Evening star., 1925-01-04
Howe About
A Well Behaved Devil; The "Gay Dog Credo;
Plain People; Horse Sense.
BY E. W. HOVE,
sThe Sage OF Potato Hill"

can find are connected with awaken
Ing from a good nights sleep; from
feeling we1l,' from behaving myself,
from taking care of myself. And I'm
not taking care of myself when l
drink whisky, pre-war or any other
kind.
There is a certain joy in violating
the prohibitory law, in being gay
sport, in rebellion against the Gov
ernment.
may finally buy a still and sneak
ingly make moonshine, for the joy OF
acting devilish. But after I have
made the moonshine whisky, 1 shall
pour it out. I do not want 1t myself
and know it is not good for my
friends.
This is no confession of such sins
as Al Jennings, formerly an outlaw,
but now an evangelist, tells about.
I'm only confessing the little sins all
fairly decent men are too much given
to.
Probably you are like other men
and take only your own advice.
Then I beg you to give yourself
good advice.
X x y X
Probably you have sufficient intel
ligence. Nearly every man has been
kicked around until he has learned a
good deal.
Lately I rarely pick up reading
matter of any kind without seeing
denunciation of "the herd" meaning
the masses, those who know little and
are forever f1oundering around in
their own mistakes
Get out of the herd" If you can.
And you can.
You often hear the expression:
THE truth will set you free
The truth that will set you free is
| not a big, unusual thing. 1t doesn't
appear in a cloud Of fire. 1t isn't an
nounced by some prophet or teacher;
| the truth is extremely simple and
| men generally know it.
Trim your mind and get rid of non
sense, for the reason that plain COM
| mon sense is your best friend.
| What are the great human weak
| nesses? You know. Avoid them.
What bad habits cause 79 per cent
| of men who might have been sue
| cessful to become dependent in old
| age?
| You know. Avoid these habits.
If the church will help you do it.
| Join the church: but if you do not find
this necessary, remember every real
| ly good thing the church teaches is
as vital to you as to any preacher
| x X x x
| 1t is impossible for any man to be
| entirely intelligent and moral.
| But be as intelligent and moral as
you can, for the reason that these
| two are the most vital of life prin-
ciples.
| If you were not born with much
sense, make the most of the little you
have.
| If people take liberties with you,
| and tickle your hind legs, kick, as a
mule does. People have no right 10
| tickle your hind legs.
| The most valuable lessons I have
learned have come from plain people
who neither write for print nor de-
| liver public lectures. I have pro-
| found respect for the people in the
audience. They are forced to consider
| their problems with sincerity, where
| as speakers and writer's are usually
artificial; I know no writer who has
discussed real life as candidly and
intelligently as I have heard il dis
| cussed in private. Writers, actors,
orators, are mere entertainers we call
| on when real life is at rest. The sages
| one encounters in books are usually
the most entertaining writers rather
than the soundest thinkers. / can 60
up my Main street (and I have al
| ways lived in the country and hear
sounder philosophy than any to be
found in ancient or modern libraries.
The people know life, and picture it
accurately to each other.
I (Copyright 1925