Norwich bulletin., 1911-02-04
FEBRUARY FACTS AND FANCIES


 (Written Specially for The Bulletin.) } There is an old saying that those who have the least spare time do the most Tor others. Certainly whenever a demand is made for public service, church or charitable work, committed work of any kind, the busiest men and women are called upon, and usually fewer refusals are received from them than from those less occupied. Even in politics tho law holds good Men of leisure are not the ones singled out for officeholding. As a rule, the can- f didates are selected from men active in whatever business or profession for granted that they know how to economize time and can undertake ad- ditiona1 work. A very busy woman said to me as I admired her plans for saving time: T have been compelled to devise quick methods of work, for I had no time to do otherwise"
 A common remark in every com nlunity is, with regard to a new en- terprise, If MT. Smith will take hold of it, the proposition will go through success of this. get Mrs. Brown or Miss Thompson to take charge of it.'' But they are aready so much in de- mand," may be the reply. Never mind that" will be the answer, they will find time for this. you may be
 
 ested in the matter"
 And what is true of people is true of other things as well. I've never heard February complain of overwork, but certainly our shortest month has very much to be responsible for. doubt if any other can show any great CT list of duties and celebrities than the second month in the years calen- dar, and how little we recognize the fact as anything unusual.
 The second of February is blessed for foretelling an early spring or blamed for predicting opposite. What can she know, poor thing, about groundhogs and their fears of their shadows! The people who pin their faith are the ones who are affrighted at shadows. Candlemas Day, this same day is called, and it has often been considered the central dividing line Of winter. From this comes the old rhyme:
 Half your wood and half your hay
 Must be in store on Candlemas Day."
 Then comes St. Valentines Day. with it's many opportunities for fun and foolishness, for Cupid and cupidity. The children would dislike to take Valentines Day from February's man. agement, and many of their elders have the same feeling. More than one writing 1esk in town, if ransacked, might reveal hidden treasures to the gaze of outsiders, who little suspect the romance SC long carefully conceal ed from all except those immediately concerned.
 When we think of all the famous people whose birthdays occur in Feb- ruary, we are overwhelmed with wor- der that one short month can contain so much. Turn as we will, statesmen, military heroes, presidents, journal istS, poets, actors, philanthrOpistS greet us on every hand. Fancy, if you can, a nobler array than February shows us. Washington and Lincoln, whom the children treasure as among the chief of winter delights. for do they not often bring a school holiday with them and, if you want a child to re- member a date combine it with the magic words, mo school" Mont calm. whose experience at Quebec Is known to every schoo1fboy, Gen. Sher- maA. with his famous march to the sea. Daniel Boone. whose adventures thrill all youthful hearts.--aH these have their births in February, and how much of interest and importance would vanish from our country'S hiS- tory if these names were swept off the roll of fame! How much of our coun- try's development, from early to mod ern times is due to their self-denying lnbors!
 Among journalists who has greater fame than Horace Greeley? To whom can the editorial army point with greater pride or hold in more grateful