Year: 1864

10 The numerous members OF IN


Cant family this chapter from th


lately published life of Gen. Grant i


earnestly commended:


Cant is little word; and, whel


applied to certain things, is not ONLY
quite harmless; but actually Useful
When we speak of it as used in work


as to cant around stick of timber, Il
cant football, to canta cask or |


box, it is all well; but when we chang,


the form of it, even in a small degre,


and it becomes thereby an abrevia
ton Of cannot, then it is anothel


word altogeszs< Eerd not found
In the Dictionary. s-s1 -'ss Ti Z


Ulysses Grant understood this just


right. As he advanced in years
and extended his studies in school


the usual obstacles in the way of all


scolars appeared to him. 8


As he sat at his plain little desk


one pleasant morning. about an hour
after school had begun, the teacher


gave out difficult lesson The boys


had come from the region round
about: The school house was situa-


ted not far from the banks of the
beautiful Ohio, which the early
French travellers through that
country had called the queen of
rivers. Some of the boys came
several miles every day, on foot, TO
obtain their learning. They rose up
early in the morning, made the fires
in the house for the family, fed and
milched the cows, saw that the pigs
and poultry were properly cared for,
and then, after breakfast. travelled
away, book in hand or under arm, to
the log school house in the woods.


Ul' sses, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS among
this number His chores were all
done in time, so his father and
mother did not have to ask him more
than once to do anything for them
He felt he could not do much, or
that too promptly and cheerfullv,
for the dear parents who had done
everything for him. He was, there
fore, among the first at school and
the first at study. His determine
ton to acquire learning was the most
marked trait of his character as a
scolar. Some of the boys were
what might be called more brilliant,
more snowy; but when Ulysses took
hold: of a lesson, he never stopped
until he mastered it. He might be
slow; he might be tedious; he might
tax the patience of the teacher, and
awaken a sly sneer from some OF lis
out, sooner or later, he
went through the work, and came out
right. Such was the quiet preserve
ance of the tanner boy.


3 Now, Lyss,' said one of his school
fellows to Ulysses, You can't get
that lesson, and it's no use for you to
try /


%! you let 'Lyss Grant slone,'
in another boy; he'll dig out
the meaning ont, if anybody can


You can't?' said Ulysses, looking
closely at his book, and then turn
ing to his dictionary.


Can't he continued, with a calm,
quick GLANCE, I've examined the C's
all through, and there, is no such
word here Can lis not in the die
tionaryr J.


We'll, what of that2' - n


why, mean to say that don't
believe in word that is not in the
dictionary / believe the lesson can
be e4eafned and m going to learn it.


The lesson was learned, and Ulysses
was called out by his teacher. =.
/ heard he said, in the presence of
the school, the reference of young
Grant to the dictionary. He is
right, The word cant is not in it.
The true scholar will never know
such word. He will never say
Cant but always Try What
such bov says he will always do
He will keep on trying uutil the
thing is done. When any person
tells you you can't do a thing, tell
him you II try to do it. There was
once an admiral in the navy; who
was asked how he felt when under
the influence of fear, in the heat of
battle. 'Fear? said the brave sol
lier; L do not know the word =
So let every boy say. like Ulysses
Grant, when told he can't learn a
difficult lesson, the word can't is
not in the dictionary. .


The Tanner boy never ceased to
this little occurrence of his
early school boy days. 1t was les
son to h: m all his life. As he grew
up to manhood, and difficulties and
dangers thickened around him, he
thought of the school house and tea
cher of his youth. Whe- he came to
command men, snd they hesitated at
his orders, or replied with doubts of
their ability to obey, he promptly
replied. gentlemen. it must be done.
At least we must try. The word
cant is not in the dictionary


GEN. HUNTER.