The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-06-22
boofs aDd oofs
By
YOUNG STEHDY.

ing than receiving"
The newsy paragraphs of Mr.. A.
F. B. are treat for those among us
who do not share in his opportunity
| to get around and see for ourselves
| what is going on in our silent city.
Besides, in their writing, he enjoys
an experience which, Judging from
the improvement his work has shown
since joining the fold OF Mirror con-
tributors, will have a lasting and
beneficial result in after years. Keep
it up, friend B., your contributions
are appreciated by all. besides, you
will find yourself amply repaid in
after years for all the effort you
have expended as reporter for our
little paper.
Keep busy! There is nothing like
it to help pass away the long hours
that stand between yourself n
freedom. When the mind is actively
engaged the hours pass quickly;
when permitted to dwell upon mis-
takes of the past or engage in vain
longings for the future, the wretch
edness of your present position be-
comes intensified and what might
and is intended to be beneficial
experience only tends to rob you of
the energy and ability with which
you are endowed. The mind is like
machine, it must be kept in use or
else it becomes rusty and unsuited
for it's natural functions In a place
of this sort, where there is so little
to vary the monotony of every day
life, great deal of mental work is
necessary in order to keep the mind
fresh and active. Reading is an ex-
cellent means of employing tn e
spare hours, and when the books Sc
tlected are of a useful nature, no
other means is necessary. But even
the most invariable reader will tire.
Of that sort of pastime, if INDUCED
in to excess. Then it is that the
roooc,;+- IS co,oo ooou,>o+;op o,,Ac
GENTLY interesting to absorb the at
tention is felt. Among the inmates
here, there are many such means
employed-sOme of a useful and
beneficial nature, others which hold
out no apparent reward for the flu
ture, but all serving the purpose of
keeping the mind fresh and active
Occasionally | meet such a person
on holidays here and when | do,
am always impressed with his abil-
ity to rise above his present sur
roundings and free his mind of the
troubles in which he is involved.
His efforts may be engaged in fancy
work, drawing, an attempt to invent
a new style of airship. or along the
more practical lines of education,
but what ever it is that involves his
attention, his conversation shows
the result of deep thinking, as strong
ly contrasted by that of the individ-
ual whose spare hours are spent in
gazing through the bars or counting
the days that stand between him and
freedom.
There is little difficulty in finding
beneficial employment here by which
the time may be passed profitably.
Engage in some congenial study,
with determination to master it in
every detail. Have some system
about your work. Don't nope over
your newspapers and magazines all
evening-no one ever learned any
thing from reading newspaper.
Spend an hour each evening with
the newspaper, if you must, then de-
vote the two remaining hours to
study. If man sent here for five
wears was to devote two hours each
evening to study, think of the store
of knowledge he would take back to
the world with him. And this is all