Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-26

me II you dAre!" These Scotch clans
must have been q Quarrelsome lot. II
fact, they were 50 Jealous OF each 9TH
er that they allowed England to play
one faction against another, and lost
their nationality.
lean not give up the faith that there
Is some good, even IN the worst people;
but 1t 10 not always easy to get at IT
and In some cases 1t may not be worth
while to try In fact, I am sometimes
inclined to think that some folks are
downright honey locust tree folks Of
the thorny kind. never could imagine
why a decent tree like the honey To-
Gust protects itself with spines, unless
It might be to keep the squirrels from
eating the sweetmeats out Of the pods
before the seeds were ripe All locust
trees don't have spines. however. There
was on Of the spiny kind on the line
between my fathers farm and my I'm
'cle Billy's. 1t was right in the path
acress the field between the two
houses, remember that I always kept
clear Of the neighborhood of that tree
when was barefooted. think 1t well
to keep away from the spiny kind OF
unbelievers, or Christians, either, for
that matter.
I have known two or three in my
life so suspicious that IL you told them
they were looking well they immedi-
ately felt that you really thought they
were looking bad, or that you wanted
something from them. In the western
states, when the cattle are on short
feed, ranchmen burn of the spines Of
the cactus or prickly pear. II such dis
agreeable persons were let severly
alone the white heat OF public opinion
would make them feel the necessity OF
at least trying to drop their thorns.
While engaged in this Interesting oc-
cupation Of measuring or analyzing the
prickles OF our neighbors, 1t might be
well for us to inquire if we are clothed
with prickles ourselves. If we have
noticed that some. while speaking to
us politely, seem to keep some distance
between them and us, as tho we had
bad breath, or had been eating onions.
or had been using carbolic acid soap,
we may well suspect that, in the Ian
guage Of somewhat noted ADVERTISE
ment, there's a reason It's worth
our while to find out.
1t may be, not because Of prickles.
but simply that we don't think we have
anything in common. When a common
calamity reaches us. however, such as
drouth or flood, fire or hail, or some
prevailing sickness. we learn that there
is common ground after all, not per-
haps for Intimate friendship. but for
that kindly interest that every farmer
should have for his fellow farmer.
1t may be that our neighbor regards
us as gossip Of the thnrny honey
locust variety I have told you that
there are two varieties of the honey
locust, the thorny and the smooth. SO
there are also two kinds OF gossip.
There is the smooth kind, that takes
II kindly interest in everything that
happens in the neighborhood. They
are interested. for example. in the fact
that young Sam Smith Is sweet on Jen-
ME Jones. I confess, j like to watch
the courfship OF these young folks in
the neighborhood It's a pleasant re-
minder Of past experience Of my own.
But II / should remark that Jennie had
better investigate Sans past. or hint
that she was not as good a housekeep-
err as she might be, would be proving
myself q gossip OF the thorny kind.
Both Of these statements might be true
but why make them except to the
parties themselves, and then only II 1t
might do some good? The smooth kind
Of gossip simply has nose for news.
while the other kind lacks that love
for humanity that the apostle pro-
nounced the greatest Of the christian
graces.
There may be other things about US
that may cause our neighbors to avoid
close touch with us. even while treat
ing us civilly. We may be in the habit
Of giving unasked advice. telling our
neighbors what we think they ought 20
do, and in way that irritates and an
noys. II 1t does not anger them. As I
look back over the past. can see that
used to carry around prickles OF this
kind. I used to wonder why it was that
wherever I lived. I made lot OF enc
mics, and, / must say, lot Of warm
friends I thought for a good many
years that both grew out of the same
root OF character. wds mistaken. /
found that it was not necessary that 1
should convert a fairly good friend into
a rather hard sort Of an enemy by tell
Ing him where he should get of at"
or where he should get on In other
words, that 1t was better not to give
him advice unasked. or try to force
him to my way of thinking. I found it
better to show my neighbors that my
way Of thinking worked out practi-
cally, and convert them to II in that
way. (You see. am, in these talks,
revealing something Of my own inner
life)
There are many other kinds Of
prickles that.we may be carrying about
with us. even with the best Of inten-
lions. But think have said enough
to show you that there is q good reason
for the growth Of prickles that some
carry; that prickles sometimes serve
a good purpose; thatthere is sweetness
in most prickly people as well as in
the prickly pear. II we have wit enough
to get at It; and that we may uncon-
sciously carry prickles ourselves, that
keep our friends from getting too close
to us, and keep us from making new
friends. A little careful self-examina-
ton may help us to live sweeter ana
saner lives, and become more useful
citizens. Uncle Henry.
RAwsoN SHOULD SPEAK.
Madrid Register News]
/ a. =