The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-08-05
,osH BILLINGS PHILOSOPHY Y.
is WORTH READING
THE Pathfinder)

THE Pathfiinder)
Josh Billings whose real name was
Henry w. Shaw was born at Lanes
borough. Mass, in 1918. He was 10
wears old before he. began writing lot
Then he sent out quaint
witty epigrams which, though they
made many reader laugh, usually
contained a plump kernel OF wisdom
His work depended for its humor
somewhat on a backwoods style Oh
expression and "a rather ludlcrons
system of phonetic spelling.
Billings worked hard at the COM
position of his epigrams and his nina
was nearly always busy devlsing
striking, humorous forms for the ex-
pression of his homely philosophy IL
was his habit, after getting hVe OF
six Of his sayings written to suit him'
to stick them into his hat and 60 out
to read them to his publisher. HIS
writings have never been as popular
as those Of Mark Twain or some OF
the other humorists and comparative
" few people nowadays know any
thing about them. However, many OF
his funny-wise sayings are well worth
reading some Of them more than once.
Here are few samples:
"Thare IL only one thing that can
be sed in favor Of tite boots-they
make a man forgit all his other sor-
rows.
Revenge sumtimes sleeps, but van
lily alwus keeps one open.
Convince phool Of his errors ana
YOU make him yure enemy.
"Mules are like sum men, very cor
lrupt at harte-I have known them to
be good mules for six months just tc
cit a good chance to xix sumbody.
"Sekrets are cussid poor compan!
ennyhow; if yu circulate them "
loze them and If yu keep them YOU
loze the interest on the investment.
"There is lots ov folks who eat wei
and drink we'll, and yet are sick al
the time. These are the folks VIII
, alwuz enjoy poor health
+ "Humor is wit with ROSTERS tai
feathers stuck in its cap and wit
wisdom in tight harness.
"The only reason viii a monkey a
= wuz kreates a sensashun wherever b
: goes is simply bekause-he is
g monkey.
"sins are the only thing repent o
!. Ii never kould make ennything repen
ing O blunders. III
Mankind love mysters; q hole
the ground excites more wonder ths
a star up in Heaven. IN. I'LL
!, 1.-THE man or mule who kant do al
hurt in this world kant do any good
:, "Sum old bachelors git after a I'll
and don't travel as fast as she d.
and then concludes awl the fema
group are hard to ketch and good I
nothing when they are ketched.
Cunning, at best, only dug =
~ dirty work ov wisdom; therefore
= despite It, NJ
= Curiosity had twis; one was Inv'
~ ton, the other was Stick Your-No
: Into-Things.
y "The man who stands on the ba
GO shivering and dassent IL more apt
- ketch cold than him who pitches
w lhed fust into the river.
Nv "A broken reputashun IL like
broken vase; it may be mended,
alwus shows where the brak was.
"Flattery is like colone water, to
io' smelt ov, not swallowed. as
! = Blessed are those who have
lo' eye for a keyhole.
W. Don't mistake habits for karact
Pal the men ov the most karacter hav
" fewest habits. @
loi There is cheats in all things; e
so pizen is adulterated.
~ - kindness IL an instinkt, politer
ees only an art.
o ' "Thare liz a great deal ov Learn
'hs' in this world which IL nothing n
~ ! than trying to prove what we d
'p.e understand"