Year: 1869




men whom he once knew In the part Of the cOun-
try where he grew up, and because he reylves
the memory Of things as they were. The sneers
OF shallow creatures TO the contrary notwith-
standing, this Is praiseworthy work"


1t takes good deal of experience to
write for a country paper from year to
year in such manner as to make it
take a fast hold upon the public--to
make it necessity with the people,
and at the same time make it advance
the general good and prosperity of the
community. do not think that there
is local paper in the State that has
succeeded in this respect in greater
degree than the STANDARD has, during
the eight years that have had the
entire control Of it. My idea of writ
ing is to say just what you think, in
the fewest words, purest English, and
shortest sentences Just here is where
young scholars-college students for
instance, make themselves ridiculous.
They want to write in such a way as to
make the world think they are scholars,
and hence they try to lug in words not
generally understood by the reader,
While using the shortest, simplest
words, care should be used to avoid
provincialisms and slang. l have ever
tried to avoid this, but l may not have
succeeded in all cases.


l have seen persons who could con-
verse intelligently and interestingly for
hours, who, when they undertook
to write a familiar letter to a friend,
would declare that they did not know
what to write, and it was great task
to attempt to write to friend. Now
my advice to such persons is, to say on
paper just what they would say to their
friend if cOnversing face to face. This
course makes writing great pleasure,
instead of a great task. l adopt the
same course in many of the articles
which write for my paper. Some
shallow persons" have sneered at me
about my "Random Thoughts, and
"Personal Recollections;" but I find
that the course adopted by me in these
articles makes my paper more popular
than the more orthodox articles, either
original or selected. Go into the coun-
try and talk with the people. Tellthem
about the Esumenical Council. Tell
them that the Pope and his bishops are
holding such Council as has not been
held since the Council of Trent, three
hundred years ago. They will be some
what interested, and will pay respect
ful attention then commence telling
about a wedding in Jackson county
forty years ago; tell how two men ran
for the bottle, which was dressed up
with fine ribbons; how the successful
party in triumph carried the bottle back
to the bridegroom and his retinue, and
how all then rode to the residence of
the bride, passed three times around
the house, then alighted, went into the
house and shook hands with the bride,
who was dressed in neat white, with
iackonet cap on her head with a top to
it (the cap) as large as tea kettle.
Soon all the old folks, who had seen
these things, will be deeply interested,
and will be confirming all you say,
while the young folks will be half dis
putting, but shaking with laughter.
While all this is interesting, it tends to
enlarge the mind. The bride of 1859
would attempt to "make fun" of the
bride of 1880. Perhaps the young
lady of 1900, if she could see young
lady with bunch of some dead per-
sons hair, as large as a quart cup,
sticking to the back of her head, a
piece of straw braid or felt as large as a
saucer lying on her eyes and nose, like
breachy heiter with board to her
horns, to prevent her from jumping
with costly dress trailing on the
ground three feet behind her, draggled
in filth, tobacco juice and stumps of
cigars--perhaps she would also Hmake
fun" We should be familiar With the
changing fashions and customs Of our
people, and IL will to make US more
charitable, more liberal, and more sens
| ible.


One day last summer, was going to
my cornfeld, and ! passed the residence
of an old widow woman, who was hoe
ing in her garden. l stopped and spoke
to her. She showed me her nice fow-
ers, vegetables &c. She told me that
she had read my articles on the culture
and manufacture of fax in this county,
with the greatest interest. She said
she did not take my paper, not feeling


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