The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-08-31
;. THE ONLOOKER :.
Word Sketches of Topical Events
By "Ham'
By Ham

chants thot that a bold affirmative
statement that their goods were the
best value was enough to induce
trade. With increasing intelligence
and beniEcent legislation ADVERTISE
ments nowadays published in rep
utable periodicals are conservative
rather than wild in their statements.
Some men learn more rapidly
than others. Many have more fac
lie and retentive memories to aid
them in their efforts to better their
intelligence. This fact should not
however, excuse anyone from a con-
tinued effort to improve themselves.
A noted educator once said: Give
me an average boy of fifteen, be lie
ever so ignorant of our language,
for one hour each day, for a period
of eight months, and l will place
him In possession of sufficient know
ledge to make an average citizen
out of him in two years."
There is no gainsaying the above
statement, it's truth has been veri-
fed time and time again. Once the
rudiments of the language are
understood, the battle is half won.
The great trouble is that for some
inexplicable reason some men do
not wish to learn anything of real
value or importance.
We know men who have had
several hours of leisure daily for
years, yet they have not utilized a
single hour of their time to improve
their mind. Many cannot even
speak the language of the nation.
They are given opportunities to
gain the rudilnentary knowledge.
Ever opportunity is extended so
that they may continue their study,
yet in many, many cases there is
lacking not only a reciprocal spirit,
but there is often manifested spirit
of actual antagonism toward those
who would gladly help them to
higher mental level.
On the other hand we see the
men who have studied and made
their time useful to themselves.
When they mingle again with the
world their chances for advance
ment will be multiplied beyond
computation because of their fidel-
ity to better their conditions while
here.
Among all races of men, in all
periods, there has existed and
does exist, a more or less keenly
developed appetite for adventure.
From early days of prehistoric time
TO the present age man has devel-
oped, in proportion to his increas-
ing facilities, the pre-. eminent in
stinct of curiosity. No other term
can be applied to the instinct that
sent early explorers into these So
called mysterious continents, there
TO settle and multiply. While in
later times the great geographical
discoveries had been made neces-
sary because of necessity for new
fields of commerce, those in the
early periods of history were made
in the spirit of pure adventure.
The wanderlust' of the ancients
was the undefled essence of romantic
adventure. The explorations ofun-
known lands made by present-man
is not influenced by the spirit of
true adventure, but by purely mer-
cenary reasons. The nearest ap-
proach to genuine wanderlust' we
know is the emigrant leaving the
home of his fathers to cut his way
thru the wilderness of new world.
Now the steel rails are IN touch
with every part Of the country the
real adventures of travel cease.
But just let the papers announce
the discovery of new gold fields in a
remote corner of the earth and the
| anoold snirit Of "uandorlust,, will