The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-08-06
BOYS ARE BOYS
The WORLD OVER
Chinese Sons Who Won't Study
Are Able to Jolly the
"Old Man"

- - ~ SNSAiAS 49, ~
the only one who is worried by Fred
dy's derelictions at college and who in
evitably is wheedled out of his rage by
Freddy in the long run. Witness this
true tale that comes in circuitous route
from China:
A wealthy Chinese gentleman whd
had an only and worthless son wanted
the youth to take the classical exani-
nations and get into the official class.
He paid for tutors, and for months hia
home sounded with the dronings of the
words of the great sage. The youth
liked flying whistling pigeons better
than C~onfucius. and rs a consequences
when he went to Pekin to take the ex-
animation he failed lamentab bly,.
The father. believing that his son
possessed all the paternal traits, again
paid for tutors, and again the house
rang with the chanted wisdom of the
wise one. more, after the father
had spent large sums, the worthless boy
went up to the examinations and again
failed. A third and yet a fourth time
he came back from the yearly trials
with no better showing.
AT last the father lost patience and
warned his son that if he did not pass
on a last trial he would expect the boy
to go out and drown himself. Once
more the youth failed. The father
turned him out of the house and or
dered preparations to be made for a fu-
neral.
When all the hired meurners had
come and the coffin had been built the
reckless youth put in an appearance.
Why have you returned" yelled the
father, h by my orders you were
to drown yourself and here all the prep
arations have been made for your fu-
neral?"
Father" up spake the willy youth.
ut is true that I expected to drown my
self and I tried by best to do so, but ]
| could not.
II went to the village pond and pre-
pared to throw myself In. but I found
1T SO chock full of the bodies of unfor-
tunate youths who had failed in their
examinations and had drowned them
selves that there was no room for me.
| sat on the bank n waited for some
one to come and remove a BODY SO az
to make room for me, but none came.
7 dared not disturb the bodies ia
make room for myself, for Confucius
has written. tJostle not those who can
not reprOve you.
Hence, O my fndulgent fathers
continued the son, lit must be plain to
you that I cannot obey your orders"
The truthful chronicle from iii re-
lates that thereupon the father broke
into a hearty laugh n made his son
the president of an insurance company.
Perfect China.
Perfection is never attained. Some peo-
pie do not know this, because there are so
many things made which come close to tina
ideal, and in china the wares are SO near
being perfect, that the more particular
man or woman expects the superlative,
Take a china dinner set and examine IL
closely, and there will be found minor de-
fects in every piece; but SO very small
that unless one has a microscopic eye they
will scarcely be discovered. The plates as
a rule are fairly straight, but pile them
up and a hypercritical person will find
that none Of them is exactly even. The
buyer who expects absolute perfection il
unreasonable. Considering the intense
heat to which china is subjected. the
wonder is that there is not more ~inexact-
ness.
Some years ago the Duke of Sunderland
ordered from the Royal Worcester Porce-
lain Works a jeweled cup which he desired
to present to the queen. His orders were
that 1t was to be perfect no matter
! what the cost. Mr.. Binns the elder de-
termined that if 1t were possible the d.
recttons should be followed. About 800 at
te1npts We're made before a satisfactory
article was produced. At last one came
out so near right that 1t passed. Was IL
perfect? To the ordinary eye, yes: but ON
examination 1t was found that all the
jewel points were not of the same size and
length. It was, however, as near perfect
as any piece OF china that was ever made
or ever will be. 1t cost the pottery some
thing like 800 guineas. or $1.50O, and 1t waa
| only about as large as an ordinary coffee
cup.
Do not expect absolute perfection IN
china. but be thankful that modern
science has enabled the potter TO producs
as good ware as he does. If you will COM
pare the choice collections IN the muse.
urns Of the world with even the ordinaY
| dinner set of today you win find that tn
point of workmanship the modern pottery
is better made and better finished than the
priceless pieces that are guarded as relics
and fine specimens of the art.
Bishop swears by Proxy.