who was called in had sim