Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-06-17


foundation stones of the temples OF
success" and the temple OF peace and
happiness II is amazing how men and
women will deliberately go forth and
ruin their physical frames. They
would not treat horseflcsh as they treat
their own bodies. Horsetlcsh they look
upon rs valuable. and yet they do not
seem To think that their physical bodies
are valuable also. Some time ago
was riding through the country on one
of the most famous stage routes of the
world. About every ten or twelve miles
the driver would rein In his team, and
then we would get a relay of horses.
found that every little while he would
stop the horses and give them time to
catch their breath. Then said: II
suppose it is very easy matter to find
drivers for this stage line. The pay Is
good. The positions are absolutely as
sured to the men as long as they be-
have themselves. Some Of these driv-
ers have been In the employ of this
company for ten. fifteen. even for TWEEN
| ~ years" ''Oh. yes was the answer.
Its easy enough for the company to
get drivers. but very difficult to get
the right kind of drivers. 4 driver
who is careless can ruin these horses
, In few weeks He will water them
when they ought not to be watered He
will push them hard when they should
be allowed to go slow He will feed
them when they should not be fed. On
the other hand. the longer some drivers
handle their horses the stronger the
horses become" Then the driver lifted
his whip and cut the forward off horse
as he said: THAT horse there Is over
twenty years old. He is n good. strong
animal yet. That one by his side is
only five. He is good for fifteen years
of future service. The reason our
horses last % long and do so much hard
work is because we treat them right"
The reason many mems physical bodies
give out and tumble into premature
| graves is because their owners do not
look after them and care for them.
But as there are physical valetudi-
narians. so there are mental. As there
are scores and hundreds of phys.
1
crutches because they have not taken
care of their health. so there are scores
and hundreds of mental cripples. who
never have right thinking. robust
manly. independent minds, because
they have never made an effort to
think. These mental weaklings are
always depending upon others. or Dor
rowing from others. or trying to be
propped up by others. As children
they started their mental training
wrong. They have been very regular
in their habits. Ever since childhood
days they have been living mentally
wrong.
Mental Cripples.
We first met these mental cripples
or mental dependents in our school
room. One of them was our seat mate
If there was a hard problem I'm equa
tons. or algebra. or trigonometry, he
always sat by our side. chewing the
end of his pencil and looking around
the room. until we had worked out
the answer. and then he calmly copied
1t off and turned in our work ms his
/ IL. u
those mental lceches by my side. Fol
days and weeks he always copied my
work. And what was my surprise In
one examination. he received Il higher
mark than l. although his paper was
mine. practically in toto. He was
mentally capable. but he simply would
| not work.
| Ind L M
dependents everywhere around us in
the world. You have one in all proba.
bility in your domestic servant. She
will do what you tell her to do. hut un
less you furnish her your brain and
thinking power she is of no more prac-
teal use In the world than a lfcless
stick. Instead of rising little earlier
than the family and getting her work
well under way she does not get ur
till you call her. After breakfast she
just sits. Then you come to her and
say. "Niary. wish you would sweep
up the parlor and dust the mantels
"Yes. ma'am" Two hours later going
into the room. you find Mary leaning
out OF the window and watching the
| AOu
say: MARY. this is cleaning day. CAM
you do something besides stare out OF
the window: Have you swept the par
for fioOr:" "Yes. ma'am." "'rhen why
did you not go ahead and make up this
beds:" Because. ma'am. you did not
tell me to do il. ma'am." "Well, ther
go ahead and make the beds" Yes
ma'am." Two hours later you com,
back from some shopping and market
ing. and there you find Mary gossipinl
with the cook in the kitchen. and tho
front porch is dirty. ana the rugs are
all askew In the halls. and the wash
ing has not been put away. MARY
Mary" you cry. losing all your pa
thence. "what is the matter with you.
Why are you sitting idly there: Have
you fixed the halls and cleaned tn,
bathroom and put away the washing:'
"No. ma'am." why have you not
done these things:" Because. ma'am
you never told me to do that. ma'am.'
well. go and do them now Yes